Is the whole grain in brown rice worth the calories?

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zuzuanne88
zuzuanne88 Posts: 104 Member
in Food and Nutrition
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?
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Replies

  • shrinkinginQualicum
    shrinkinginQualicum Posts: 131 Member
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    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
    Toddrific Posts: 1,114 Member
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    Hmm are you looking at cooked or raw?
    Brown rice would add maybe 20 calories from fat over white I'd think?
  • Coco_Puff
    Coco_Puff Posts: 823 Member
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    It keeps me regular!!!!! It's my best friend!!!!
  • Travelfixer
    Travelfixer Posts: 139 Member
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    It keeps me regular!!!!! It's my best friend!!!!
    Haha nice to know that! :laugh:
  • kimmianne89
    kimmianne89 Posts: 428 Member
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    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
    jellybeanhed313 Posts: 344 Member
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    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_
    _Dan_ Posts: 55 Member
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    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
    XXXMinnieXXX Posts: 3,459 Member
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    Bump
  • maru84
    maru84 Posts: 128
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    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
    wonderwomanwannaB Posts: 111
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    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
    miss_lizz Posts: 49 Member
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    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
    Captain_Tightpants Posts: 2,215 Member
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    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
    Lane1012 Posts: 211 Member
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    it makes this list .. I prefer it.

    http://www.healthyweightforum.org/eng/weight-loss/fat-burning-foods.asp
  • frugalmomsrock
    frugalmomsrock Posts: 1,123
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    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
    Rosered3333 Posts: 171 Member
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    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
    styxx Posts: 22 Member
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    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
    agentscully514 Posts: 616 Member
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    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
    frugalmomsrock Posts: 1,123
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    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
    calabrdm Posts: 303 Member
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    Choose the brown. It is always better to eat healthier.
  • agentscully514
    agentscully514 Posts: 616 Member
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    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.

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