Table of ContentsView AllTable of ContentsBenefitsBrown vs. White RiceVarietiesHow to CookNutritional InformationWhen to Avoid Brown Rice
Table of ContentsView All
View All
Table of Contents
Benefits
Brown vs. White Rice
Varieties
How to Cook
Nutritional Information
When to Avoid Brown Rice
Brown rice is made up of three different parts: a germ, bran, and endosperm. It is less processed thanwhite riceand gets its color from the remaining bran and germ layer. Brown rice is considered healthier than white rice because of its nutrient content, which contains dietary fiber and many vitamins and minerals.
This article discusses brown rice’s benefits, varieties, and nutritional information.
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Benefits: Why Is Brown Rice Good for You?
There are several health benefits associated with eating brown rice because it contains the bran and germ, which are removed during processing to make white rice.
These parts of brown rice offer several nutrients not found in white rice. Some possible health benefits of consuming brown rice are listed below.
Heart Health
What Are Lignans?Lignans are polyphenolic compounds, meaning they have antioxidant properties. They can benefit health if consumed regularly. They are naturally found in plant foods, such as whole grains like brown rice.
What Are Lignans?
Lignans are polyphenolic compounds, meaning they have antioxidant properties. They can benefit health if consumed regularly. They are naturally found in plant foods, such as whole grains like brown rice.
Choosing Whole Grains May Improve Your Cardiovascular Health
Digestive Health
The health of thedigestive systemcan affect overall health because other systems, such as theimmune system, rely on it to function properly.
In people who eat whole grains, such as brown rice, digestive health is often better than in those who do not get enough whole grains in their diet. The reason for this is the dietary fiber found in whole grains.
Anticancer
Brown rice may also possess anticancer benefits. Research has found that consuming dietary lignans can help to lower the risk of developing cancers such as:
Research on Cancer and Brown RiceWhile preliminary studies in humans have found it beneficial to consume products with lignans, such as brown rice, more human research is needed to see the long-term benefits of consuming the compound through food and its connection to a lowered cancer risk.
Research on Cancer and Brown Rice
While preliminary studies in humans have found it beneficial to consume products with lignans, such as brown rice, more human research is needed to see the long-term benefits of consuming the compound through food and its connection to a lowered cancer risk.
Weight Management
Many people who are overweight orobesemay turn to a low-carb diet to lose weight, but that cuts out even healthy carbohydrates such as brown rice. Research has shown that consuming brownrice—even though it’s a carbohydrate—can positively affect weight loss.
Protection Against Oxidative Stress and Inflammation
Flavonoids and phenols, which are plant compounds that act asantioxidantswithin the body, can help to stabilize free radicals so that they cannot cause damage. This helps to reduce oxidative stress and lower inflammation.
How Bad Is Chronic Inflammation?Chronic inflammation leads to the damage of healthy cells, tissues, and organs within the body. It can also damage DNA. Chronic inflammation can drive or increase the risk of long-term diseases later in life.
How Bad Is Chronic Inflammation?
Chronic inflammation leads to the damage of healthy cells, tissues, and organs within the body. It can also damage DNA. Chronic inflammation can drive or increase the risk of long-term diseases later in life.
Bone Health
Brown rice contains various nutrients, such as manganese, that can benefit bone health. Manganese plays a role in bone formation and density, and research shows that people who do not get enough of the mineral run the risk of impairing bone health. Since brown rice contains high levels of manganese, consuming it regularly can encourage healthy bones throughout life.
Is Brown Rice Good for People with Diabetes?
Diabetes-Safe
Simple carbohydrates, such as white rice, can have a damaging effect on blood sugar levels in people who have diabetes because they quickly break down into glucose. Choosing complex carbohydrates, such as whole grains, has been shown to help control glucose levels in the blood better than other types of carbohydrates.
Downsides of Eating Brown Rice for People With DiabetesWhile brown rice is a safer alternative than white rice for people with diabetes, eating too much of it can still have a negative impact on blood sugar control. Because of this, people with diabetes should eat only small portions of brown rice.
Downsides of Eating Brown Rice for People With Diabetes
While brown rice is a safer alternative than white rice for people with diabetes, eating too much of it can still have a negative impact on blood sugar control. Because of this, people with diabetes should eat only small portions of brown rice.
Eating Rice When You Have Diabetes
Brain Health
Research have investigated the effects of brown rice on brain health and found that people who consume it more may experience improved cognition. One specific study examined the impact of a brown rice diet on people over 60.
Because of the brown rice’s nutrient profile, at the end of the study, people who consumed brown rice daily over six months had higher cognition scores than those who did not. It is thought that the brain benefits stem from its plant compounds and fiber content, as well as the high level of vitamins and minerals found in brown rice.
Safe for Gluten-Free Diets
Gluten is a protein found in various grain products and many other foods. People tend to steer towardgluten-free dietsif they have asensitivityor allergy to the protein, such as with the immune disorder celiac disease, or if they have been diagnosed with anotherautoimmune disease. Since brown rice is naturally gluten-free, it is an excellent grain choice for those who avoid gluten.
What Makes Brown Rice Harder to Cook?
Brown rice is more challenging to cook than white rice because the bran in brown rice is intact, whereas, in white rice, it is removed.
Also, the bran takes longer to cook, causing brown rice cooking time to almost double that of white rice.
Brown Rice vs. White RiceWhite rice and brown rice grow from the same plant, known asOryza sativa. The germ and bran that’s retained in brown rice are removed when white rice is processed, leaving only the white grain.
Brown Rice vs. White Rice
White rice and brown rice grow from the same plant, known asOryza sativa. The germ and bran that’s retained in brown rice are removed when white rice is processed, leaving only the white grain.
Brown Rice Varieties
There are several types of brown rice:
All types are similar because the germ and bran are still attached, but cooking times for each will vary.
The only exception is light-brown rice, which has half of the bran removed during milling. Light-brown rice has the least fiber out of all the brown rice varieties.
How Are Brown Rice Varieties Different?Brown rice varieties differ based on their:SizeTextureFlavorCook time
How Are Brown Rice Varieties Different?
Brown rice varieties differ based on their:SizeTextureFlavorCook time
Brown rice varieties differ based on their:
How Long to Cook Brown Rice
The time it takes to cook brown rice will differ depending on the type. All brown rice types must be rinsed before cooking. They are also mixed with the same amount of water, which is one part rice to two parts water.
To cook brown rice, you will:Combine rice with water, butter and salt (optional) in a pot and bring to a boil.Cover and reduce heat to low so that it starts to simmer.Let cook for the appropriate amount of time, depending on the type of brown rice you are making.Remove from heat after the allotted time and keep covered to steam for 10 minutes.Once finished, fluff with a fork and serve.
To cook brown rice, you will:
Brown Rice Servings: Nutritional Value
The nutritional information for one cup serving of brown rice is as follows:
NutrientsAmount in Grams (g) or Percent of Daily ValueCalories216Carbs44 gFiber3.5 gFat1.8 gProtein5 gVitamin B112%Vitamin B315%Vitamin B614%Vitamin B56%Iron5%Magnesium21%Phosphorous16%Zinc8%Copper10%Manganese88%Selenium27%Potassium1.7%Calcium1%What Are the Best Anti-Inflammatory Foods?Who Shouldn’t Eat Brown Rice?Brown rice is safe to consume for most people. If you are allergic or have a food sensitivity to brown rice, you should avoid it.People who are pregnant should also avoid or limit how much brown rice they eat because it contains a natural element known as arsenic, which can potentially betoxicwhen consumed in high amounts. Kids in early childhood should also avoid eating too much brown rice for that reason.Arsenic and Contamination of Brown RiceRice contains levels of arsenic because it grows in flooded areas. If the water surrounding the crops is high in arsenic, it can make its way into the rice and onto your plate. That said, the level of arsenic found in brown rice is not usually high enough to cause health issues.SummaryBrown rice is a healthy carbohydrate option that offers several benefits, such as lowering your risk for heart disease and helping with weight management. The high nutrient content and natural plant compounds give brown rice healthy properties.The time it takes to cook brown rice tends to be longer than white rice because the germ and bran that are still attached. These parts of the grain provide more health benefits and give it its color. Children and people who are pregnant should avoid eating large amounts of brown rice because of possible arsenic exposure. That said, brown rice is a safe and healthy carbohydrate to consume regularly.
What Are the Best Anti-Inflammatory Foods?
Who Shouldn’t Eat Brown Rice?
Brown rice is safe to consume for most people. If you are allergic or have a food sensitivity to brown rice, you should avoid it.
People who are pregnant should also avoid or limit how much brown rice they eat because it contains a natural element known as arsenic, which can potentially betoxicwhen consumed in high amounts. Kids in early childhood should also avoid eating too much brown rice for that reason.
Arsenic and Contamination of Brown RiceRice contains levels of arsenic because it grows in flooded areas. If the water surrounding the crops is high in arsenic, it can make its way into the rice and onto your plate. That said, the level of arsenic found in brown rice is not usually high enough to cause health issues.
Arsenic and Contamination of Brown Rice
Rice contains levels of arsenic because it grows in flooded areas. If the water surrounding the crops is high in arsenic, it can make its way into the rice and onto your plate. That said, the level of arsenic found in brown rice is not usually high enough to cause health issues.
Summary
Brown rice is a healthy carbohydrate option that offers several benefits, such as lowering your risk for heart disease and helping with weight management. The high nutrient content and natural plant compounds give brown rice healthy properties.
The time it takes to cook brown rice tends to be longer than white rice because the germ and bran that are still attached. These parts of the grain provide more health benefits and give it its color. Children and people who are pregnant should avoid eating large amounts of brown rice because of possible arsenic exposure. That said, brown rice is a safe and healthy carbohydrate to consume regularly.
12 SourcesVerywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Aune D, Keum N, Giovannucci E, Fadnes LT, Boffetta P, Greenwood DC, Tonstad S, Vatten LJ, Riboli E, Norat T.Whole grain consumption and risk of cardiovascular disease, cancer, and all cause and cause specific mortality: systematic review and dose-response meta-analysis of prospective studies.BMJ.2016 Jun 14;353:i2716. doi:10.1136/bmj.i2716Rodríguez-García C, Sánchez-Quesada C, Toledo E, Delgado-Rodríguez M, Gaforio JJ.Naturally lignan-rich foods: A dietary tool for health promotion?Molecules.2019 Mar 6;24(5):917. doi:10.3390/molecules24050917Oregon State University Linus Pauling Intstitute.Lignans.Tangestani H, Emamat H, Ghalandari H, Shab-Bidar S.Whole grains, dietary fibers and the human gut microbiota: A systematic review of existing literature.Recent Pat Food Nutr Agric.2020;11(3):235-248. doi:10.2174/2212798411666200316152252Kazemzadeh M, Safavi SM, Nematollahi S, Nourieh Z.Effect of brown rice consumption on inflammatory marker and cardiovascular risk factors among overweight and obese non-menopausal female adults.Int J Prev Med.2014 Apr;5(4):478-88.Gong ES, Luo SJ, Li T, Liu CM, Zhang GW, Chen J, Zeng ZC, Liu RH.Phytochemical profiles and antioxidant activity of brown rice varieties.Food Chem.2017 Jul 15;227:432-443. doi:10.1016/j.foodchem.2017.01.093Novant Health.Chronic inflammation: Why it’s harmful and how to prevent it.National Institutes of Health Office of Dietary Supplements.Manganese.Nakayama T, Nagai Y, Uehara Y, Nakamura Y, Ishii S, Kato H, Tanaka Y.Eating glutinous brown rice twice a day for 8 weeks improves glycemic control in Japanese patients with diabetes mellitus.Nutr Diabetes.2017 May 8;7(5):e273. doi:10.1038/nutd.2017.26Takano Y, Kokubun K, Saika K, Nishiyama N, Taki Y.Effect of the intake of brown rice for six months on the cognitive function in healthy elderly persons: A study protocol for a pilot, non-randomized controlled trial.Methods Protoc.2021 Oct 28;4(4):78. doi:10.3390/mps4040078U.S. Department of Agriculture Agricultural Research Service.Rice, brown, long-grain, cooked.Davis MA, Signes-Pastor AJ, Argos M, Slaughter F, Pendergrast C, Punshon T, Gossai A, Ahsan H, Karagas MR.Assessment of human dietary exposure to arsenic through rice.Sci Total Environ.2017 May 15;586:1237-1244. doi:10.1016/j.scitotenv.2017.02.119
12 Sources
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Aune D, Keum N, Giovannucci E, Fadnes LT, Boffetta P, Greenwood DC, Tonstad S, Vatten LJ, Riboli E, Norat T.Whole grain consumption and risk of cardiovascular disease, cancer, and all cause and cause specific mortality: systematic review and dose-response meta-analysis of prospective studies.BMJ.2016 Jun 14;353:i2716. doi:10.1136/bmj.i2716Rodríguez-García C, Sánchez-Quesada C, Toledo E, Delgado-Rodríguez M, Gaforio JJ.Naturally lignan-rich foods: A dietary tool for health promotion?Molecules.2019 Mar 6;24(5):917. doi:10.3390/molecules24050917Oregon State University Linus Pauling Intstitute.Lignans.Tangestani H, Emamat H, Ghalandari H, Shab-Bidar S.Whole grains, dietary fibers and the human gut microbiota: A systematic review of existing literature.Recent Pat Food Nutr Agric.2020;11(3):235-248. doi:10.2174/2212798411666200316152252Kazemzadeh M, Safavi SM, Nematollahi S, Nourieh Z.Effect of brown rice consumption on inflammatory marker and cardiovascular risk factors among overweight and obese non-menopausal female adults.Int J Prev Med.2014 Apr;5(4):478-88.Gong ES, Luo SJ, Li T, Liu CM, Zhang GW, Chen J, Zeng ZC, Liu RH.Phytochemical profiles and antioxidant activity of brown rice varieties.Food Chem.2017 Jul 15;227:432-443. doi:10.1016/j.foodchem.2017.01.093Novant Health.Chronic inflammation: Why it’s harmful and how to prevent it.National Institutes of Health Office of Dietary Supplements.Manganese.Nakayama T, Nagai Y, Uehara Y, Nakamura Y, Ishii S, Kato H, Tanaka Y.Eating glutinous brown rice twice a day for 8 weeks improves glycemic control in Japanese patients with diabetes mellitus.Nutr Diabetes.2017 May 8;7(5):e273. doi:10.1038/nutd.2017.26Takano Y, Kokubun K, Saika K, Nishiyama N, Taki Y.Effect of the intake of brown rice for six months on the cognitive function in healthy elderly persons: A study protocol for a pilot, non-randomized controlled trial.Methods Protoc.2021 Oct 28;4(4):78. doi:10.3390/mps4040078U.S. Department of Agriculture Agricultural Research Service.Rice, brown, long-grain, cooked.Davis MA, Signes-Pastor AJ, Argos M, Slaughter F, Pendergrast C, Punshon T, Gossai A, Ahsan H, Karagas MR.Assessment of human dietary exposure to arsenic through rice.Sci Total Environ.2017 May 15;586:1237-1244. doi:10.1016/j.scitotenv.2017.02.119
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.
Aune D, Keum N, Giovannucci E, Fadnes LT, Boffetta P, Greenwood DC, Tonstad S, Vatten LJ, Riboli E, Norat T.Whole grain consumption and risk of cardiovascular disease, cancer, and all cause and cause specific mortality: systematic review and dose-response meta-analysis of prospective studies.BMJ.2016 Jun 14;353:i2716. doi:10.1136/bmj.i2716Rodríguez-García C, Sánchez-Quesada C, Toledo E, Delgado-Rodríguez M, Gaforio JJ.Naturally lignan-rich foods: A dietary tool for health promotion?Molecules.2019 Mar 6;24(5):917. doi:10.3390/molecules24050917Oregon State University Linus Pauling Intstitute.Lignans.Tangestani H, Emamat H, Ghalandari H, Shab-Bidar S.Whole grains, dietary fibers and the human gut microbiota: A systematic review of existing literature.Recent Pat Food Nutr Agric.2020;11(3):235-248. doi:10.2174/2212798411666200316152252Kazemzadeh M, Safavi SM, Nematollahi S, Nourieh Z.Effect of brown rice consumption on inflammatory marker and cardiovascular risk factors among overweight and obese non-menopausal female adults.Int J Prev Med.2014 Apr;5(4):478-88.Gong ES, Luo SJ, Li T, Liu CM, Zhang GW, Chen J, Zeng ZC, Liu RH.Phytochemical profiles and antioxidant activity of brown rice varieties.Food Chem.2017 Jul 15;227:432-443. doi:10.1016/j.foodchem.2017.01.093Novant Health.Chronic inflammation: Why it’s harmful and how to prevent it.National Institutes of Health Office of Dietary Supplements.Manganese.Nakayama T, Nagai Y, Uehara Y, Nakamura Y, Ishii S, Kato H, Tanaka Y.Eating glutinous brown rice twice a day for 8 weeks improves glycemic control in Japanese patients with diabetes mellitus.Nutr Diabetes.2017 May 8;7(5):e273. doi:10.1038/nutd.2017.26Takano Y, Kokubun K, Saika K, Nishiyama N, Taki Y.Effect of the intake of brown rice for six months on the cognitive function in healthy elderly persons: A study protocol for a pilot, non-randomized controlled trial.Methods Protoc.2021 Oct 28;4(4):78. doi:10.3390/mps4040078U.S. Department of Agriculture Agricultural Research Service.Rice, brown, long-grain, cooked.Davis MA, Signes-Pastor AJ, Argos M, Slaughter F, Pendergrast C, Punshon T, Gossai A, Ahsan H, Karagas MR.Assessment of human dietary exposure to arsenic through rice.Sci Total Environ.2017 May 15;586:1237-1244. doi:10.1016/j.scitotenv.2017.02.119
Aune D, Keum N, Giovannucci E, Fadnes LT, Boffetta P, Greenwood DC, Tonstad S, Vatten LJ, Riboli E, Norat T.Whole grain consumption and risk of cardiovascular disease, cancer, and all cause and cause specific mortality: systematic review and dose-response meta-analysis of prospective studies.BMJ.2016 Jun 14;353:i2716. doi:10.1136/bmj.i2716
Rodríguez-García C, Sánchez-Quesada C, Toledo E, Delgado-Rodríguez M, Gaforio JJ.Naturally lignan-rich foods: A dietary tool for health promotion?Molecules.2019 Mar 6;24(5):917. doi:10.3390/molecules24050917
Oregon State University Linus Pauling Intstitute.Lignans.
Tangestani H, Emamat H, Ghalandari H, Shab-Bidar S.Whole grains, dietary fibers and the human gut microbiota: A systematic review of existing literature.Recent Pat Food Nutr Agric.2020;11(3):235-248. doi:10.2174/2212798411666200316152252
Kazemzadeh M, Safavi SM, Nematollahi S, Nourieh Z.Effect of brown rice consumption on inflammatory marker and cardiovascular risk factors among overweight and obese non-menopausal female adults.Int J Prev Med.2014 Apr;5(4):478-88.
Gong ES, Luo SJ, Li T, Liu CM, Zhang GW, Chen J, Zeng ZC, Liu RH.Phytochemical profiles and antioxidant activity of brown rice varieties.Food Chem.2017 Jul 15;227:432-443. doi:10.1016/j.foodchem.2017.01.093
Novant Health.Chronic inflammation: Why it’s harmful and how to prevent it.
National Institutes of Health Office of Dietary Supplements.Manganese.
Nakayama T, Nagai Y, Uehara Y, Nakamura Y, Ishii S, Kato H, Tanaka Y.Eating glutinous brown rice twice a day for 8 weeks improves glycemic control in Japanese patients with diabetes mellitus.Nutr Diabetes.2017 May 8;7(5):e273. doi:10.1038/nutd.2017.26
Takano Y, Kokubun K, Saika K, Nishiyama N, Taki Y.Effect of the intake of brown rice for six months on the cognitive function in healthy elderly persons: A study protocol for a pilot, non-randomized controlled trial.Methods Protoc.2021 Oct 28;4(4):78. doi:10.3390/mps4040078
U.S. Department of Agriculture Agricultural Research Service.Rice, brown, long-grain, cooked.
Davis MA, Signes-Pastor AJ, Argos M, Slaughter F, Pendergrast C, Punshon T, Gossai A, Ahsan H, Karagas MR.Assessment of human dietary exposure to arsenic through rice.Sci Total Environ.2017 May 15;586:1237-1244. doi:10.1016/j.scitotenv.2017.02.119
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