Is Brown Rice Healthier Than White Rice?

Is brown rice healthier than white rice? Both are starches, both can be cooked and used in similar dishes. However, we have all heard that brown rice is the best choice among the two for our health.

The main reason brown rice is considered healthier than white rice is because brown rice has more fiber and a lower glycemic index. But, usually, brown rice has more arsenic, a substance that poisons the human body.

Although by its very nature brown rice contains more vitamins and minerals than white rice, both have about the same amount of vitamins and minerals when they arrive at our table.

This is due to the fact that white rice is enriched during its refining process. Both brown and white rice, have b vitamins, iron, and zinc.

Is Brown Rice Healthier Than White Rice?

Calories

In terms of calories, brown rice has fewer calories per serving than white rice. Brown rice has about 218 calories per cup, cooked, while white rice has 242 calories. This is a clear advantage of brown rice vs white rice.

Carbohydrate & Fiber

Brown rice has slightly fewer carbohydrates and a higher fiber content than white rice.

Each cup of cooked brown rice has 46 grams of carbohydrates and 4 grams of fiber. On the other hand, a cup of cooked white rice has 53 grams of carbohydrates and less than 1 gram of fiber.

With fewer carbohydrates and significantly higher fiber content per serving, brown rice appears to be clearly a healthier option.

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Protein

When it comes to protein and fat, brown and white rice are similar. Both types of rice are low in fat and contain about 4.5 grams of protein per cooked cup.

Glycemic Index

Another thing to keep in mind is the difference in glycemic index (GI). Brown rice has GI 50 while white rice has GI 89 – the difference is mainly due to fiber.

Foods with lower GI do not cause any changes in your blood sugar levels. However, you should know that the different varieties of rice differ significantly in the glycemic index, which depends on the type of starch.

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Arsenic

You should also know is that rice has a problem in terms of its designation as ”healthy food”. It has far more arsenic than other plant foods.

Rice usually contains 10 times the amount of inorganic arsenic compared to other foods, so regular consumption of rice exposes humans to high arsenic levels.

In general, brown rice has more arsenic as the poison is mainly found in the outer peel which is removed during rice processing in order to turn white.

Ιf you are looking for an alternative food to rice, you can consume buckwheat, quinoa or brown Bulgur wheat.

Brown Rice Vs White Rice Comparison Table

Here’s a quick Brown Rice Vs White rice comparison table.

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