Brown & White Rice: Equally Good For You?
The difference between brown rice and white rice is NOT just color! There are several layers to a single grain of rice. A. Only the hullthe outermost, inedible layeris removed to produce brown rice. This process is the LEAST damaging to the nutritional value. White rice is further milled, stripping the bran and germ. The grains are then polished, making them white and smooth, which removes the aleurone layer, full of health-supportive, essential fats. BUT the BULK of the nutrients reside in the outer layers! The complete milling and polishing that converts brown rice into white destroys: 90% of the vitamin B6, 80% of the vitamin B1, 67% of the vitamin B3, 60% of the iron, half of the manganese and phosphorus, and ALL of the dietary fiber and essential fatty acids. White rice is much more shelf stable than brown rice, but is basically just a refined starch, largely bereft of its original nutrient richness. Whats better for the supermarket shelf is NOT whats better for you.
Last Updated:July 16, 2012