What’s the difference between brown rice and white rice? The very short answer is that brown rice is a whole grain and white rice is not. But that doesn’t quite answer the whole question. And there’s another type of “white” rice that many people eat, but may not realize it – converted (or parboiled) rice.
In the above photo, brown rice is in the bottom left corner; white rice is in the bottom right corner; and converted (parboiled) rice is on the top.
I had no idea there was such a thing as converted rice until a few of my food blogger friends were talking about it a couple of weeks ago. So I decided to dig in (so to speak) and figure out what was the difference between the three types of rice. I purchased all three types (the generic grocery store brand of each), and did a cooking and taste test at home.
Brown rice
Brown rice is a whole grain. This means it has the outer bran, the kernel, and the inner germ intact. The bran and the germ are where most of the vitamins, minerals, protein, and fiber of the grain are. The bran is what gives the rice the brown color, and also what gives it a slightly nutty flavor, a little more texture, and why it takes longer to cook than white rice.
I put 2 cups of salted water and 1 cup of rice in a pot, turned the heat on, and covered the rice. Once the water was boiling, I turned the heat down to a simmer, and stirred the rice occasionally. The water stayed nice and clear throughout the cooking process, and the brown rice took a little longer than 30 minutes to cook. (I have a gas stove, and I used a little larger pot for the brown rice than was really necessary. Your cooking times may vary from mine.)
The brown rice still had a nice texture when it was cooked, and a good flavor. It was not quite crunchy, but definitely not mushy.
White rice
On the other end of the spectrum is white rice. It is a more processed grain – the bran and the germ have been removed from the whole grain, leaving only the starchy kernel behind. Unfortunately, this also removes most of the vitamins, minerals, protein, and fiber from the rice.
I cooked the white rice the same way that I cooked the brown rice (except in a slightly smaller pot). The water got cloudy as soon as I stirred the rice into the water, even before it started to get warm. The white rice cooked in about 10 minutes. I did have more problems with the water boiling over with the white rice than I did with either of the other types of rice.
While the cooked white rice wasn’t mushy, it certainly didn’t have the texture I am used to with brown rice (we mainly eat brown rice in our house). The flavor also left a bit to be desired. It’s pretty plain by itself, but with some added seasonings it does make a good quick side dish to many meals.
Converted (parboiled) rice
In the middle of the spectrum is converted rice. It is not technically a whole grain, because the bran and the germ have been removed. But, before that happens, converted rice is parboiled before the rest of the processing is performed.
Parboiling is a method of partially cooking a food in boiling water, then soaking the food in cold water to stop the cooking. It is also known as blanching, and is commonly used to lightly cook vegetables. Blanching tomatoes or potatoes helps to loosen the skins so they can be easily removed before further cooking. When rice is parboiled, some of the vitamins and minerals in the bran are absorbed into the kernel, so not all the nutrition of the whole grain is lost during the rest of the processing. This is also what gives parboiled rice a slightly yellow color.
I used the same cooking process as I did for the brown and white rice. When I first added the converted rice to the water, all the kernels stuck together (this did not happen with the brown or white rice), but once I stirred it I did not have any sticking problems. The water turned cloudy right away after stirring. This rice was cooked in about 15 minutes. (Again, I’m cooking on a gas stove, so your cooking time might be longer than mine.)
I was surprised that the converted rice still had a nice texture. Not quite a crunch, but definitely not soft. The flavor was similar to brown rice, but not quite as strong. The converted rice also seemed to be a little less sticky than either the brown or white rice. I was pleasantly surprised with the converted rice as an alternative.
Here are all three varieties of cooked rice – brown rice on the bottom left, white rice on the bottom right, converted rice on top.
I used the generic store brands of each variety of rice. Uncle Ben’s Original Rice is a common brand name of converted (parboiled) rice.
I have heard from some of my food blogger friends that converted rice is the type to use in crockpot dishes. Because it has a longer cooking time than white rice it won’t get soggy in the crockpot over a few hours. But, because it is easier to cook than brown rice it is more evenly cooked by the time the rest of the meal is ready. I will definitely be trying this in my next crockpot recipe that calls for rice, and will keep some on hand for the occasional side dish.
What did I do with all the rest of that rice? (Remember, 1 cup of uncooked rice makes about 2 cups of cooked rice.) I froze it in single-serving portions, so we can have a fast side dish anytime!
Which type of rice do you prefer?
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Thank you for the informative break down of the various rice options. Yours is the only site that specifically told me whether converted rice still had the germ and bran attached, which was the key piece of information I was seeking. It is a relief to know that I do not have to stick to white rice only!
Deanna, I’m so glad I could help! Just out of curiosity, is there a reason you want rice without the germ and bran? For the flavor, texture, or a dietary issue? Or something else entirely?
I have used all 3 types of rice…..along with others like Basmati, Sticky and Arborio. All have there unique differences…and certain dishes require certain types. I will say when making cabbage rolls for instance, I have used both regular white (short and long grain) and converted rice, and I do prefer the regular rice. With the converted rice the cabbage rolls fell apart easily….so the “no sticking” is true with converted rice.
Thanks for your comment! You’re absolutely right, different types of rice work better in different recipes!
I always cook using converted rice unless recipe calls for a particular rice which in most cases it is about the sticking factor. My mom always used it so I do. Many of my Latina sisters say the converted rice is not really good for savory rice recipes but I remind them they enjoyed my dish and they are surprised that I used Uncle Ben’s. I read your blog because I never really knew what made it different. I just tried red rice. It’s delicious very nutty type flavor! Thanks for the great info!
From recent inquiries with ethnic groups that have rice as a main staple in their diet I have heard about soaking the rice for an hour before cooking. I tried it and it came out very soft and fluffy, better than not soaking it. Brown rice was the most successful. What are your thoughts on soaking rice before cooking it, please?
Paroled rice also has a much lower glycerin index which makes it much better for diabetics than brow or white rice.
Hi. Just noticed at a major converted rice company’s web site that their instant white compared to their converted does not show much of a difference in the protein or carbs per cup of cooked rice; actually, the “instant white” there showed some fiber whereas the “converted” there showed NO fiber. Weird no, I had expected after having read all the stats that converted would maintain some fiber; am I misunderstanding something basic about the process to get to converted? Basically, I was following the idea that converted is lower on the glycemic load index than white instant; but how can that be if converted has no fiber left to it? Guess I’ll just need to stop being a kid and go to brown. Thanks for your efforts.
I haven’t tried soaking rice before cooking it, but it sounds like it’s worth a try!
Thanks for sharing, Nancy. Red rice sounds tasty, I’ll have to see if I can find any near me!
Thanks for the comment, Shellie. I’m not a nutritionist, and am only superficially familiar with the glycemic index scale.
Hi Hugh. The fiber in rice is all in the bran. Parboiled rice has the bran removed, so there isn’t fiber left. I am a little surprised that the instant rice you found has some fiber. It’s probably related to the processing they need to do to make it “instant.” I’m not all that familiar with the glycemic index, so I don’t know where the different types of rice fall.
I didn’t realize that, Shellie. Would you mind explaining further? I really like rice and I like brown rice but my mother, who lives with me, has a problem with dentures and she only likes soft, white rice. But I try to keep that glycemic index in mind since we are both diet controlled diabetics.
I was interested as I am now tracking the glycemic index of foods due to me watching my blood sugar levels. The parboiled rice is apparently lower on the glycemic index than other types of rice.
Thank you.
Hi. I am not sure if your former poster responded to your inquiry about why they might not want the bran/kernel piece of brown rice. One scenario, as I understand it, is that although brown rice is thought of as being “healthier,” if you are on an anti-inflammatory diet, brown rice is actually excluded as are legumes, etc. It’s something about the digesting/lack of digesting of that kind of fiber which is problematic, as most fruits are okay. Some people with autoimmune diseases like type 1 diabetes (i.e. juvenile), rheumatoid arthritis, etc., follow the anti-inflammatory diet protocol. And, I’ve never heard of parboiled rice–thank you! White rice feels physically soothing to me, although mentally guilt-tripping for its lack of nutrients :).
Asian people likes the white rice which are longer and separated but the chines and japnese likes the sticky rice…..
It all depends on what you want to use it for!
I am someone who is always wanting to try different things in the kitchen, and I am currently wanting to try things with rice. It’s good to know that when it comes to parboiled rice at first it will stick together but once I stir it then it will won’t stick. This rice would be really good with probably an orange chicken or teriyaki beef recipe! Thanks for all the different information on rice!
It would be great with orange chicken, teriyaki beef, or so many other things! Thanks for stopping by!
Thank you for the crock pot tip and definition. I will be using converted rice on an upcoming vacation as we are relying on the crock pot for filling meals that require little preparation.
Some white rice has a coating added so it has a uniform white look. Once I learned to wash the rice I’ve never gone back. I’ve read that some places even use talc.
The recommendations I’ve seen is to wash white rice seven times before cooking it. Although I don’t always take the time to do so, it does make a difference in flavour.
That being said, you cannot wash “enriched” rice because you’re washing out all of the added vitamins.
I don’t know about that coating. I have not heard of that before. Talc would not be allowed unless it is food-grade, and would have to be included on the ingredient list on the package. Some people do rinse rice before cooking (like you might with a can of beans or a bag of dried beans). I have heard that it can make the rice fluffier once it is cooked, but I have not tried that before.
You will be much happier using converted or brown rice in your slow cookers on vacation!
I wasn’t sure what “converted rice” is, so I Googled it & found your blog. Thank you for the information. I grew up in MS & now live in LA. It’s white rice for us all the way, and in LA we use a LOT of rice. I cook mine the way my mama cooked hers. Put the rice in a pot with a lot of water, some salt, & a little butter or margarine (which helps with the sticking). When it gets to boiling, turn the fire down a little so that it still boils but not in a full rolling boil. Do not cover, as that will make it boil over (you also have to watch when it first begins to boil so that it doesn’t boil over-that’s why you turn the fire down). Boil 20 mins. or until the ends of the kernels flare open. Remove from heat, drain in a colander, & flush with lots of hot water. That’s what flushes out the starch, keeps it from being sticky, & makes it nice & fluffy. Washing white rice before cooking also flushes out the starch, but I find not as much as flushing after it’s cooked.
Good tips. I keep my rice covered while it cooks, or too much water evaporates and it ends up still a little crunchy. But then you do have to turn the heat down to make sure it doesn’t boil over!
I have a recipe for a soup mix that calls for converted rice. I probably wouldn’t have even noticed the word “converted” if I hadn’t added a little of my own basmati rice to the mix I bought from the church fund raiser. It came out “un-soupy” and solid even after I added two additional cups of water. I’ve used this church fund raiser soup mix several times so I know it’s not the mix or recipe. It had to be the rice I used. So . . . I googled “converted rice” and am very pleased to have found your helpful information. Thank you. I’ll buy converted rice when I try to make the mix on my own. The church only sells the mix once a year.
Do all three of these rice products start out the same, from the same plant?
Yes, they do! The rice is just processed differently after it is harvested.