# Does white rice have any nutritional value whatsoever?



## melissel (Jun 30, 2004)

I ask this as I cook up a big pot of it to make fried rice (since we are out of brown and wild rice). I have a HUGE bag of jasmine rice that I bought at our local Indian grocery, and I'm just wondering if it's basically just a waste of calories. I mean, I know it has no fiber, but what about other key nutrients? Anyone know?

TIA!


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## cristeen (Jan 20, 2007)

Not really. There's not much left once they remove the bran.

From The World's Healthiest Foods:

Quote:

The complete milling and polishing that converts brown rice into white rice destroys 67% of the vitamin B3, 80% of the vitamin B1, 90% of the vitamin B6, half of the manganese, half of the phosphorus, 60% of the iron, and all of the dietary fiber and essential fatty acids. Fully milled and polished white rice is required to be "enriched" with vitamins B1, B3 and iron.


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## melissel (Jun 30, 2004)

Aw, man! So basically I'm feeding my kids big bowls of starch. *sigh*

Really, Cristeen, you might as well just give me your phone number so I can call you directly whenever I have a question, since you're the one who always has the answers I need here









Thank you!


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## elspethshimon (Nov 23, 2007)

Jasmine rice is so tasty though. Just use about half and pair it with a dish that is protein and nutrient heavy.


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## cristeen (Jan 20, 2007)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *melissel* 
Aw, man! So basically I'm feeding my kids big bowls of starch. *sigh*

Really, Cristeen, you might as well just give me your phone number so I can call you directly whenever I have a question, since you're the one who always has the answers I need here









Thank you!











Happy to help. Feel free to PM me with food questions. I'm a food nerd.


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## Ruthla (Jun 2, 2004)

A lot of white rice is enriched before it's sold in stores though, and I think it does have a little bit of soluble fiber that isn't removed when they take off the bran.


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## Mrshawwk (Apr 5, 2006)

Don't they enrich things like rice and flour with synthetic vitamins? They take out all the natural vitamins/nutrients and replace with smaller amounts of fake ones. It really bothers me when "they" mess with something like rice (or flour, eggs, MILK). It seems to me God made these foods for our bodies. He made them with the right amounts of nutrients, fat, fiber, cholesterol, etc. Not only in the right amounts, but in the right proportions. It drives me crazy when "they" completely devitalize a food and then put back a few token vitamins. I could go on and on. What a great board this is that lets a person go off on a rant and still let's that person log on the next day!


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## Samjm (Mar 12, 2005)

If I need the faster cooking capabilities of white rice, then I normally add a handful each of quinoa and millet to the rice - it takes the same amount of time to cook, and it boosts the nutritional value.


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## kdabbler (Feb 19, 2006)

: I love my rice cooker. I love my sticky short grain white rice. Noting down the tips about adding nutritional value to it.


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## Mama Poot (Jun 12, 2006)

Well, my bag of white rice says its enriched with iron, niacin, and other things. The nutrition facts also say that one serving has 6g of protein. But of course, brown rice in its natural state has much more of these things and they're actually able to be absorbed by the body ( same goes for fortified cereal- sure it says it has 100%DV of whatever, but its all sprayed on and you don't really get that much ) That being said, I do like white rice but I always add something else to it. My grandmother added fresh pineapple to white rice once and I thought it was wonderful.


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## melissel (Jun 30, 2004)

I made fried rice with it, because I'm trying to avoid the grocery store as long as I can. I loaded it with chicken, eggs, and a big bag of mixed veggies (corn, peas, carrots, green beans). So I guess it's basically become a vehicle for the other good things, huh?

Thanks for the input, everyone. I basically have been using this big bag as an alternative for whenever I run out of brown or wild rice, so I'll continue doing that!


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## Smokering (Sep 5, 2007)

*sighs*

I can't get DH onto brown rice. He doesn't like it.

We do buy expensive white rice, which is claimed to be more nutritious than your average white rice because of some process that locks the nutrients in, or somesuch. I'm not sure I believe it.

Must keep working on the brown rice thing...


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## meaghann (Oct 23, 2007)

... you sprinkle a couple tsp of untoasted wheat germ in it after the rice is done cooking. tastes the same as regular white rice if you dont overdo the germ.


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