Is White Rice Nutritious?
Written by Isabel Vasquez RD, LDN
White rice is a Latine cultural food staple. It forms the foundation of so many of our beloved cultural dishes. We love our white rice.
However, many Latinas have come to fear white rice. As a Latina dietitian, I hear so many Latina clients say they’ve cut out white rice for their health.
Unfortunately, many Latinas have been told by their doctors or the mainstream media that white rice is nutritionally inferior to brown rice.
You may feel pressure to cut back on white rice in the name of health, but is that really necessary?
In this blog, I’ll share the nutritional content of white rice, how it compares to brown rice, and whether you really need to restrict white rice for your health.
White Rice Nutrition
White rice is almost entirely made of carbohydrates. Here are the nutrition facts of one cup (158 grams) of cooked long-grain white rice, per the USDA:
Calories: 194
Carbohydrates: 41 grams
Protein: 4.6 grams
Fat: 0.6 grams
Fiber: 1.4 grams
Sodium: 3 milligrams
Since white rice is a refined grain, it isn’t particularly high in any vitamins or minerals. That being said, it is often enriched with iron and B vitamins.
White Rice Vs. Brown Rice
Brown rice has slightly more protein and fiber than white rice, although the difference is minimal if you’re eating enough of these nutrients through other foods. Here are the nutrition facts of one cup (202 grams) of cooked long-grain brown rice, per the USDA:
Calories: 248
Carbohydrates: 52 grams
Protein: 5.5 grams
Fat: 2 grams
Fiber: 3.2 grams
Sodium: 8 milligrams
As you can see, brown rice is higher in calories, carbohydrates, protein, fat, and fiber than white rice. That being said, these differences are negligible for most people. For example, brown rice only has 1–2 more grams of fiber, protein, and fat than white rice.
Since brown rice is a whole grain, it is richer in micronutrients like magnesium, manganese, copper, and zinc but again, the differences aren’t immense and you can get these nutrients through eating an overall well-rounded diet.
White rice is considered a refined grain, which means that unless it is enriched or fortified with vitamins and minerals, it won’t be a great source of some of the micronutrients we find in brown rice like manganese, iron, and thiamin.
It’s also worth noting that white rice has a distinct texture that cannot be compared to brown rice. It is fluffy and pairs well with Latine foods like beans, meats, salsa, and avocado.
White Rice Health Considerations
When you’re considering whether to cut out white rice for your health, there are a few things to think about.
For most people, eating white rice is perfectly fine and can promote your health by boosting satisfaction and connecting you with your culture.
White Rice is Typically Eaten With Complementary Foods
In Latin American cuisine, we typically don’t eat white rice alone. Most of the time, we eat it with beans, an excellent source of fiber and iron.
Fiber is important for cholesterol and blood sugar management, as well as digestive health, and just because white rice isn’t high in fiber doesn’t mean we don’t eat foods rich in this nutrient.
Furthermore, the amino acids in white rice rice paired with the amino acids in beans form a complementary protein. When we eat them together, they provide us with all nine essential amino acids that our bodies can’t produce on their own.
Pairing white rice with protein, fat, and fiber also helps reduce blood sugar spikes and promote consistent energy levels. We typically do this in our dishes by incorporating meat or fish, avocado, oil, salsa, peppers, and onions.
White Rice is a Cultural Staple Food
Many Latines find their cultural foods to be satisfying and delicious. They serve as a connection to your family and your home country. That experience matters. We aren’t robots; it’s normal to feel pleasure and satisfaction from food. Your connection to your culture matters.
Some research even suggests that satisfaction improves our absorption of the nutrients in our food. So eating foods we enjoy has the potential to provide not just more pleasure but also better health!
Brown Rice Isn’t Uniquely Nutritious
Swapping white rice for brown rice probably won’t be the end-all, be-all for good health.
There are other foods with the nutrients in brown rice. For example, you can get fiber from fruits, veggies, nuts, seeds, and other whole grains. You can get protein from beans, nuts, meat, and fish.
Manganese is also found in foods like chickpeas, pecans, spinach, and pineapple, per the NIH. Plus, white rice is often enriched with iron and B vitamins found in brown rice.
The Dietary Guidelines for Americans do recommend making ½ of your grains whole grains, but you have lots of other options besides brown rice. Other examples of whole grains are whole wheat bread, corn, and oats.
Final Thoughts
Culturally inclusive recommendations are necessary to promote health for all people. We often hear that our cultural foods, like white rice, are bad for us when that’s not true.
Research, such as this study from 2022, suggests that some of our traditional Latine eating patterns—specifically a traditional Mexican diet—are, indeed, health-promoting.
So when it comes to promoting your health through nutrition, it’s important to zoom out and look at your overall eating pattern, not just one food.
If you’re ready to make peace with your cultural foods, our 3-part Latina dietitian-led masterclass on intuitive eating is a great first step.
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