White Rice Nutrition Benefits and Facts

Nutritional summary

White rice is a refined grain produced by milling brown rice to remove the outer bran and germ layers, which leaves behind the starchy endosperm and significantly reduces the grain's fiber, vitamin, and mineral content .
Higher consumption of white rice is consistently associated with an increased risk of developing type 2 diabetes, with meta-analyses showing a 11% increase in risk for every daily serving .
White rice generally has a higher glycaemic index (a measure of how quickly a food raises blood glucose) than brown rice, which can lead to stronger post-meal blood sugar responses .
The association between white rice intake and diabetes risk appears particularly strong in Asian populations, where rice has traditionally been a staple food but physical activity levels have recently declined .

Interesting fact

The process of polishing brown rice into white rice was historically linked to the discovery of vitamins, as the removal of the bran layer led to the prevalence of beriberi in 19th-century Asia.

Standout nutrients

ACE

SOURCE

Manganese

GREAT

SOURCE

Copper

GREAT

SOURCE

Selenium

EPIC

SOURCE

Starch/Glycogen

352

kcal per 100g

Protein6.76g

Fat0.90g

Carbs84.2g

Fiber0.92g

Sugar0.17g

Fat breakdown

Polyunsat0.29g

Monounsat0.24g

Saturated0.21g

Trans0.20g

Seasonality

Not available

Diet

VeganVegetarianPescatarianGluten FreeDairy FreeLow Fodmap

Sustainability

Moderate

Rice production is a significant source of methane emissions and requires high water usage compared to other grains.

Confidencehigh

Storage

Airtight Container

1–2 years

Store in a cool, dry place.

Refrigerate

3–5 days

Applies to cooked rice; must be cooled quickly to avoid bacterial growth.

Freeze

3–6 months

Cooked rice freezes well if sealed tightly.

Flavour

Data & Sources

Harmonized from 2 validated sources

Phenol-Explorer

1 contributing source food

McCance & Widdowson

5 contributing source foods

Claim citations

Is white rice consumption a risk for metabolic and cardiovascular outcomes? A systematic review and meta-analysis - PMC

[1]pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

White rice, brown rice and the risk of type 2 diabetes: a systematic review and meta-analysis - PMC

[2]pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

White rice consumption and risk of type 2 diabetes: meta-analysis and systematic review | The BMJ

[3]www.bmj.combmj.com

White rice, brown rice and the risk of type 2 diabetes: a systematic review and meta-analysis - PubMed

[4]pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

White rice consumption and risk of type 2 diabetes: meta-analysis and systematic review - PMC

[5]pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

White rice consumption and risk of type 2 diabetes: meta-analysis and systematic review - PubMed

[6]pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

White Rice, Brown Rice, and Risk of Type 2 Diabetes in US Men and Women - PMC

[7]pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Is there any association between rice consumption and some of the cardiovascular diseases risk factors? A systematic review - PMC

[8]pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Coverage

Nutrients

FoodCompass

36.8

Version

Similar flavours

Explore flavour space →