How Bad Is It For Your Health To Eat White Rice Every Day?

It depends on whether you're talking about your brain, your heart, your blood sugar ... and hey, what about those arsenic claims?

Rice is a staple food for more than half of the world’s population, thanks to its availability and affordability. Most of the rice produced in the US is of the white, long-grain variety, which has a reputation for being unhealthy. But is white rice actually bad for you? And what if you, like billions of people, eat rice every day?

As it turns out, white rice can be part of a healthy diet, so long as you combine it with nutrient-dense foods. Below, we talked to experts about the nutritional facts of white rice and how this popular and versatile grain can affect your health.

White Rice Is Mainly A Source Of Energy

“Even though we’re told to eat more whole grains, like brown rice, that doesn’t mean white rice is lacking in nutrition,” Amanda Sauceda, a registered dietitian and gut health nutritionist, told HuffPost. One cup of unenriched, long-grain white rice, cooked and unsalted, contains approximately 45 grams of carbohydrates, 4 grams of protein, less than 0.5 grams of fat and less than 1 gram of fibre.

Along with providing a quick source of energy, white rice is easy to digest, which can be helpful if you’re recovering from an illness or engaging in physical activity. And although rice is low in fat, it does have some drawbacks. “Unenriched white rice contains relatively small amounts of vitamins and minerals because the bran and germ, where most micronutrients are located, are removed during processing,” explained Qianzhi Jiang, a pediatric and family dietitian at The Nutrition Changer.

However, most of the rice consumed in the US is enriched with nutrients such as iron, folic acid and B vitamins, including thiamin, riboflavin, niacin and vitamin B6. “Eating rice daily is not inherently harmful, but potential risks depend on portion size, dietary balance and the type of rice consumed,” she said.

Michelle Routhenstein, a preventive cardiology dietitian and certified diabetes educator, added that filling your plate with rice could mean that you’re missing out on other nutrient-dense foods like vegetables, legumes and whole grains, which provide more fibre, magnesium, potassium, antioxidants and heart-protective nutrients. As with any diet, it’s best to aim for balance and variety while considering your health needs.

Eat Rice With Your Health Needs And Goals In Mind

White rice provides glucose, the brain’s main energy source. Enriched rice and brown rice additionally supply some B vitamins that support neurological functioning that regular white rice doesn’t, Jiang said. However, you can just as easily obtain these vitamins from berries, leafy greens and starchy vegetables like sweet potatoes. In addition,........

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