White Rice vs. Brown Rice by Tehila Soskel RDN, CDN

Brown Rice vs. White Rice

By Tehila Soskel, RDN, CDN

The two most popular rice varieties consumed are white rice and brown rice. Both brown rice and white rice contain lots of vitamins and vital nutrients. You may have been told to stay away from white rice and only eat brown rice. But what if I told you that it’s okay to eat both? Let’s discuss the benefits, nutrition, and other factors of both white and brown rice.

Brown rice is a whole grain, while white rice is a refined grain. The bran, germ, and endosperm are the three parts that make up grains. The outer shell, known as the bran layer, provides a lot of fiber, vitamins, minerals, and phytochemicals. The endosperm contains protein and carbohydrates, and the germ contains healthy fats, vitamins, minerals, and phytochemicals.

Refined grains have the bran and germ removed by the process of milling. The reason for this is to give a finer texture to the grain as well as improving their shelf life. Brown rice provides more fiber than white rice, because during the milling process of white rice, some of the fiber and vitamins are removed as well. Besides fiber being known to help with constipation, there are many more health benefits as well. Fiber helps you feel more full, may reduce the risk of diabetes by better controlling blood sugar levels, and may help reduce the risk of heart diseases. Women should aim to get around 25 grams of fiber daily and 38 grams daily for men.

For people with digestive issues, white rice may be a better option since it’s easier to digest due to the lower fiber content. Brown rice also contains more protein, which will help keep you full for longer. Moreover, there is more sugar in white rice, making brown rice the better choice for individuals with diabetes.

Selenium is an important factor in thyroid hormone production as well as immune function. While both white and brown rice contain selenium, brown rice has significantly more. Another important nutrient brown rice has higher amounts of is magnesium, which is helpful for bone development. To help prevent osteoporosis and keep your bones strong during menopause, it’s important to include magnesium into your diet. Foods that provide magnesium include whole grains, leafy vegetables, legumes, nuts, and low-fat milk. the nutrients added back) white rice is a greater source of folate than brown rice. In addition to the many benefits, rice is a gluten-free food product, making it a good choice for those with celiac disease and other gluten-related medical conditions. Although most people consume enough grains, not enough people consume whole grains. According to the

Even though both white rice and brown rice have their own health benefits, neither can be labeled the superior choice.

Folate is an important nutrient for cell growth and red blood cell formation. During early pregnancy, adequate folate consumption is crucial to reduce the risk of neural tube defects in babies. Food sources of folate include dark leafy vegetables, whole grains, beans, and nuts. According to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, folic acid must be added to enriched grain products such as rice, cereal, and pasta. Enriched (foods that lose nutrients during processing have USDA (U.S. Department of Agriculture), the amount of grains needed daily depends on a few factors such as age, gender, height, weight, activity level, and if you are pregnant or breastfeeding. Some examples of grains equivalent to one ounce are ½ cup of cooked rice, ½ cup of cooked pasta, ½ cup of cooked cereal, 1 cup of ready-to-eat cereal, and 1 slice of bread. It’s important to note that serving sizes of rice/pasta is once it’s cooked, not dry.

To make your dish more voluminous and nutritious, add in extra veggies and protein. An example of a nutritious tasty meal that includes protein, carbohydrates and vegetables would be: ½ cup cooked rice, roasted broccoli, sauteed spinach, tomatoes, chickpeas, and 4 ounces of grilled salmon.

White rice cooks more quickly than brown rice because it contains all the parts of the grain. There is fluffier consistency to white rice, while brown rice is more chewy, as the whole bran is still intact. Since brown rice tends to be chewier, an important tip in cooking brown rice is to let it rest at the end. Don’t open the lid as soon as the cooking time is up. Let it sit to get more moist and fluffy.

Even though both white rice and brown rice have their own health benefits, neither can be labeled the superior choice. If you like white rice, have the white rice, and if you like brown rice, enjoy the brown rice. If one needs to be monitoring their blood sugar, then brown rice would be the way to go. As I mentioned earlier, for those with digestive issues, white rice would be a better option as it contains less fiber. The choice comes down to your preference and if there are certain dietary restrictions.

I truly believe that everything can fit into your diet in moderation. Being mindful of portion sizes is very helpful for weight maintenance as well as weight loss. Having too much of anything, even if it contains a lot of health properties, can be too much. Moderation is the key to success.

Tehila Soskel is a registered dietitian nutritionist with a private practice in the Five Towns. She sees clients for weight loss, diabetes, and other various diseases. Appointments can be made for in-person or virtual sessions: 516-457-8558, tehilasoskelrd@gmail.com, tehilasoskelnutrition.com.