Brown rice vs White Rice: Which is the healthiest option?

There is always a group of people loving either brown or white rice. But, in the Brown rice vs White rice debate, which one is healthier? Rice is the most important food item in the world, consumed by more than 3.5 billion people in a day. Though we have over a million varieties of rice, the debate is always between Brown rice and White rice. Of these two, white rice is the most common type seen in many households across the globe, brown rice has gained its popularity in recent years. Let’s take a quick look to decide the best of the two.

Differences: Brown rice vs White rice:

Both of these rice types are similar (of course, other than the color) unless the Brown rice is a whole grain and the White rice is the refined form of the same whole grain. Brown rice is a whole grain, contains the integral layers or husks of any grain like the Bran, Germ, and Endosperm whereas White rice contains only the Endosperm. This Bran and germ contain most of the minerals, antioxidants, and fiber, leaving the Endosperm with starch and a little protein. To make an opportunity out of this, manufacturers add extra thiamine, iron, folic acid but brown rice outweighs these fortified white rice. 

Nutritional Difference:

Both the varieties are carbohydrates with low fat. It is through these extra layers on the inner grain, Brown rice contains more minerals, fibers, antioxidants, and vitamins. 100gms of cooked Brown rice provides about 1.8gms of fiber, while the same amount of White rice gives about 0.4gms of fiber. Brown rice is richer in fiber, Manganese, magnesium, Selenium, Thiamin (Vitamin B1), and phosphorus than White rice. 

Drawbacks of Brown Rice

Brown rice is not only rich in essential nutrients, but also in anti-nutrients like phytates, which help in protecting the grain. This phytic acid reduces our body’s ability to absorb some minerals and digest them, making the body deficient in these minerals like iron and zinc. Another major issue is that Brown rice has higher amounts of Arsenic in it which is a toxic substance and when consumed for longer periods of time, can increase the chances of causing cancer, type 2 diabetes, and heart diseases. 

Which is the best

Nothing is 100 percent perfect, but switching between the two varieties as per the needs is the best choice. For diabetic patients, brown rice is the better option as it contains magnesium that can keep the blood sugar levels in check. And for high fiber diet, weight loss diets, you can prefer brown rice as it has a lower glycemic index than white rice. For people with kidney diseases, or opting for a low fiber diet, white rice is preferable. Though the calorific values in these rice are of minimal difference, anything in moderation paired with a well-balanced diet is always the best one.