Brown rice is a super food.
White rice is not.
Many of us forget how incredibly different the nutrient profiles are for white versus brown rice.
Much more on this nutty grain after the jump……
Brown Rice versus White Rice
We all know that a slice of white sandwich bread is much lower in nutrients than say a hearty whole wheat slice of bread. But we forget that the nutrients in rice is also highly affected by the color your choose!
Sometimes people actually think white rice is a ‘health food’. When in reality, it is incredibly similar to the dreaded-by-dieters ingredient: ‘white flour’. True, white rice has more water content (better for hunger satisfaction) and is less pulverized than flour grains, but the nutrient degradation of the grain is very similar.
Fast Tip: When faced with the white versus brown rice decision, think of it in the same way you do white versus whole wheat bread. Choose brown rice for health, and a hearty nutty taste. Choose white rice as a sometimes food, with no considerable nutrient benefits.
Brown rice is packed with healthy nutrients including manganese, selenium, magnesium and B vitamins.
More Brown Rice Nutrient Facts:
From, WHFoods:
“Our food ranking system qualified brown rice as an excellent source of manganese, and a good source of the minerals selenium and magnesium. The complete milling and polishing that converts brown rice into white rice destroys 67% of the vitamin B3, 80% of the vitamin B1, 90% of the vitamin B6, half of the manganese, half of the phosphorus, 60% of the iron, and all of the dietary fiber and essential fatty acids. By law in the United States, fully milled and polished white rice must be “enriched” with vitamins B1, B3, and iron. But the form of these nutrients when added back into the processed rice is not the same as in the original unprocessed version, and at least 11 lost nutrients are not replaced in any form even with rice “enrichment.”
Brown Rice Nutrients:
per 1 cup
calories: 216
fiber: 4 grams
protein: 5 grams
carbohydrates: 45 grams
fat: 2 grams (unsaturated)
iron: 6% RDA
calcium: 2% RDA
Thanks for the reminder. I often mix the two together because I like the taste of white rice best.
I wish that every Asian, Indian, Mexican, etc. restaurant would offer brown rice. Not only is it more nutritious, but it tastes great! I love the consistency. Mmmmm.
Brown rice sushi is actually really delicious. I used to shun it, but the taste of the brown rice goes very well with my fave, wasabi!