Rice is a staple in most Indian households, yet choosing the right variety often becomes confusing for families trying to balance taste, digestion and long-term health. With grocery aisles offering everything from polished white rice to whole-grain brown rice and antioxidant-rich red rice, many wonder which option is truly the healthiest. Celebrity nutritionist Suman Agarwal offered a concise, science-backed comparison of white, brown and red rice in a recent Instagram video, helping families select the most nutrient-dense variety based on digestion, blood sugar response and overall dietary needs.
Glycaemic Index: How Fast Does Sugar Spike?
Suman begins with the glycaemic index (GI), a crucial indicator of how quickly a food raises blood sugar. White rice tops the list with a GI of 73, meaning it releases sugar rapidly into the bloodstream.
Compared to white rice, brown rice has a 40% slower release with a GI of 50. Red rice, though slightly higher than brown rice at 55, delivers a 50% slower sugar release due to its rich antioxidant profile. This makes it a suitable choice for those looking to control blood sugar spikes.
Fibre Content and Gut Health
She then highlights fibre content, which plays an important role in digestion and satiety. A cup of cooked white rice contains only 1.4 grams of fibre. Brown rice more than doubles that at 3.5 grams, while red rice offers the highest amount at 4 grams. High-fibre foods promote gut health, slow digestion and help maintain fullness for longer.
Nutrient Absorption: What Your Body Retains
However, not all fibre works the same way in the body. Suman notes that white rice does little to support healthy gut flora since it lacks fibre. On the other hand, phytic acid in brown rice can reduce iron and zinc absorption by up to 50%.
Once again, red rice stands out because its antioxidants help improve iron absorption, making it nutritionally more favourable.
Cooking and Digestion Time
Cooking and digestion times also vary significantly. White rice takes 10–12 minutes to cook and digests within two hours, often causing hunger to return sooner. Brown rice requires 30–40 minutes to cook and remains in the gut for 3–4 hours, offering better satiety. Red rice cooks in 25–30 minutes and stays in the stomach for 4–5 hours, providing long-lasting energy.
Which Rice Should You Choose?
So which rice is the best choice? For individuals with poor digestion, Suman recommends white rice as long as it is consumed in moderation and paired with high-quality protein to slow sugar release.
Those with healthy digestion can benefit from brown rice, also best paired with protein. She states that red rice is ideal for PCOS, diabetes, heart health and weight loss because of its superior nutritional profile.
For better texture and nutrient absorption, Suman suggests soaking red rice for 30 minutes to overnight, brown rice for at least 30 minutes and white rice for 10–12 minutes.
Disclaimer: This content including advice provides generic information only. It is in no way a substitute for a qualified medical opinion. Always consult a specialist or your doctor for more information. NDTV does not claim responsibility for this information.
