BROWN RICE VS. WHITE RICE: WHICH IS BETTER?

“Is it okay to eat white rice as part of my muscle building and fat burning diet? What’s the truth on the issue of brown rice vs. white rice?”

If you talk to a “fitness expert”, nine times out of ten they’ll give you the automatic answer that you should be eating brown rice instead of white rice.

There are three major reasons for this…

Brown Rice Vs. White Rice – Claim #1
Brown rice is a slower-absorbing carbohydrate, so it’s less likely to cause excess fat gain.

Reality: You have to keep in mind that when you combine your carbohydrates with proteins and fats, the absorption speeds are significantly reduced.

White rice does have a higher glycemic index ranking (meaning that when consumed in isolation in a fasted state, the sugars will be absorbed at a faster rate), but how often do you ever go sixteen hours without eating, and then consume a bowl of white rice and nothing else with it?

Any time you eat carbohydrates you’re pretty much always going to be combining them with protein and probably some fats as well, and that’s going to reduce the absorption rate significantly.

So the issue of absorption rate with brown rice vs. white rice is ultimately irrelevant in the big picture.

Brown Rice Vs. White Rice – Claim #2
“Brown rice is more micronutrient dense”.

Reality: Yes, brown rice is more micronutrient dense than white rice is, but most white rice that you buy is fortified with additional vitamins and minerals.

In addition, if you’re eating a balanced bodybuilding diet that includes fruits and vegetables, and you’re taking a multivitamin, your micronutrient needs are going to be met at the end of the day anyway.

Brown Rice Vs. White Rice – Claim #3
“Brown rice is higher in fiber.”

Brown rice does have a little bit more fiber than white rice does. Brown rice has about three grams of fiber per cup, and white rice has about one gram of fiber per cup.

Fiber is certainly beneficial, and you do want to make sure you’re getting enough fiber in your diet, so this is the one thing to take into consideration.

But again, if you’re eating a balanced bodybuilding diet, you’ll be getting plenty of fiber from other sources.

At the end of the day, your fiber needs are going to be easily met anyway.

Brown Rice Vs. White Rice: The Simple Answer

In terms of body composition and overall health, it’s not going to make any measurable difference. Go ahead and enjoy whichever one tastes better for you.

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