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Home > Fed+Fit Podcast > Brown Rice vs. White Rice


	Podcast:		Fed+Fit Podcast
	Episode:		Brown Rice vs. White Rice
	Category:		Health
	Duration:		00:29:42
	Publish Date:		2019-10-26 06:00:48
	Description:		Today we are tackling the debate of brown rice vs. white rice. If you’ve researched this topic before, you’ve likely found many disagreeing articles diving deep into which is better and why. Today, we want to highlight some of the reasons for the debate and how to apply these thoughts to what works best for you! What’s the difference between brown rice and white rice? First, let’s talk about the components of rice. There are 4 parts to rice: the hull or the husk (the outer most layer), the bran, the germ and the endosperm (the innermost layer). Now, let’s see what makes brown and white rice different. Brown rice is considered a whole grain; meaning it contains all parts of the rice grain. Processed brown rice likely has the hull/husk removed, but still contains the bran, germ, and endosperm. With the majority of the parts of the grain intact, all original nutrients of the grain are available. In white rice, the outer layers of the grain (the germ and the bran) have been removed; so, all that is left is the endosperm. The endosperm is the little white grain of rice. Rice can also be referred to as polished or unpolished. Polished rice is rice that has gone through the process of removing all parts except the endosperm -- AKA white rice. Brown rice is often referred to as unpolished rice (referring to the other components still intact). For the sake of simplicity in this article, we will refer to the rice as either white or brown. Nutrition of Brown and White Rice The nutrition composition of brown rice versus white rice is very similar when it comes to protein, fat and carbohydrate content. However, there are some key differences in the nutrient composition between brown and white rice; these differences are the fuel for the debate of which is better. Brown rice is known to be higher in fiber and has more vitamins and minerals than white rice. This is because the majority of the fiber and nutrients are found in the germ and in the bran of the rice, which is why white rice contains less fiber and nutrients. So, is brown rice healthier than white rice? Given the nutrition facts above, you may jump to the conclusion that brown rice is healthier than white rice, but there are a few different things to discuss on this matter before you decide which option is healthiest for you. Whole Grains vs. Refined Grains Brown rice is considered a whole grain since the whole grain is included. White rice is considered a refined grain as it has been milled and processed down to just the endosperm. Overall, whole grains have more fiber and are closer to the original form of the grain compared to refined grains -- which is a bonus. However, while there is more fiber in brown rice, the ease in the digestion of certain grain-based fibers can be difficult to navigate which can leave the question – “is it really better?”. If we are getting a large majority of our fiber from grain-based fibers alone think cereal for breakfast, breads/crackers/etc. for lunch and pasta for dinner), for some people, it can be harder on the gut. White rice, due to the lower fiber content, is easier to digest and for some people with any digestive issues or gut issues, it may be a better option. Phytates You’ve probably heard the words antinutrients, phytates, or phytic acid. Antinutrients are exactly as they sound: compounds that bind the nutrients in the body and prevent their absorption (1). The degree to which antinutrients affect our nutrition is still being studied and isn’t super clear yet. Phytic acid is an antinutrient found in brown rice and the thought is that the brown rice (because of the phytic acid) may cause more harm than good during that meal due to the antinutrient activity of preventing absorption of nutrients consumed with that meal. Phytic acid specifically has been shown to decrease absorption with magnesium, calcium, iron, and zinc (2). However, to muddy the water even further,
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