White rice is less nutritious than brown rice due to the polishing process that removes most of its nutrients and fatty acids. Brown rice is a good source of vitamins B1, B6, and B3, phosphorous, manganese, dietary fiber, iron, and essential fatty acids. Both types are low in fat, cholesterol, and salt and provide complex carbohydrates, making rice a staple food for much of the world’s population.
The nutritional value of rice can vary, depending on the variety. White rice is generally considered to have significantly reduced nutritional value, because the rice’s polishing process removes most of its nutrients and fatty acids. Even when white rice is fortified with vitamins B1 and B3 and iron, it has still lost much of its nutritional value. However, rice is considered an important global crop, as it is a staple food for approximately half of the world’s population. Brown rice is considered much more nutritious than white rice, as it is generally much less processed, and is generally allowed to retain most of its nutrition.
While brown rice and white rice contain approximately 170 calories per 0.25-cup (0.06-liter) serving, the nutritional value of rice of each type can be significantly different. Brown rice is generally considered a good dietary source of vitamins B1, B6, and B3, as well as phosphorous, manganese, dietary fiber, iron, and essential fatty acids. Brown rice is also considered a good source of tryptophan, selenium, and magnesium. The nutritional value of rice that has not been polished during processing makes it a good source of fatty acids, dietary fiber, and complete protein.
White rice loses many of these vitamins and minerals in processing. Husking and polishing white rice can reduce its vitamin B1 content by up to 80 percent, its B6 content by up to 90 percent, and its B3 content by more than 60 percent. White rice also typically loses about 60 percent of its iron content, along with all of its fatty acids and dietary fiber, in processing. Vitamins and minerals are often added to white rice after processing, but this enrichment process generally does not replace most of the nutrients lost from the rice during processing.
Both white and brown rice are considered very low in fat, cholesterol, and salt. The nutritional value of rice of both types can rest on the large amounts of complex carbohydrates they provide. The nutritional value of rice as a carbohydrate source has made it a staple food for much of the world’s population. A diet based on whole grains like rice is said to help maintain a healthy body weight, support cardiovascular health, lower cholesterol, and prevent type 2 diabetes.
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