Is the whole grain in brown rice worth the calories?

zuzuanne88

I was doing some label reading and 1/4 cup of brown rice is 140 calories!Compared to Jasmine rice wich was 70 calories for 1/4 cup.So is brown rice still better to use in dishes even though it's higher in calories?

shrinkinginQualicum

Good question! You get far less of a blood sugar hit to your system, which is good. It lowers your risk of getting type 2 Diabetes. The fibre is better for your digestion too, and it has more nutrition. However, if one is still hungry because you had less to eat because of the calories, you could easily eat something worse for you

Toddrific

Hmm are you looking at cooked or raw?
Brown rice would add maybe 20 calories from fat over white I'd think?

Coco_Puff

It keeps me regular!!!!! It's my best friend!!!!

Travelfixer

It keeps me regular!!!!! It's my best friend!!!!

Haha nice to know that! :laugh:

kimmianne89

Good question! You get far less of a blood sugar hit to your system, which is good. It lowers your risk of getting type 2 Diabetes. The fibre is better for your digestion too, and it has more nutrition. However, if one is still hungry because you had less to eat because of the calories, you could easily eat something worse for you

This ^ ^ ^

jellybeanhed313

That does not seem right with the calories listed. I've been looking on google and it appears that brown rice only has 20-40 cals more per serving. Not double. I would say for sure brown rice is worth the extra calories. It has way more fiber and nutrients. Just like whole grain bread vs white bread.

_Dan_

anything like brown rice ( or true whole wheat bread ) is always better than white( rice or bread ). It may be more calories, but it's a complex carb vs. a simple carb. The body has to work harder to get to the sugar for a complex carb, and the fiber helps to keep you feeling full on top of being good for "keeping you regular" :-)

XXXMinnieXXX

Bump

maru84

I'm sure that's uncooked! That amount cooked would be a good sized portion. To me it is worth it, I love making Chinese food like sweet and sour chicken and teriyaki chicken in the crock pot, and those are just chicken and veggies- add brown rice and it's a good meal.

wonderwomanwannaB

1/2 of your grains should come from whole sources. Because of the fiber (and often more protein) in the whole options (i.e. brown v. white rice) the same amount should also make you feel more full/satisfied compared to the refined counter part. The reason why it is higher calories is because it has more in it. Fiber is counted in your CHOs (4kcal/g) and protein also adds 4kcal/g.

miss_lizz

the natural form is always better for you, seeing white was bleached white.. i have brown rice once in a blue moon because of the high calories, but ill have it more once im on maintenance

Captain_Tightpants

Brown is definitely healthier.

If your focus is only weight loss and not on health, lowest cal wins every time. (Read that sentence again carefully so as not to misunderstand it before flaming me please...)

Lane1012

it makes this list .. I prefer it.

http://www.healthyweightforum.org/eng/weight-loss/fat-burning-foods.asp

frugalmomsrock

They have brown jasmine rice too. I wonder how the calories compare. I was recently reading, too, that you basically get "free calories" from your fiber portion of food because the calories contained in the fiber portion (which isn't used by the body, but rather pushed on through) aren't digested and actually "processed" as food... I don't know how much truth there is to that. I'll see if I can find it. It made sense in my head as I was reading it...

Rosered3333

I find that brown rice gives food much more texture and it definitely fills me up longer than white rice. I also think it has a LOT more flavor and it's not as bland which means that it adds something to the actual meal instead of just being the thing you put stir fry on.

styxx

Not sure on all the pros and cons - but I do find whole grain fills me up for longer - I actually prefer the exture of white rice but brown keeps me full ..... which right now is the important thing for me

agentscully514

I don't eat rice at all, whole grain or not. You can get all of that fiber and more from vegetables for a fraction of the calories.

frugalmomsrock

http://www.wisegeek.com/do-fiber-calories-count.htm

^^that isn't exactly the one I was reading, but this one explains it a little bit. I also don't know what kind of fiber is in rice. It probably isn't the one that matters anyway. lol

calabrdm

Choose the brown. It is always better to eat healthier.

agentscully514

anything like brown rice ( or true whole wheat bread ) is always better than white( rice or bread ). It may be more calories, but it's a complex carb vs. a simple carb. The body has to work harder to get to the sugar for a complex carb, and the fiber helps to keep you feeling full on top of being good for "keeping you regular" :-)

The majority of the brown rice grain is still made up of starch, which is absolutely a simple carb.

frugalmomsrock

anything like brown rice ( or true whole wheat bread ) is always better than white( rice or bread ). It may be more calories, but it's a complex carb vs. a simple carb. The body has to work harder to get to the sugar for a complex carb, and the fiber helps to keep you feeling full on top of being good for "keeping you regular" :-)

The majority of the brown rice grain is still made up of starch, which is absolutely a simple carb.

smh. Not a simple carb, sorry.

http://www.ehow.com/list_5962341_list-foods-complex-carbohydrates.html#page=1 << dem be the facts.... still eventually broken down to sugar, yes. But not through the simple process like refined products. It takes a COMPLEX process, avoiding the fast sugar spike seen with a SIMPLE process...

StartingAnewDay

I've given up rice completely :sad: brown rice tastes like I'm chewey on bland gravel.. it just kind of rolls around in my mouth and sticks in my throat. Kinda sucks because I used to like white rice. I like the fluffy consistancy. isn't there any other flavorful, healthy fluffy rice out there?? What about the rice they sell in the chinese food stroes? Sticky rice? My co workers have eaten it everyday of their life and they are rail thin.. (yes they are older chinese and tell me constantly it's good for me).. But it's white.. and white is bad right? in carbs/food....

Bentley2718

Are you sure you're comparing correctly? That doesn't seem correct. Brown rice is only slightly higher in calories than a similar type of white rice.

Temple_Fit

bump

agentscully514

smh. Not a simple carb, sorry.

http://www.ehow.com/list_5962341_list-foods-complex-carbohydrates.html#page=1 << dem be the facts.... still eventually broken down to sugar, yes. But not through the simple process like refined products. It takes a COMPLEX process, avoiding the fast sugar spike seen with a SIMPLE process...

I stand corrected. You are totally right.

Starch still sets off insulin spikes, however, at least in people with insulin resistance. I am one of them, and starch is no good for me. Brown rice is *better*, but for someone like me, no rice is best.

alpha_andy

I think it is worth the calories if they give you energy to burn. I recommend carbs only for breakfast or lunch and definitely a workout after you eat those carbs.

If you're not working out soon after eating the carbs, I'd say don't bother.

Load up on carbs before a workout - kill it in the gym, then eat lots of protein afterwards.

suziecue66

I like basmati and its a low GI. Saw a recipe the other day for half brown rice and haf white. The brown rice soaked for 1 hour and then added to rice cooker with white. For those who may not like brown rice that much.

JayByrd107

If you compare equal amounts of steamed medium grain white vs. brown rice using the non-* selections here on MFP, brown rice has fewer calories than white. I just verified on the USDA website and brown has 110 kcal per 100g and white has 129 kcal per 100g.

wwk10

How do you cook brown rice? I do it, but not well.
I am from the south so I have no problem cooking white rice.
I have gotten better with the brown rice, but would appreciate any tips.

theoriginaljayne

I believe that's 140 kcal in a quarter cup of uncooked rice.
Rice expands significantly when cooking it. A serving of cooked brown rice is only 20-40 calories more than a serving of cooked white rice.
In my opinion, it's definitely worth those twenty calories!