Rice is neither good or bad for you. Since it’s not particularly nutritious, think of it as just energy for your body. Of course, your body needs this energy, otherwise known as calories, but excessive amounts will be stored as fat. If you don’t need the calories for reasons like weight loss, foods that are more nutritionally dense for their lower calories will be a better option–foods like vegetables and fruits.
Most diets depend on staples like rice for energy and other plants and meat as simply supplements. Since we live in a world where getting enough energy is dangerously easy, we should be focusing on eating vegetables and fruits instead!
NUTRITIONAL PROFILE
Enriched White Rice, 1 Cup, Cooked
205 calories, small amount of dietary fiber, moderate amount of protein for a plant, moderate amounts of vitamins B1, B3, and B9, small amounts of the minerals of calcium, iron, magnesium, and manganese, and tiny amounts of zinc, potassium, phosphorus, B6, and B2.
Brown Rice, 1 Cup, Cooked
Includes everything found in white rice
216 calories, significant dietary fiber, more than double the protein than that of white rice, much more of vitamins B1, B2, B3, B5, B6, and B9, a small amount of calcium, much more of the minerals magnesium, manganese, phosphorus, and zinc.
HEALTH CONCERNS
Arsenic! Washing the rice multiple times and limiting your intake can help control the level of poison in your body however.
GMOs! If you care about this, buy fancy heirloom rice.
I listed the nutrients in rice, but they’re actually in rather low amounts. You didn’t specify whether your meal came with vegetables or not, but if not, you really need to learn about the importance of vegetables and fruit to health.
