Brown vs. White Rice - What's the Difference?!
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difference is negligible- people claim brown rice is better because its' "less processed" but honestly- as you noticed- there is minimal difference.
Eat which ever one you prefer. I dislike brown rice- it's crunchy and tastes weird- I prefer white rice- so that's what I eat.0 -
difference is negligible- people claim brown rice is better because its' "less processed" but honestly- as you noticed- there is minimal difference.
Eat which ever one you prefer. I dislike brown rice- it's crunchy and tastes weird- I prefer white rice- so that's what I eat.
Brown rice is crunchy??0 -
Brown rice is crunchy only if you don't cook it long enough or with enough water.0
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Need2Exerc1se wrote: »difference is negligible- people claim brown rice is better because its' "less processed" but honestly- as you noticed- there is minimal difference.
Eat which ever one you prefer. I dislike brown rice- it's crunchy and tastes weird- I prefer white rice- so that's what I eat.
Brown rice is crunchy??
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beemerphile1 wrote: »Brown rice is the complete food as nature designed it.
White rice is one component of brown rice with the other components removed.
Many feel that a food is superior the closer it is to natural. Brown rice is closer to natural while white rice is more processed. That processing removes some nutrients and the fiber. The fiber aids in digestion.
I think it needs saying- being closer to a natural state =/= better.
based on your verbiage I'm sure you were staying fairly neutral on better or not- but I just think it needed stating in a plain fashion.0 -
Rice is so overrated. Now pasta....that is meal I could really get involved with.0
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Only if your'e eating it by itself. When you add protein and fat to it, (as in a complete meal) glycemic index becomes a moot point...Glycemic Index is the reason. Brown rice is like 50/100 while White is 90/100. It's the speed at which it's absorbed which spikes your blood sugar. And how much you get out of it. I mean, cardboard has calories and burns in the same test equipment but your body sure doesn't get those calories out of it.
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Need2Exerc1se wrote: »difference is negligible- people claim brown rice is better because its' "less processed" but honestly- as you noticed- there is minimal difference.
Eat which ever one you prefer. I dislike brown rice- it's crunchy and tastes weird- I prefer white rice- so that's what I eat.
Brown rice is crunchy??
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I think you aren't cooking it properly. It shouldn't be crunchy at all.0 -
Brown rice has higher levels of magnesium, zinc, iron, and vitamin B.0
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rachelandbssst wrote: »Brown rice has higher levels of magnesium, zinc, iron, and vitamin B.
Yep uncooked it does and even cooked, but because it's lock up in phytate (in the husk) it does not get absorbed by the body. That's why even though white rice has less micro nutrients they are more bio-available.
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Need2Exerc1se wrote: »difference is negligible- people claim brown rice is better because its' "less processed" but honestly- as you noticed- there is minimal difference.
Eat which ever one you prefer. I dislike brown rice- it's crunchy and tastes weird- I prefer white rice- so that's what I eat.
Brown rice is crunchy??
crunchier is probably a better way to say it- it just never tastes the same and it always seems like it's less of a pleasant experience eating it. it is unquestionably NOT the same texture as white rice. And it's a texture I don't like.0 -
It's not the same texture of white rice--brown rice has a texture more similar to quinoa and barley. It shouldn't be crunchy or tough if you are cooking it long enough. It is a bit chewier. To me, brown rice is sort of like al dente pasta. That might be why I like it so much.0
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Only if your'e eating it by itself. When you add protein and fat to it, (as in a complete meal) glycemic index becomes a moot point...Glycemic Index is the reason. Brown rice is like 50/100 while White is 90/100. It's the speed at which it's absorbed which spikes your blood sugar. And how much you get out of it. I mean, cardboard has calories and burns in the same test equipment but your body sure doesn't get those calories out of it.
Moot is a strong word on a diet board. Yes the glycemic load of the entire meal is what you need to look at but the components of that load do matter. Assuming 2 meals with the same calories, one has a high GL, the other is a low GL - which is better for weight loss? You guys are looking at the box and saying they are the same.
I eat tons of white rice because I don't like brown. But in the last year or so I've really acquired a taste for multigrain bread vs white. Yum.
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I do this a lot with rice, pasta, bread, etc. I compare labels all the time between the "healthier" version to the (IMO) tastier version. Nine times out of ten, I go with the "white" version because I just enjoy them more. Sometimes I have to look at 3 or 4 different labels or types before I find one that fits my calorie requirements, but I rarely find a big enough difference to make a switch or try the "brown" version.
I think at the end of the day it is about preference. Personally, I am not a fan of the nuttiness or textures usually found in whole wheat, whole grain, etc. items. So I find one I will eat and enjoy that fits my goals.0 -
KingsGirl4 wrote: »So I just compared labels between brown rice and white rice and the white rice was equal is not a tad lower in calories, fat AND carbs. Huh?!?! I'm confused. Can someone please explain why brown rice is supposedly better than white?
Thanks!
There's not a ton of difference. I'd eat either.
http://www.livestrong.com/article/381241-nutritional-values-of-white-rice-vs-brown-rice/
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Only if your'e eating it by itself. When you add protein and fat to it, (as in a complete meal) glycemic index becomes a moot point...Glycemic Index is the reason. Brown rice is like 50/100 while White is 90/100. It's the speed at which it's absorbed which spikes your blood sugar. And how much you get out of it. I mean, cardboard has calories and burns in the same test equipment but your body sure doesn't get those calories out of it.
Moot is a strong word on a diet board. Yes the glycemic load of the entire meal is what you need to look at but the components of that load do matter. Assuming 2 meals with the same calories, one has a high GL, the other is a low GL - which is better for weight loss?
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Given equal calories, neither is better. They are both the same.
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what about yellow rice I love it with Chicken? Is there a big difference0
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FunkyTobias wrote: »
Only if your'e eating it by itself. When you add protein and fat to it, (as in a complete meal) glycemic index becomes a moot point...Glycemic Index is the reason. Brown rice is like 50/100 while White is 90/100. It's the speed at which it's absorbed which spikes your blood sugar. And how much you get out of it. I mean, cardboard has calories and burns in the same test equipment but your body sure doesn't get those calories out of it.
Moot is a strong word on a diet board. Yes the glycemic load of the entire meal is what you need to look at but the components of that load do matter. Assuming 2 meals with the same calories, one has a high GL, the other is a low GL - which is better for weight loss?
\
Given equal calories, neither is better. They are both the same.
If you put them in a bomb calorimeter, yes.
But some things are much harder to digest/extract energy from than others. So even if you have 1000 calories of dried whole grains vs 1000 calories of sugar, your digestive system might only get 500 out of the grains while almost 900 out of the sugar (the rest being ejected as waste). Then there's the metabolic cost of actually digesting that tougher material - more calories lost just in processing. That can be 30% of the calories in the meal used up digesting it!
Just because 2 items release the same energy when set on fire (what the label tells you) has little to do with how much YOU can get out of it.
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I didn't think golden rice was on the market yet. Is this a saffron rice? Check the nutrition label.0
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I eat them and prefer brown rice, but white rice just tastes better with certain things. For example, Indian food. Also love black rice and red rice. Rice is just good stuff, but in moderation of course, and goes well with numerous dishes. .0
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Glycemic Index is the reason. Brown rice is like 50/100 while White is 90/100. It's the speed at which it's absorbed which spikes your blood sugar. And how much you get out of it. I mean, cardboard has calories and burns in the same test equipment but your body sure doesn't get those calories out of it.
It's one of the biggest problems with food labeling - it's not wrong, it's just not right either. And no one has a better solution. We need an "usable calories" measurement.
Mostly this difference applies to people with Diabetes, Pre-Diabetes, or who are predisposed to Diabetes. Something similar can be said about white vs brown breads and pastas. For people who don't need to care when their blood sugar spikes, it's probably no big deal. There are more nutrients in the whole wheat versions, but it doesn't mean the white versions are empty. There's also the view (I'm not sure if it's true or not) that whole grains keep you full longer compared to the refined counterparts. All I know is I'm hungry after a cup of white pasta or white rice, but a 1/2 cup of brown rice feels like more in my stomach. This also could be because it's less tasty and I eat it slower. Not sure.
The reason you are hungry is because of the explanation given above. The glycemic index for white rice is higher than brown rice which means you digest it quickly which means sugar spikes quickly. Glycemic index and sugar spikes don't just apply to those with diabetes, certain foods will make anyone feel hungry quicker than others. Everyones sugar goes up and down, I think the issue with diabetics is theirs goes too high up and their body is unable to effectively lower it.
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Glycemic Index is the reason. Brown rice is like 50/100 while White is 90/100. It's the speed at which it's absorbed which spikes your blood sugar. And how much you get out of it. I mean, cardboard has calories and burns in the same test equipment but your body sure doesn't get those calories out of it.
It's one of the biggest problems with food labeling - it's not wrong, it's just not right either. And no one has a better solution. We need an "usable calories" measurement.
Love this statement, the mantra on MFP is all calories are equal. They arent, some are more nutritious than others, or our bodies process it differently.
I personally prefer the taste of white rice and that is what I eat most of the time, but I know brown rice would be a much healthier alternative so I try to alternate between them.0 -
If you think that's the mantra, you stop reading before getting to the words "for weight loss."LastingChanges wrote: »Glycemic Index is the reason. Brown rice is like 50/100 while White is 90/100. It's the speed at which it's absorbed which spikes your blood sugar. And how much you get out of it. I mean, cardboard has calories and burns in the same test equipment but your body sure doesn't get those calories out of it.
It's one of the biggest problems with food labeling - it's not wrong, it's just not right either. And no one has a better solution. We need an "usable calories" measurement.
Love this statement, the mantra on MFP is all calories are equal. They arent, some are more nutritious than others, or our bodies process it differently.
I personally prefer the taste of white rice and that is what I eat most of the time, but I know brown rice would be a much healthier alternative so I try to alternate between them.
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FunkyTobias wrote: »
Only if your'e eating it by itself. When you add protein and fat to it, (as in a complete meal) glycemic index becomes a moot point...Glycemic Index is the reason. Brown rice is like 50/100 while White is 90/100. It's the speed at which it's absorbed which spikes your blood sugar. And how much you get out of it. I mean, cardboard has calories and burns in the same test equipment but your body sure doesn't get those calories out of it.
Moot is a strong word on a diet board. Yes the glycemic load of the entire meal is what you need to look at but the components of that load do matter. Assuming 2 meals with the same calories, one has a high GL, the other is a low GL - which is better for weight loss?
\
Given equal calories, neither is better. They are both the same.
If you put them in a bomb calorimeter, yes.
But some things are much harder to digest/extract energy from than others. So even if you have 1000 calories of dried whole grains vs 1000 calories of sugar, your digestive system might only get 500 out of the grains while almost 900 out of the sugar (the rest being ejected as waste). Then there's the metabolic cost of actually digesting that tougher material - more calories lost just in processing. That can be 30% of the calories in the meal used up digesting it!
Just because 2 items release the same energy when set on fire (what the label tells you) has little to do with how much YOU can get out of it.
Today's word is hyperbole.
Can you say hyperbole?
I bet you can.
The difference in TEF between brown and white rice is trivial, at best.0 -
Basmati rice is good rice regardless of whether its brown or white. Just eat and enjoy it. If you want to know more about the nutritional differences between different types of rice google it and read a few articles. Written analysis will be out there and probably more reliable and less confusing than what you may read on this forum.
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Glycemic Index is the reason. Brown rice is like 50/100 while White is 90/100. It's the speed at which it's absorbed which spikes your blood sugar. And how much you get out of it. I mean, cardboard has calories and burns in the same test equipment but your body sure doesn't get those calories out of it.
It's one of the biggest problems with food labeling - it's not wrong, it's just not right either. And no one has a better solution. We need an "usable calories" measurement.
Ok this guy is not completely right. The GI of white basmati rice is not 90/100. Note the poster had the nutritional facts on basmati. Basmati rice is lower GI than ordinary short grain brown rice.
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TrickyDisco wrote: »Brown rice has more fibre and protein than white. Takes a bit longer to cook on the hob but I prefer the taste and texture of brown basmati rice, is great with a little black wild rice added too, though I think wild rice is actually a seed but has lovely nutty taste. I add 25g wild rice to 100g brown basmati for stir-fries, curries, chilli etc.
wild Rice is rice and they are all grains. You could look up the difference between seeds and grains.
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DeguelloTex wrote: »
Rice is not a good food for fasting. Its better to stick with protein if you are fasting. Reason being your body will lose less muscle tissue if you eat protein. You need to eat protein to maintain muscle mass.0
This discussion has been closed.
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