Fiber, B Vitamins, and Iron in Cooked Rice (^1 / 2 cup)
Fiber Folate Thiamin Niacin Iron
Rice (g) (mcg) (mg) (mg) (mg)
Brown 1.8 4 0.1 1.3 0.5
White, long-grain,
enriched 0.7 64 0.2 1.8 1.4
White, long-grain,
instant, enriched 0.5 58 0.1 1.4 1.5
White, glutinous
(“sticky”), unenriched 0.9 1 0.02 0.3 0.1Source: USDA Nutrient Data Laboratory. National Nutrient Database for Standard Reference.
Available online. UR L: http://nal.usda.gov/fnic/foodcomp/search/.The Most Nutritious Way to Serve This Food
With legumes (beans, peas). The proteins in rice are deficient in the essential amino acids
lysine and isoleucine and rich in the essential amino acids tryptophan, methionine, and
cystine. The proteins in legumes are exactly the opposite. Combining the two foods in one
dish “complements” or “completes” their proteins.
With meat or a food rich in vitamin C (tomatoes, peppers). Both will increase the
availability of the iron in the rice. Meat increases the secretion of stomach acids (iron is
absorbed better in an acid environment); vitamin C changes the iron in the rice from ferric
iron (which is hard to absorb) to ferous iron (which is easier to absorb).
Diets That May Restrict or Exclude This Food
Low-calcium diet (brown rice, wild rice)
Low-fiber diet
Buying This Food
Look for: Tightly sealed packages that protect the rice from air and moisture, which can
oxidize the fats in the rice and turn them rancid.
Choose the rice that meets your needs. Long-grain rice, which has less starch than short-
grain (“Oriental”) rice, will be fluffier and less sticky when cooked. Brown rice has a distinctive
nutty taste that can overwhelm delicate foods or “fight” with other strong flavors.
Avoid: Stained boxes of rice, even if they are still sealed. Whatever spilled on the box may
have seeped through the cardboard onto the rice inside.
Rice