Should I eat brown rice instead of white rice?

Question: Should I eat brown rice instead of white rice?

Answer: Brown rice is simply white rice that has not had the brown-colored bran covering removed. So brown rice is considered a whole grain. Why remove the bran? Because most people prefer white rice since it is fluffier and cooks faster than brown.

Since brown rice still has the bran intact, it has more fiber than white rice. One cup of brown rice has 3 1/2 grams of fiber while the same amount of white rice has less than one gram of fiber. We all need from 25 to 38 grams of fiber in our diet everyday.

Brown rice also contains nutrients like magnesium, manganese, and zinc. White rice has reduced levels of these nutrients, but is often fortified with iron, and some B vitamins.

Cooking Brown Rice

White rice is still the usual rice found in restaurants, so you will probably have to get most of your brown rice at home. Brown rice takes longer than white rice to cook, so increase the amount of water slightly. Brown rice doesn't have the fluffy texture of white rice, but its nutty flavor and chewy texture makes brown rice a tasty way to get fiber into your diet.

Recipes Using Brown Rice

• Brown Rice With Carrots, Celery & Ginger
• Brown Rice Risotto with Asparagus and Porcini
• Chicken and Brown Rice
• Brown Rice Pilaf
• Pecan Rice
• Rice Medley with Shrimp

Source:

United States Department of Agriculture. "USDA National Nutrient Database for Standard Reference."