Health food fans fond of rice as part of their long-life diet continue to favor the brown version of the staple as holding the edge in nutritional benefit.
Rice experts at Lundberg Family Farms says the difference is significant. When the bran layer of brown rice is shucked off to produce white rice, the rice grain's carbohydrate core is left, while the nutrient-rich outer layer is eliminated. Also discarded with the outer layer is most of the fiber, and B vitamins along with essential oils and minerals, they say.
The experts say one cup of brown rice contains 3.32 grams of dietary fiber compared with .74 grams found in a cup of the white variety and brown rice also provides more vitamin E, magnesium and potassium.
There are more calories and fat in the brown version -- along with more niacin, B6 and phosphorus. Natural oils found in brown rice also contain compounds shown by research to aid in reducing cholesterol levels.
