Question About Brown Rice

PugBug20

I bought a box of Uncle Ben’s Natural Whole Grain Instant Brown Rice. According to the nutrition facts, ¼ cup dry rice (48 grams) is about 1 cup cooked rice (which is 1 serving size). I measured the dry rice in a measuring cup and weighed it on a food scale for accuracy before cooking it. However, when I measured the cooked rice, it was only ½ cup, not 1 cup, even though the dry measurements should have made 1 cooked cup. I know my measurements were accurate and I cooked it with the right amount of water, too, so that isn’t the problem. What gives? If, according to the nutrition facts, ¼ cup dry rice is 1 cup cooked rice, why did it only make ½ cup? I apologize if this is a confusing question, but I hope someone can explain this to me. Thanks in advance.

999tigger

Cant you just measure the uncooked rice and use the calories from that. No need to bother with cups or packet estimates then. Id have said theres a diffeence in how much water it absorbed or the packet is wrong, but really its not worth worrying about if you just weigh the dry version.

PugBug20

auntrhon66 wrote: »

PugBug20 wrote: »

I bought a box of Uncle Ben’s Natural Whole Grain Instant Brown Rice. According to the nutrition facts, ¼ cup dry rice (48 grams) is about 1 cup cooked rice (which is 1 serving size). I measured the dry rice in a measuring cup and weighed it on a food scale for accuracy before cooking it. However, when I measured the cooked rice, it was only ½ cup, not 1 cup, even though the dry measurements should have made 1 cooked cup. I know my measurements were accurate and I cooked it with the right amount of water, too, so that isn’t the problem. What gives? If, according to the nutrition facts, ¼ cup dry rice is 1 cup cooked rice, why did it only make ½ cup? I apologize if this is a confusing question, but I hope someone can explain this to me. Thanks in advance.

wrong...1/4 c of dry rice only makes 1/2 c cooked rice...sorry. Go by weight, not cups...

So the box is wrong?

CarrieCans

I've noticed that a lot of food labels aren't correct with serving size since i got my scale. The other day i had sour cream and the grams ended up being about half of what they said i should get in tablespoons. Packaged snack cakes, each one is a different weight. My idea of a cup of broccoli was way off compared to weight. Things like brown sugar and flour are drastically different then i expected them to be. It can really vary if it is packed or fluffed up.

I also found that i was under estimating calories on a lot of things too.

PugBug20

CarrieCans wrote: »

I've noticed that a lot of food labels aren't correct with serving size since i got my scale. The other day i had sour cream and the grams ended up being about half of what they said i should get in tablespoons. Packaged snack cakes, each one is a different weight. My idea of a cup of broccoli was way off compared to weight. Things like brown sugar and flour are drastically different then i expected them to be. It can really vary if it is packed or fluffed up.

I also found that i was under estimating calories on a lot of things too.

I always go by weight because, like you said, it's the most accurate form of measurement. When you measure by volume, there's so much room for error. However, the nutrition facts only listed the weight of a serving of dry rice, not cooked rice. I weighed the cooked rice and it weighed 88 grams, but I don't know if that can help you answer my question.

CyberTone

PugBug20 wrote: »

I know my measurements were accurate and I cooked it with the right amount of water, too, so that isn’t the problem. What gives? If, according to the nutrition facts, ¼ cup dry rice is 1 cup cooked rice, why did it only make ½ cup? I apologize if this is a confusing question, but I hope someone can explain this to me. Thanks in advance.

I cook regular basmati rice almost daily, so I can only guess about instant brown rice. From the Uncle Ben's website, the directions indicate to use 1/2 cup dry rice plus 1 cup water. If you halved those directions and used 1/4 cup dry rice and 1/2 cup water, the maximum volume of cooked rice would be 3/4 cup, provided not much water evaporated during cooking. Note that the website indicates for softer rice, increase water and cooking time. If you increase the water to 3/4 cup, bring to a boil, cover tightly, and turn down the heat to very low and let cook for longer, the rice should absorb all of the extra water and the total volume should approach one cup.
My 1/4 cup basmati rice plus at least 3/4 cup boiling water yields 1 cup cooked rice every time.

PugBug20

CyberTone wrote: »

PugBug20 wrote: »

I know my measurements were accurate and I cooked it with the right amount of water, too, so that isn’t the problem. What gives? If, according to the nutrition facts, ¼ cup dry rice is 1 cup cooked rice, why did it only make ½ cup? I apologize if this is a confusing question, but I hope someone can explain this to me. Thanks in advance.

I cook regular basmati rice almost daily, so I can only guess about instant brown rice. From the Uncle Ben's website, the directions indicate to use 1/2 cup dry rice plus 1 cup water. If you halved those directions and used 1/4 cup dry rice and 1/2 cup water, the maximum volume of cooked rice would be 3/4 cup, provided not much water evaporated during cooking. Note that the website indicates for softer rice, increase water and cooking time. If you increase the water to 3/4 cup, bring to a boil, cover tightly, and turn down the heat to very low and let cook for longer, the rice should absorb all of the extra water and the total volume should approach one cup.
My 1/4 cup basmati rice plus at least 3/4 cup boiling water yields 1 cup cooked rice every time.

Ohhh, I think I get it. So, basically, 1/4 cup dry rice can make as much as 1 cup or as little as 3/4 cup cooked rice, depending on the amount of water you use and how long you let it cook, but the calories stay the same because technically it's still the same amount of rice. Right?

RodaRose

Yes. You have it right.

libbydoodle11

Another vote for weighing out the dry rice.