Because white rice is enriched, it provides significant amounts of some vitamins and minerals. When cooked without butter or salt, white rice is also low in both sodium and fat. The following values are for 1 cup of cooked short grain white rice. Dietary reference intake percentages are for adults under age 50.
Calories
One cup of cooked short grain white rice contains 242 calories, nearly all of which come from carbohydrates. One cup contains 53.4g of carbohydrates, which provide approximately 213 calories.
Protein
One cup of short grain rice contains 4.4g of protein. Although this protein is composed of 18 amino acids, white rice is not a complete protein because it does not contain all of the essential amino acids. White rice would need to be combined with a food such as beans to provide a meal with a complete protein.
Fat
If cooked without butter, white rice is low in fat. One cup contains only .35g of fat. Like all plant foods, white rice contains no cholesterol. If 1 tbsp. of butter is added to the rice, the total fat content increases to nearly 12g.
Minerals
White rice is often enriched with vitamins and minerals such as iron. One cup of white rice contains 2.72mg of iron, which provides 34 percent of the DRI for men and 15 percent for women. One cup of white rice supplies 15 percent of the DRI for copper and 37 percent of the DRI manganese. Manganese is important for bone formation and the metabolism of cholesterol and carbohydrates. One cup of white rice contains 25 percent of the DRI for selenium as well. Selenium protects the body from oxidative stress and assists in thyroid regulation.
Sodium
White rice cooked without salt contains no sodium. If 1/8 tsp. of salt is added to the rice, the sodium content increases to 581mg, which is 24 percent of the maximum recommended daily allowance.
Vitamins
White rice does not contain any vitamin C, but it does contain many of the water-soluble B vitamins. One cup of white rice provides approximately 25 percent of the DRI for thiamin, which is important for the metabolism of protein and carbohydrates. One cup of white rice also contains 27 percent of the DRI for folate, more than 15 percent of niacin and 15 percent of pantothenic acid. White rice contains none of the fat-soluble vitamins A and D.
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