Brown rice and white rice are
really the same grain—the only difference being that white rice has been milled
more to remove everything but the white endosperm portion of the grain. What’s
left on brown rice is the bran and germ in addition to the inner endosperm.
This leaves the grain looking brown, and as we all know, people believe that
brown versions of things are more nutritional: brown rice, wheat bread, wheat
pasta, etc.
Brown rice has more fiber and protein than
white rice, which is good, but brown rice also has more calories,
more carbs, and more fat than white rice, as well. If you’re just looking at
the numbers, white rice seems slightly healthier. That said,
white rice has a higher glycemic index, meaning your body breaks it down
faster, creating higher levels of blood glucose and promoting higher levels of
insulin response. That can be troubling for
those at risk of type 2 diabetes, but not a big deal for others.
Brown rice is packed with more nutrients like magnesium, phosphorus, manganese,
selenium, copper, and potassium. But a lot of white rice is enriched, which
helps close the nutrient gap between the two. All told, these two versions of
the same grain are neck and neck. In fact, one 1996 study
out of Portugal found there to be no “evidence that the brown
rice diet is better than the diet based on white rice,” despite the higher
nutrient contents of brown rice.
Now let’s talk , something brown rice has but
white rice doesn’t. Phytic acid is considered an “anti-nutrient” that reduces
your body’s ability to absorb beneficial nutrients because it has a strong
binding affinity to important minerals. For example, when iron and zinc bind to
phytic acid, they become insoluble and are difficult for your intestines to
absorb. Phytic acid also affects your nitrogen levels and protein
digestibility, according to one 1987 study out of Japan:
There’s also the issue of arsenic in rice. Consumer Reports found
that brown rice tends to have more
arsenic when compared to white rice of the same origin. White rice does still have traces
of arsenic, sure, but brown rice has more overall. Too much arsenic,
if you weren’t sure, is not good for you. Keep in mind,
though, these phytate and arsenic levels aren’t going to kill you or totally
ruin your diet after a few bites. The FDA points out that eating reasonable amounts of any
type of rice is completely fine, as long as you try to maintain a
well-balanced diet.
At the end of the
day, brown rice and white rice are at a stalemate. They each have very minor
advantages over the other, but there’s nothing that stands out and says one is
better than the other in regards to your health. If you’re at risk of diabetes, studies suggest
opting for brown rice over white rice can reduce that risk,
but otherwise it’s a toss up. So, eat whatever kind of rice you want, as long
as it is in moderation. After all, too much of either type of rice isn’t going
to be great for you in the long run.
