What is the nutritional profile of 100g of cooked white and brown rice for a typical adult with no specific medical conditions or dietary restrictions?

Nutritional Profile of 100g Rice

For a typical adult, 100g of cooked white rice provides approximately 130 calories with 2.8g protein and 0.3g leucine, while 100g of cooked brown rice provides 5.3g protein and 0.4g leucine, making brown rice nutritionally superior due to its higher fiber, vitamin, and mineral content. 1

White Rice (Cooked, 100g)

Macronutrients

• Protein: 2.8g per 100g cooked white basmati rice 1
• Leucine content: 0.3g per 100g 1
• Carbohydrates: Predominantly refined carbohydrates with minimal fiber 1
• Fat: Minimal fat content 1

Protein Quality

• Digestibility: White rice has a DIAAS (Digestible Indispensable Amino Acid Score) of 37 and PDCAAS of 62, indicating moderate protein quality with limiting amino acids 1
• Lysine availability: The lysine from cooked white rice has 97% metabolic availability when cooked without browning, though this drops to 70% if the rice is oven-browned due to the Maillard reaction 2

Glycemic Properties

• Glycemic Index: White rice has a high GI of 96 when consumed alone 3
• Insulinemic response: White rice has a lower insulinemic index than glucose, indicating it is less insulinogenic than pure glucose 3

Micronutrients

• B vitamins: Polished white rice has low levels of thiamin, niacin, and vitamin B6 due to the milling process that removes the bran 4
• Minerals: Low in iron and zinc compared to brown rice 4
• Fortification potential: White rice can be fortified with iron (7mg/100g), folic acid (0.13mg/100g), vitamin B12 (0.001mg/100g), vitamin A (0.15mg/100g), zinc (6mg/100g), thiamin (0.5mg/100g), niacin (7mg/100g), and vitamin B6 (0.6mg/100g) at a 1:100 blending ratio 4

Brown Rice (Cooked, 100g)

Macronutrients

• Protein: 5.3g per 100g cooked brown rice (nearly double that of white rice) 1
• Leucine content: 0.4g per 100g 1
• Fiber: Significantly higher dietary fiber content than white rice 1, 5
• Fat: Contains moderate amounts of unsaturated lipids 5

Nutritional Advantages

• Whole grain benefits: Brown rice retains the bran layer, providing higher amounts of dietary fiber, proteins, unsaturated lipids, micronutrients, and bioactive compounds 5
• Micronutrients: Contains relatively higher amounts of B vitamins (thiamin, niacin, vitamin B6), minerals (iron, zinc), and γ-oryzanol 5
• Bioactive compounds: Contains flavonoids and other health-promoting compounds in the bran layer 5

Glycemic Properties

• Lower glycemic index: Some brown rice varieties, particularly landraces, have low glycemic index properties that may help counter type II diabetes 5

Health Benefits

• Cardiovascular health: Whole grains like brown rice are associated with decreased rates of cardiovascular disease 1
• Weight management: Brown rice consumers have lower waist circumference, lower triceps skinfold, and are more likely to have a BMI ≤25 despite higher energy intake 6
• Metabolic benefits: Brown rice consumers have lower percentage calorie intake from fat and saturated fat, with significantly higher intakes of various nutrients 6

Practical Serving Recommendations

Standard Serving Sizes

• Cooked rice portion: ½ cup cooked rice (approximately 116g for white rice, 146g for brown rice) constitutes one serving 1
• Daily recommendations: Grains should be consumed as part of 3-8 servings daily depending on age, sex, and caloric requirements, with at least half being whole grains 1

Optimizing Glycemic Response

• Protein addition: Adding chicken breast to white rice reduces the GI from 96 to 73 and increases insulinemic response while decreasing glycemic response 3
• Fat addition: Adding ground nut oil reduces the GI to 67 and delays peak glucose response 3
• Vegetable addition: Adding leafy vegetables reduces the GI to 82 and produces the lowest insulinemic index 3
• Combined approach: White rice consumed with chicken, oil, and vegetables achieves a GI of 50, representing the greatest attenuation of glycemic response without excessive insulin demand 3

Clinical Considerations

Choosing Between White and Brown Rice

• Brown rice is strongly preferred for long-term health due to higher fiber (associated with reduced CVD, improved insulin sensitivity, lower blood pressure, and reduced LDL cholesterol), superior micronutrient content, and lower glycemic impact 1, 5
• White rice may be appropriate for specialized situations requiring low-fiber intake, such as pre-competition carbohydrate loading in athletes (where 10g carbohydrate/kg body weight is targeted with minimal fiber to reduce gastrointestinal burden) 1

Fiber Targets

• General recommendation: Consume a minimum of 14g fiber per 1,000 calories daily, or 28-30g fiber per day for most adults 1
• Brown rice contributes significantly more toward meeting these fiber goals compared to white rice 1, 5