brown rice vs. white rice

kandyjo

Ok, this may come across as a stupid question, but I really want someone to help me out (:

Ok, I bought some brown rice because its supposed to be so much better.... Here is the deal.. I was comparing and this is what I got
brown rice has 10 more calories per serving than white rice
more fat grams....yeah, it has more fiber, but does that really make things average out and tip the balance scales enough...
I just would love some of your opinions on the whole rice issue. Is it better to just stir clear entirely of rice? Please help me out here if you can....thanks in advance :drinker:

nursegirl79

Brown rice is a complex carb. White rice is considered a simple carb. Complex carbs are better for you. The sugar is released into the blood stream slower.

I tell you what thought. I will never give up my white rice:laugh: I love it to much. I have just learned how to eat it in moderation.

Ileanak

Although I love the taste of brown rice, I just stear clear of it all together. I use quinoa or lentils to substitute for rice (quinoa is considered to be a "super food" and is a grain seed and lentils are high in fiber)

With the occasional sushi rice as the exception, I just don't eat it. And even when I go to have my favorite food (sushi), I order sashimi (fish only, no rice).

ileana

kandyjo

I'm not a huge rice eater.... I can do without it. BUT I have enjoyed it before, so I thought, well, we can just do brown rice.... Then I compared and didn't see that big of a difference....
Oh, well.... I can still fix it and just let my hubby eat it :laugh: He enjoys it more than I do anyway

Iceprincessk25

I dunno....maybe it was the brand that I got but the brown rice was just BLAH! I don't eat that much rice to begin with but oh man....the brown just did not come out very good! I'll have to try the quinoa.

Daisy_May

Ther only brown rice I like is the Uncle Ben's Fast and Fancy Herb whole Grain long rice, YUMMY!

pange

Are the serving sizes the same? Brown rice is definitely better for you. The white rice is stripped of most nutrients, so there's no point in eating it (in my opinion of course) unless you really like the taste.

snowbune27

The quinoa is awesome!! I love it and it is a great substitute! YUMMMMM

2catowner

The quinoa is awesome!! I love it and it is a great substitute! YUMMMMM

Where do you find quinoa? I don't even know what it is :laugh: Is it in the same aisle as rice or is it in the pasta aisle?

BrendaLee

I noticed those numbers too when I was comparing rice at the grocery store. I was willing to try to get used to brown rice, but after seeing that it had about the same calories, I went with white because I LOVE it, and it goes with just about anything. I've bought brown rice in the past and didn't care for the buttery taste.

The difference now is I have a cup of white rice now instead of the 3 cups I probably had before.

Ileanak

The quinoa is awesome!! I love it and it is a great substitute! YUMMMMM

Where do you find quinoa? I don't even know what it is :laugh: Is it in the same aisle as rice or is it in the pasta aisle?

You will usually find it near the beans, although I get it in bulk stores, like Whole Foods or Sun Harvest. And i cook it in low sodium vegetable broth for extra flavor... in fact, that is how I cook my lentils AND brown rice if I use it (which is almot never, lol)

I also like to dice up an onion, bell pepper (red and green) and ssweatthem down in a pan and add it to the quinoa or lentils. YUM

Johnnyswife

I love both, but with brown rice I like to cook it in chicken broth insead of water, to add flavor.

margaretthedevil

White rice is also bleached! If you ever notice when you're washing white rice, the water is dirty with some whitish residue coming off? And you've got to wash it several times too. That's bleach. Yup, not cool. That's why white rice looks so perfectly white. I still can't get my Chinese family to stop eating that stuff. White rice is pretty much worthless nutrition wise and it also gives you a crazy blood sugar spike. Brown rice doesn't.

LeanLioness

White rice is also bleached! If you ever notice when you're washing white rice, the water is dirty with some whitish residue coming off? And you've got to wash it several times too. That's bleach. Yup, not cool. That's why white rice looks so perfectly white. I still can't get my Chinese family to stop eating that stuff. White rice is pretty much worthless nutrition wise and it also gives you a crazy blood sugar spike. Brown rice doesn't.

People don't care if they bleach something, take all the nutrition out of it or anything else the food manufacturers do to the food we eat..............

As long as they are at their caloric intake for the day, they don't care what the quality of the food is..........

I found that out the hard way today concerning high fructose corn syrup in another discussion.

prayerfulmom

White rice is so stripped it turns and spikes you blood sugar and then it dips quickly. Brown rice takes longer for your body to break it down causing a longer sensation of fullness as well and the blood sugar not spiking and dipping. I love brown rice. It is an aquired taste.

margaretthedevil

I actually have a great suggestion that I think everyone should try if they aren't. :flowerforyou:

You know what's even better and more filling than just rice alone and can lower your carb and higher up that protein and fiber?! Rice and beans! Let's say you have a cup of rice. Reduce that cup by half a cup and for the other half add beans, peas, legumes, etc. You'll feel more full and satisfied and get a lot more fiber and protein in that meal than if you had the rice alone. :drinker:

marm1962

I actually have a great suggestion that I think everyone should try if they aren't. :flowerforyou:

You know what's even better and more filling than just rice alone and can lower your carb and higher up that protein and fiber?! Rice and beans! Let's say you have a cup of rice. Reduce that cup by half a cup and for the other half add beans, peas, legumes, etc. You'll feel more full and satisfied and get a lot more fiber and protein in that meal than if you had the rice alone. :drinker:

Beans...:sick: , the only beans I like are yellow or green........lol. But I do love brown rice. Sometimes I eat it by itself, most of the time I eat it with chicken, and other veggies.

mrsyac2

brown rice (complex carb) is better than white rice (simple carb) and white is better than Sticky rice (which is the rice used in sushi.

Complex carbs are the way to go rather than simple carbs.--

astridfeline

White rice is also bleached! If you ever notice when you're washing white rice, the water is dirty with some whitish residue coming off? And you've got to wash it several times too. That's bleach. Yup, not cool. That's why white rice looks so perfectly white. I still can't get my Chinese family to stop eating that stuff. White rice is pretty much worthless nutrition wise and it also gives you a crazy blood sugar spike. Brown rice doesn't.

While white wheat flour is bleached, I've never heard of bleaching rice and can't find confirmation with a brief internet search. White rice is white because the bran layer (fiber) has been removed from brown rice. I do agree that white rice is basically the "wonder bread" of rices. I use brown rice and sometimes jade pearl rice which is supplemented with fiber. The jade pearl rice has 10g fiber per 1/4 cup dry rice.

P.S. I think the white stuff coming off when you wash white rice is starch, just like from potatoes.

keiko

White rice is also bleached! If you ever notice when you're washing white rice, the water is dirty with some whitish residue coming off? And you've got to wash it several times too. That's bleach. Yup, not cool. That's why white rice looks so perfectly white. I still can't get my Chinese family to stop eating that stuff. White rice is pretty much worthless nutrition wise and it also gives you a crazy blood sugar spike. Brown rice doesn't.

While white wheat flour is bleached, I've never heard of bleaching rice and can't find confirmation with a brief internet search. White rice is white because the bran layer (fiber) has been removed from brown rice. I do agree that white rice is basically the "wonder bread" of rices. I use brown rice and sometimes jade pearl rice which is supplemented with fiber. The jade pearl rice has 10g fiber per 1/4 cup dry rice.

P.S. I think the white stuff coming off when you wash white rice is starch, just like from potatoes.

Not all white wheat flour is bleached. I use King Arthur Unbleached White Whole Wheat flour. It's milled from hard white spring wheat instead of the traditional red wheat.

On rice I like brown and wild rices but I'm in love with quinoa!

astridfeline

Yep it's easy to find unbleached flour.

weaklink109

Ther only brown rice I like is the Uncle Ben's Fast and Fancy Herb whole Grain long rice, YUMMY!

If you mean "Uncle Ben's whole Grain long rice fast cook butter and herb"--, which is the closest description I could find on their website to what you named--the sodium content for a 2 oz serving is 810 milligrams!! :noway:
*****************************
Brown rice is actually very good and if the flavor is a little "different" you can do amazing things with salt free seasonings, such as Mrs. Dash brand, and cooking in chicken broth, as previously mentioned.

weaklink109

Just had something come into my email about the rice question, so I am resurrecting this post for the newbies who might not have seen it previously.

Here is a partial quote from the article:

"Wheat remains one of the primary staple grains in the United States, and the glycemic load of processed wheat is a likely contributor to America's obesity epidemic. Rice contains considerably less fat, making it a superior source of carbohydrates. Rice-based diets have been used historically to address a number of medical conditions, and have gained some popularity as a means to help lose weight.

The health benefits of unpolished, brown rice outweigh those of white rice, as its whole grain provides more fiber, iron, B vitamins and other nutrients. (There are 1.5 grams of fiber per half cup of brown rice-almost three times the fiber in the same amount of white rice.)"

Here is a link to the entire page:

http://www.drweil.com/drw/u/TIP03684/Healthy-Choice-White-or-Brown-Rice.html

Ms_Natalie

I'll have to try this quinoa! Sounds fab!

Not a big rice eater either but love wholewheat spagetti pasta...it is absolutely devine! x

Happyoceangirl

Try making a half/half mix of white /brown rice.... might ease you into it...

aippolito1

I can't do brown rice. It just tastes too bland to me. I bought some frozen rice to eat with chicken and a veggie when I first started watching calories and I had to put a lot of seasoning on it and I got tired of it QUICKLY. I don't eat white rice too often except in sushi or if my bf's brother makes some and there's nothing else to eat. I'll make sure to stay in my calories when I eat it 'cause rice can be high (or I just eat a lot! lol).

For me, it's not really worth it. I just try not to eat too much of it.

mrsyac2

Ok, this may come across as a stupid question, but I really want someone to help me out (:

Ok, I bought some brown rice because its supposed to be so much better.... Here is the deal.. I was comparing and this is what I got
brown rice has 10 more calories per serving than white rice
more fat grams....yeah, it has more fiber, but does that really make things average out and tip the balance scales enough...
I just would love some of your opinions on the whole rice issue. Is it better to just stir clear entirely of rice? Please help me out here if you can....thanks in advance :drinker:

Brown rice is a complex carb white rice is a simple carb. Brown Rice will keep you fuller longer as well.
Complex carbs are the way to go- If you cut out simple carbs you would basically stick to a healthy diet because the list of complex carbs has a lot less options compared to simple.

sassyg

brown rice is just white rice with its "skin" (the bran) on still


If you want a happy medium, go for converted rice. It doesn't have the bran on, but the cooking process means the water-soluble nutrients are retained into the white part of the rice.