White Rice vs Brown Rice

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White Rice vs Brown Rice
« on: April 28, 2008, 11:20:35 AM » by Whiterock

Quote from: Whiterock on April 27, 2008, 09:30:44 PM

Wasn't there a thread about White Rice vs Brown Rice? I thought there was, but now I can't find it. I'm trying to find out if white rice is really all that bad.

Thanks,
WR

Anyone?

WR

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Re: White Rice vs Brown Rice
« Reply #1 on: April 28, 2008, 11:30:53 AM » by healthybratt

Quote from: Whiterock on April 27, 2008, 09:30:44 PM

Wasn't there a thread about White Rice vs Brown Rice? I thought there was, but now I can't find it. I'm trying to find out if white rice is really all that bad.

Thanks,
WR

Not ringing a bell. Go ahead and start one and if I happen upon another thread, I'll merge them. Wink

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Re: White Rice vs Brown Rice
« Reply #2 on: April 28, 2008, 11:46:39 AM » by Kitty

Quote from: Whiterock on April 28, 2008, 11:20:35 AM

Quote from: Whiterock on April 27, 2008, 09:30:44 PM

Wasn't there a thread about White Rice vs Brown Rice? I thought there was, but now I can't find it. I'm trying to find out if white rice is really all that bad.

Thanks, WR

Anyone? WR

WR--I looked and couldn't find anything. Undecided

Sounds like a good thread though! Grin

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Re: White Rice vs Brown Rice
« Reply #3 on: April 28, 2008, 12:28:28 PM » by CountyCork

I'll give my unscientific opinion about the brown/white rice deal. It's like white flour vs. whole wheat. White rice used to be brown, but it's been stripped of the bran, endosperm (?) and germ. So though it would not be considered "harmful" or "junk food" it is lacking the vitamins, minerals, fiber and general nutrition of brown rice, which is the WHOLE grain.

I've come to prefer brown over white for taste. Just takes a bit longer to cook . . . But I do wonder why all the Asians eat it white rather than brown?

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Re: White Rice vs Brown Rice
« Reply #4 on: April 28, 2008, 12:58:14 PM » by floydian

Quote from: CountyCork on April 28, 2008, 12:28:28 PM

I thought they ate a different variety of rice that was just lighter.

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Re: White Rice vs Brown Rice
« Reply #5 on: April 28, 2008, 02:40:53 PM » by healthybratt

Quote from: CountyCork on April 28, 2008, 12:28:28 PM

I could be wrong, but I don't believe the white rice we eat is "processed". I believe it's white when it's harvested - there are several varieties and we eat two of them (one reg-non-glutenous and the other is glutenous or "sticky" rice). I'd be interested to know, so if WR wants to start that thread, I'm sure someone will jump in and enlighten us. Grin

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Re: White Rice vs Brown Rice
« Reply #6 on: April 28, 2008, 03:09:21 PM » by Roehrmomma

Quote from: healthybratt on April 28, 2008, 02:40:53 PM

Quote from: CountyCork on April 28, 2008, 12:28:28 PM

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/White_rice

Emily

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Re: White Rice vs Brown Rice
« Reply #7 on: April 28, 2008, 03:28:33 PM » by CountyCork

Now of course I am not a "told you so" kind of person! Ok, maybe I completely am!
But I am glad of one thing and that is that I am not completely nuts! Things have not been clicking in my brain the last few days (female stuff) and I thought I was going insane.
Thanks for the wikpedia rice entry. I never think of using that but of course they have all the info!

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Re: White Rice vs Brown Rice
« Reply #8 on: April 28, 2008, 03:33:04 PM » by Roehrmomma

County Cork told ya so! LOL Well I knew you were right. I just had to get information .I think that asians eat Jasmine rice maybe? Not sure though.

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Re: White Rice vs Brown Rice
« Reply #9 on: April 28, 2008, 04:25:04 PM » by healthybratt

Quote from: Roehrmomma on April 28, 2008, 03:33:04 PM

County Cork told ya so! LOL Well I knew you were right. I just had to get information .I think that asians eat Jasmine rice maybe? Not sure though.

You can told me so all you like... Grin

we'll still be eating it. Being married to an Asian makes it a staple in this house. Just for the record, healthy or not...my MIL was about the healthiest person I knew until she started going to the .....doctor... Shocked

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Re: White Rice vs Brown Rice
« Reply #10 on: April 28, 2008, 04:38:15 PM » by CountyCork

Amen to that one HB!

I imagine that even though white rice is an Asian diet staple, they more than cover it with fermented soy, great fish, tons of veggies, little processed stuff, etc.

Didn't know your hubs was Asian, HB. Your kids are blessed to have a culturally interesting home. Rarity in your part of the world, eh? Wink

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Re: White Rice vs Brown Rice
« Reply #11 on: April 28, 2008, 04:55:28 PM » by cjanderin

Ok... since nobody else has started this thread... here it is.

White rice and brown rice. Is brown rice better for you? Are there some types of rice that are white from the start? What makes brown rice better for you? Is white rice 'bad' for you or just not as good?

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Re: White Rice vs Brown Rice
« Reply #12 on: April 28, 2008, 05:01:26 PM » by healthybratt

Quote from: cjanderin on April 28, 2008, 04:55:28 PM

She really did start the thread, but since the merged posts were older, it doesn't look like it. LOL Grin

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Re: White Rice vs Brown Rice
« Reply #13 on: April 28, 2008, 05:20:06 PM » by Roehrmomma

For those that like white rice would jasmine suit you just as well? From what I see it is a 'natural' white rice. We like it. But I am a brown rice lover and it for some reason sets better in my mind. ( silly I know white rice was something I have never eaten other than at a restaurant)

It is high in fiber ,protein and potassium too.

Emily

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Re: White Rice vs Brown Rice
« Reply #14 on: April 28, 2008, 05:27:01 PM » by joshs_rebekah

Wow - y'all were all over this....like white on rice!!!! Grin

Had to do it - sorry.

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Re: White Rice vs Brown Rice
« Reply #15 on: April 28, 2008, 06:08:57 PM » by cecac

We got into this in a thread I had started about organic vs. standard produce. Here's what Lovin' gave me Grin

:

I only looked at one or two sources, but makes sense about the brown rice. It has 3 g fat versus .6 grams in white and that is the only negative I could find. It also only stores 6-12 months as the fatty acids go rancid as it oxidizes. If you could use a suck and seal to pull out most air, it would last longer.
Lovin'

In term of whole grains, Brown rice is definitely the preferred choice because it's easily digested by our body as compared to other grain products (eg: wheat) and some people are allergic to wheat without knowing it (Gluten intolerant ) . As we all know , there are two main types of rice , namely the brown rice and white rice .The milling process that removes the bran layer of brown rice is what making the shiny and beautiful white rice. Unfortunately , the removal of such layer comes at a price , a nutritional loss that makes white rice less desirable for true health seekers. The following chart shows the nutritional difference between white rice and brown rice. As can be seen, the difference in minerals, vitamin and fiber is obvious .

Brown Rice (one cup) White Rice (one cup)
Calories
232 223
Protein
4.88 g 4.10 g
Carbohydrate
49.7 g 49.6 g
Fat
1.17 g 0.205 g
Dietary Fiber
3.32 g 0.74 g
Thiamin (B1)
0.176 g 0.223 g
Riboflavin (B2)
0.039 mg 0.021 mg
Niacin (B3)
2.730 mg 2.050 mg
Vitamin B6
0.294 mg 0.103 mg
Folacin
10 mcg 4.1 mcg
Vitamin E
1.4 mg 0.462 mg
Magnesium
72.2 mg 22.6 mg
Phosphorus
142 mg 57.4 mg
Potassium
137 mg 57.4 mg
Selenium
26 mg 19 mg
Zinc
1.05 mg 0.841 mg

Data obtained from http://www.drlam.com/opinion/brown_rice_vs_white_rice.cfm

I would be real interested in a naturally white rice that has the same profile as brown, or approximately so.

I also want to add that our brown rice is appreciated around here when I can manage to soak it 6-7 hours in whey & water. It is softer and more like white.

Haven't been using it right now, but want to start up soon and order 25 pounds of organic rice.

Cara

« Last Edit: April 28, 2008, 06:10:49 PM by cecac »
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Re: White Rice vs Brown Rice
« Reply #16 on: April 28, 2008, 06:12:11 PM » by cjanderin

Hey you bet me to it!! I've just been googling white rice and was about to copy the exact same chart Cheesy

A lot of those differences don't look too major to me ...

Haven't found anything to say that there is a 'natural' white rice yet. May just ring my plant expert friend and see what he says.

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Erin

Wifey to Chris and mummy to Marcail (7), Alexandra (5), Joel (4) and Timothy (2) and Zipporah (9months).
Proud to be a Kiwi.

Re: White Rice vs Brown Rice
« Reply #17 on: April 28, 2008, 06:14:29 PM » by ladyhen

A natural doctor that I used to see years ago told me that brown rice is good for normallizing the digestive tract following illness. Something about the starch from it, I am guessing, since he suggested brown rice cooked in lots of water if you want to give just the liquid. Hmmmm? I just know that it seems to work for us.

I'm gonna put in my plug for my favorite brown rice. They are NOT all equal; basmati brown rice is the very best tasting, imo. It has a nice nutty flavor. Spanish rice and fried rice, imo, seem to taste better made with white rice.

I have always thought the brown and the white were just different varieties of rice. Kinda like Granny Smith apples are always green -- Red Delicious are red. Color isn't a factor. Huh

But the bran being removed makes more sense.

I DO know that the quick cooking varieties are processed and that anything that has to cook in the microwave is not going to go into my family food plan.

For softer brown rice, cook it in the oven.

FEATHER RICE
Measure your rice and spread it evenly on a cooking sheet. Put into preheated 350* oven until it begins to brown or toast. Measure the water and bring to a boil in a kettle or pan. Carefully transfer the rice to a baking dish that you have a lid for. Pour the boiling water over the rice, cover, and bake for at least 45 minutes.

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Re: White Rice vs Brown Rice
« Reply #18 on: April 28, 2008, 07:21:23 PM » by Whiterock

Thanks for starting this thread for me! I like brown rice alright in some things and I like it with nothing but butter and salt... but there are just too many recipes for which I really prefer white rice. I just can't get used to brown rice in a lot of things I cook fairly frequently (or used to before switching to brown rice Roll Eyes

).

Oh, and someone said previously in this thread that Jasmine rice is a naturally white rice. I looked it up and that's correct, but apparently it still has that nutty flavor that distinguishes brown rice so I don't know if it would solve my problem or not.

WR

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Re: White Rice vs Brown Rice
« Reply #19 on: April 28, 2008, 07:32:56 PM » by cecac

I'm with cjanderin, the differences aren't too major--except the minerals. Shocked

And I will say that mineral deficiency is rampant in this country, so that may should be a factor. Not with the Asian people though, I would suspect, because don't they marry rice with other things that would abound with minerals? So we could keep that in mind. Undecided

I'm with Whiterock, also. There ain't nothin' like Mexican Chicken and Rice or Rice Cereal in the morning, or stir-fry and rice. All of those are best in my family's opinion, done with white rice. AND--We like to make California Rolls with that Sushi Rice, although, there it is. They are wrapped in Nori--wouldn't that have a good mineral count? No way would I make that with brown rice. Tongue

As to those with insulin resistance, candida yeast problems, or diabetes--I wonder if there should be a difference? With insulin resistance, I would suspect yes, because white rice may move through the body faster than brown since the outer bran is removed, and could cause a sugar reaction.

Cara

« Last Edit: April 28, 2008, 07:36:04 PM by cecac »
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Re: White Rice vs Brown Rice
« Reply #20 on: April 28, 2008, 07:33:44 PM » by healthybratt

I don't know the difference but someone might want to distinguish the difference between the white rice we (my family and Asians) eat and Uncle Ben's. I don't know the difference nutritionally speaking, but I know after acclimating to Asian rices, I can't stand the American stuff. It's flakey and not sticky and falls apart on the fork - yuck!

There are many varieties of white rices just like the browns and some taste better than others. We are kind of partial to one brand in particular (NISHIKI), which is a long fat translucent white grain. We also get a brand called Koda which is a short fat opaque white grain and this one is glutenous and very sticky when cooked. We mix the two together 2 parts reg to 1 part sticky for a nice full flavor and sticky mix. We only eat these as savory meals - no butter, sugar and milk for us....blech. Tongue

As a side note: I read somewhere that those with gluten intolerance may still eat glutenous rice as the gluten in breads and glutenous rice are not the same.

The stuff I buy is in 50lb bags and even the non-glutenous stuff sticks together when you cook it.

« Last Edit: April 28, 2008, 07:35:21 PM by healthybratt »
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Re: White Rice vs Brown Rice
« Reply #21 on: April 28, 2008, 07:40:29 PM » by cecac

Quote from: healthybratt on April 28, 2008, 07:33:44 PM

I've heard about the problem of rices being soaked in pesticides or other such chemicals for larger production, etc. Do you think that is happening to the rices you are buying? And do these rices cook in the standard 20 minutes that the bags of American white rice do? I don't use the converted rice, and I tell ya what, I think one of the differences of Uncle Ben's would be, possibly, the addition of fake vitamins and minerals. Not sure if the good white rice, organic, here in America is fortified, though, I actually don't think it is. And brown rice isn't.

I have heard that organic is the way to go on rice because of the above soaked in pesticides or other chems. Anyone want to debunk that one? I would like to know.

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Re: White Rice vs Brown Rice
« Reply #22 on: April 28, 2008, 07:40:41 PM » by CountyCork

I use brown basmati and have for many years now. About 8 years ago a Bolivian woman taught me how to saute the rice in olive oil before adding the hot water and finishing the cooking. I had never heard of sauteing rice up to that point.
Then, some years after that when I first read Nourishing Traditions, Sally Fallon recommends sauteing rice before adding the water as it breaks down the phytic acid and makes it more digestible and provides better nutritional uptake. Funny how those other cultures know how to make foods by instinct and it gets lost in translation in do-it-quick America.
Depending up on the dish, we usually add chopped onion and garlic to the oil with the rice while sauteing. Makes a delicious dish! But not so good for leftovers for rice pudding Tongue

Anyone ever hear of a "sticky" brown rice?

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Re: White Rice vs Brown Rice
« Reply #23 on: April 28, 2008, 07:46:52 PM » by healthybratt

Quote from: cecac on April 28, 2008, 07:40:29 PM

Quote from: healthybratt on April 28, 2008, 07:33:44 PM

Dumb question maybe, but rice grows in big puddles of water, why would you need pesticides?

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Re: White Rice vs Brown Rice
« Reply #24 on: April 28, 2008, 07:48:21 PM » by healthybratt

Rice only takes about 20-30 minutes in my rice cooker. Grin

Rinse once, fill to line with water, flip a switch and voila, 20 minutes later, your rice is perfect. Love, love, love my rice cooker. Grin

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Re: White Rice vs Brown Rice
« Reply #25 on: April 28, 2008, 07:59:49 PM » by beppyjo

Quote from: healthybratt on April 28, 2008, 07:48:21 PM

Rice only takes about 20-30 minutes in my rice cooker. Grin

Rinse once, fill to line with water, flip a switch and voila, 20 minutes later, your rice is perfect. Love, love, love my rice cooker. Grin

HB, what metal is your rice cooker made with? I have been unable to find one that does not have an aluminum cooking surface at area stores. If yours is stainless would you please tell me the brand? I have found a stainless crockpot type of cooker that has a rice setting but generally just do it stove top. Thanks!

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Re: White Rice vs Brown Rice
« Reply #26 on: April 28, 2008, 08:04:57 PM » by healthybratt

Quote from: beppyjo on April 28, 2008, 07:59:49 PM

Quote from: healthybratt on April 28, 2008, 07:48:21 PM

Rice only takes about 20-30 minutes in my rice cooker. Grin

Rinse once, fill to line with water, flip a switch and voila, 20 minutes later, your rice is perfect. Love, love, love my rice cooker. Grin

Okay, I'm totally busted!! Mine is aluminum, but there is one online for about $75 that I'm going to get when mine breaks. Grin

http://www.ultimate-weight-products.com/page/UN/PROD/rice/Q-MIR-ME8&QTS=adwords&QTK=rice_cooker

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Re: White Rice vs Brown Rice
« Reply #27 on: April 28, 2008, 08:08:40 PM » by healthybratt

Quote from: healthybratt on April 28, 2008, 08:04:57 PM

Quote from: beppyjo on April 28, 2008, 07:59:49 PM

Quote from: healthybratt on April 28, 2008, 07:48:21 PM

Rice only takes about 20-30 minutes in my rice cooker. Grin

Rinse once, fill to line with water, flip a switch and voila, 20 minutes later, your rice is perfect. Love, love, love my rice cooker. Grin

Okay, I'm totally busted!! Mine is aluminum, but there is one online for about $75 that I'm going to get when mine breaks. Grin

http://www.ultimate-weight-products.com/page/UN/PROD/rice/Q-MIR-ME8&QTS=adwords&QTK=rice_cooker

here's another one.

http://www.worldpantry.com/cgi-bin/ncommerce3/ProductDisplay?prmenbr=127574&prrfnbr=909918

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Re: White Rice vs Brown Rice
« Reply #28 on: April 28, 2008, 09:08:47 PM » by cecac

Thank you so much HB, I tried to find one, so now I have two links to stainless. I can dream, anyway......Oh, and in case I do go back to brown, I guess they cook brown for you, too?

Yeah, I'm not sure about the pesticide thing, it's just what I've heard throught the health nut grapevine Roll Eyes

some of which I know is either blown out of proportion, or just not right. That's why I'm hoping you all could enlighten me. Grin

When I walk into a Chinese market to buy rice from overseas, the quality is good? They wouldn't necessarily label it organic.........and I do like the rice from the Chinese markets.

So, that's another good question from us Americans--what DO you look for in an Asian label if you are buying their rice, anything in particular?

« Last Edit: April 28, 2008, 09:13:50 PM by cecac »
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Re: White Rice vs Brown Rice
« Reply #29 on: April 28, 2008, 09:19:56 PM » by healthybratt

I've cooked brown rice in my cooker, but it stuck really bad and burnt a bit on the bottom. Not sure why. Undecided

I'm supposed to know everything but alas I don't understand the magic of my rice cooker. Grin

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