Brown rice vs white rice: which is healthier?
Brown rice is more nutrient-dense, scoring 27/100 against 21/100 for white rice. Both can be part of a healthy diet; the table below shows where each one is stronger. Source: USDA FoodData Central.
Brown rice
123 kcal per 100 g. 1 cup cooked: 195 g
Higher scoreWhite rice
130 kcal per 100 g. 1 cup cooked: 158 g
Which to pick for your goal
- Fewer caloriesAbout even123 vs 130 kcal per 100 g
- More proteinAbout even2.7 vs 2.7 g per 100 g
- More fiberBrown rice1.6 vs 0.4 g per 100 g
- Less sugarAbout even0.2 vs <0.1 g per 100 g
- More potassiumBrown rice86 vs 35 mg per 100 g
- Less saturated fatAbout even0.3 vs <0.1 g per 100 g
Nutrition side by side
| Nutrient | Brown rice, 100 g | White rice, 100 g | Brown rice, 195 g | White rice, 158 g |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Calories | 123 kcal | 130 kcal | 240 kcal | 205 kcal |
| Protein | 2.7 g | 2.7 g | 5.3 g | 4.3 g |
| Carbohydrates | 26 g | 28 g | 50 g | 45 g |
| Sugars | 0.2 g | <0.1 g | 0.5 g | <0.1 g |
| Fiber | 1.6 g | 0.4 g | 3.1 g | 0.6 g |
| Fat | 1 g | 0.3 g | 1.9 g | 0.4 g |
| Saturated fat | 0.3 g | <0.1 g | 0.5 g | 0.1 g |
| Vitamin C | 0 mg | 0 mg | 0 mg | 0 mg |
| Vitamin A | 0 µg | 0 µg | 0 µg | 0 µg |
| Potassium | 86 mg | 35 mg | 168 mg | 55 mg |
| Iron | 0.6 mg | 1.2 mg | 1.1 mg | 1.9 mg |
| Calcium | 3 mg | 10 mg | 5.8 mg | 16 mg |
| Magnesium | 39 mg | 12 mg | 76 mg | 19 mg |
| Sodium | 4 mg | 1 mg | 7.8 mg | 1.6 mg |
Last updated . Scores use the HowHealthyIs Score method.