White Rice vs Brown Rice

Brown rice is whole grain rice, where only the outer husk of the rice is removed by milling. White rice undergoes further milling, removing the bran and much of the germ of the rice. This means white rice has less fiber and fewer nutrients than brown rice, but it also has a longer shelf life compared with brown rice. 

Brown rice has twice the amount of manganese and phosphorus, 2.5 times the iron, 3 times the vitamin B3, 4 times the vitamin B1 and 10 times the vitamin B6 than white rice. It also has higher fiber. 

However, the protein in white rice is more easily accessed by the body. This makes it preferable for weak and convalescent people, and its lack of fiber makes white rice preferable for people with weak digestive systems. 

Both types of rice have similar amounts of calories and carbohydrates. There are 370 kcal in 100g of brown rice and 356kcal in 100g of raw white rice.

So the common question becomes which rice is "healthier" to eat. This debate will always be thrown around and typically boils down to your opinion of the two. No one can argue that there are some more nutrient rich benefits to brown rice over white rice. But does the body actually absorb all of the nutrients that the brown rice has to offer? For many, the white rice is absorbed in the body much easier which makes it the rice of choice for a lot of people. 

Brown rice is full of phytates and lectins, which bind to vitamins and minerals and prevent them from being absorbed. The phytic acid in brown rice prevents nutrient absorption and it also interferes with proper digestion. White rice is an easily absorbable form of glucose that is easy to digest, therefore making it a safe starch. White rice is a great post workout source of carbohydrates because of how easily it is absorbed into the body.  Keep in mind, if you have leaky gut, blood sugar issues or an autoimmune disorder most grains will have a major impact on your body. 

So which will you chose?