Rice is a staple food in many countries because it provides billions of people around the world with a cheap, nourishing source of energy. This popular grain comes in many varieties that differ in colour, flavour and nutritional value. Some types of rice are rich in nutrients and powerful plant compounds, while others have less impressive nutritional profiles.
What Are the Types of Rice?
The types of rice include:
Brown Rice
Brown rice is a whole-grain rice that has had its outer protective hull removed. Unlike white rice, it retains the bran layer and the germ, both of which contain significant amounts of nutrients. For example, brown rice bran contains the flavonoid antioxidants apigenin, quercetin and luteolin. These compounds are being studied for their role in health.
Regularly eating foods rich in flavonoids has been linked with a lower risk of chronic conditions such as heart disease and certain cancers.
Brown rice provides a similar number of calories and carbohydrates to white rice, which has had its bran and germ removed. However, brown rice has about three times more fibre and is richer in protein.
Both fibre and protein increase the feeling of fullness and can be part of a pattern of eating that supports a healthy weight. Choosing brown rice over white rice may also help support blood sugar and insulin, the hormone that supports healthy blood sugar levels.
A study in 15 adults who were overweight found that those who ate 200 grams of brown rice for 5 days had significantly lower fasting blood sugar and insulin levels than those who ate the same amount of white rice.
Black Rice
Among the types of rice, black rice varieties such as Indonesian black rice and Thai jasmine black rice are a deep black colour that often turns purple when cooked. This type is sometimes called forbidden rice, because it is said to have been reserved for royalty in ancient China.
Research suggests that black rice has the highest antioxidant activity of all the varieties, which makes it a nutritious choice. Antioxidants are compounds that protect cells from damage caused by excess molecules called free radicals, which contribute to a state known as oxidative stress. Oxidative stress has been linked with the progression of chronic conditions such as heart disease, certain cancers and mental decline.
Black rice is especially rich in anthocyanins, a group of flavonoid plant pigments with powerful antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties.
Red Rice
Among the types of rice, red rice varieties such as Himalayan red rice and Thai red cargo rice are deeply pigmented. They contain an impressive range of nutrients and beneficial plant compounds. This type is higher in protein and fibre than white rice varieties, but where it really shines is its antioxidant content.
In fact, research suggests that red rice has significantly more potential to fight free radicals, and that it contains higher concentrations of flavonoid antioxidants than brown rice.
Flavonoids are being studied for their possible role in reducing inflammation in your body and keeping free radical levels in check. They have also been linked with a lower risk of chronic conditions such as heart disease and type 2 diabetes.
Wild Rice
Among the types of rice, wild rice is technically the seeds of aquatic grasses, but it is commonly used in cooking like rice. It is considered a whole grain. It contains about three times more fibre than white rice and significantly more protein, which makes it a more nutritious choice. In addition, wild rice has been linked with a number of health benefits in animal studies.
For example, rodent studies show that replacing white rice with wild rice reduced triglyceride and cholesterol levels, insulin resistance and oxidative stress. These results come from animal studies and cannot be assumed to apply to people.
Wild rice is a good source of vitamins and minerals, including B vitamins, magnesium and manganese. In addition, research shows that its antioxidant activity is 30 times greater than that of white rice.
Jasmine Rice
All white rice is processed, which means the hull (the hard protective shell), the bran (the outer layer) and the germ (the inner core) are removed. This strips white rice of fibre and many nutrients. White jasmine rice is made in this way, so it falls into the white rice category.
Although there are many different types of white rice, including basmati, arborio, jasmine and original, they are all very similar nutritionally. Long-grain white rice and white jasmine rice contain very similar amounts of calories, carbohydrates, protein and fibre.
| Types of Rice | Calories (per 100 g, kcal) | Carbohydrate (g) | Protein (g) | Fat (g) | Dietary Fibre (g) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wild Rice | 357 kcal | 75 g | 14 g | 1.1 g | 6 g |
| Brown Rice | 350 kcal | 74.06 g | 7.22 g | 2.2 g | 2.22 g |
| Black Rice | 267 kcal | 56.6 g | 8.3 g | 2.5 g | 3.3 g |
| Basmati Rice | 365 kcal | 79.95 g | 7.13 g | 0.66 g | 1.3 g |
| Jasmine Rice | 383 kcal | 86.1 g | 7.2 g | 0 g | 1.2 g |
Sources
https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/healthiest-rice
https://www.seriouseats.com/guide-to-rice
https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/jasmine-rice-vs-white-rice#nutrition
This article is for general information only; please consult your doctor and dietitian about your own situation.
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