Rice comes from the seeds of the rice plant, with the outer husk of the seed being removed for brown rice. For white rice, more of the husk, as well as the germ, are removed. Because the germ, which is where much of the fiber is contained, is removed, white rice is lower in fiber and some other nutrients than brown rice.
Long Grain Brown Rice
One cup of cooked brown, long-grain rice contains 216 calories. Most of the calories come from the 45 g of carbohydrates in each serving, of which 3.5 g are fiber. This provides more than 9 percent of the dietary reference intake, or DRI, of fiber for most adults, which is 21 to 38 g. One cup also contains 5 g of protein and 1.8 g of fat. Long grain brown rice contains many minerals. One cup provides more than 70 percent of the DRI of manganese, as well as more than 20 percent of the DRI for magnesium, copper and phosphorus. Long grain brown rice also contains numerous vitamins, with one cup providing 14 percent of the DRI of thiamin, 18 percent of niacin, 10 percent of pantothenic acid and 22 percent of vitamin B6.
Medium Grain Brown Rice
Medium grain brown rice is similar in calories to long grain brown rice, but it contains slightly higher amounts of some vitamins and minerals. One cup contains 218 calories, 46 g of carbohydrates, 3.5 g of fiber, 4.5 g of protein and 1.6 g of fat. One cup supplies more than 90 percent of the DRI of manganese along with more than 20 percent of the DRI for magnesium and phosphorus. One cup also provides 17 percent of the DRI of thiamin, 16 percent of niacin, 15 percent of pantothenic acid and 22 percent of B6.
Long Grain White Rice
Long grain white rice is lower in calories than brown rice, but it is also lower in fiber, as well as most vitamins and minerals. One cup of long grain white rice contains 205 calories, 45 g of carbohydrates, 4.3 g of protein and .4 g of fat. One cup contains .6 g of fiber. One cup provides more than 30 percent of the DRI of manganese and 12 percent of copper. White rice is much lower in phosphorus and magnesium than brown rice, with less than 10 percent of the DRI per cup. However, long grain white rice contains more iron and thiamin, with one cup supplying more than 10 percent of the DRI of iron and more than 20 percent of thiamin. One cup also provides 12 percent of the DRI of pantothenic acid and 11 percent of B6.
Medium Grain Long Rice
Medium grain white rice contains more calories per serving than brown rice or long grain white rice. One cup contains 242 calories, 53 g of carbohydrates, 4.4 g of protein, .4 g of fat and .6 g of fiber. Medium grain white rice provides similar amounts of magnesium, phosphorus, and manganese as long grain white rice, but it contains more iron and less copper. One cup provides more than 15 percent of the DRI of iron and less than 10 percent of copper. One cup of medium grain white rice also contains more thiamin and niacin than long grain rice, providing 26 percent and 21 percent of the DRI, respectively.
References
- USDA Nutrient Data Laboratory: Long Grain Brown Rice
- USDA Nutrient Data Laboratory: Medium Grain Brown Rice
- USDA Nutrient Data Laboratory: Long Grain White Rice
- USDA Nutrient Data Laboratory: Medium Grain White Rice
- Institute of Medicine: Dietary Reference Intakes: Recommended Intakes for Individuals
