Rice is the most preferred staple food for people in several countries of the world. There are different kinds of rice varieties available. They are all different in taste, look, and nutritional quality.
Among many unique varieties of rice, one of the highly nutritious types is jasmine rice. Moreover, its attractive look and fragrance make it more popular.
If you want to switch your daily staple food to jasmine rice from plain white rice, it is better to know about it beforehand.
Hence, to make it easier for you, we are highlighting all the important information about jasmine rice that will help you make the right decision. Give it a read!
What is Jasmine Rice?
Jasmine rice is a kind of long-grain aromatic rice. It is mainly grown in south-east Asian countries, mostly Thailand. And that is why it is also called Thai fragrant rice.
The structure of the jasmine rice is long, soft, and sticky. It is perfect for eating with chopsticks. Jasmine rice is generally a bit shorter than other long-grain rice such as Basmati.
The most appealing factor of the jasmine rice is its unique signature scent, which is somewhat similar to the scent of Basmati rice and white bread but stronger than that.
The compound behind this exceptional fragrance is 2-acetyl-1-pyrroline. This compound in the jasmine rice is responsible for releasing a hot buttered popcorn smell.
Types of Jasmine Rice
There are two types of jasmine rice available in most of the stores. One is white jasmine rice, and the other is brown jasmine rice. Among these two types, white jasmine rice is the most popular and largely available.
The white and brown jasmine rice vary in taste, color, and nutritional values. Both types are initially cultivated in the southeastern regions of Asia, especially in Thailand and Vietnam. The difference is the white rice is more refined and processed while brown rice is left rustic.
Apart from the white and brown types of jasmine rice, some uncommon types include red, purple, and black jasmine rice. These types are rarely available in the market.
Nutritional Facts of Jasmine Rice
As most other types of rice, jasmine rice is also highly carbohydrate-rich. Though the nutritional value of jasmine rice varies with different jasmine rice brands and varieties.
However, the most approximate nutritional contents of one cup (158 grams) of jasmine rice are listed below.
White Jasmine Rice:
- 205 calories
- 44.5 grams carbohydrate
- 4 grams protein
- 0.5 grams fat
- 0.5 grams dietary fiber
- 0.7 milligrams manganese
- 91.6 micrograms folate
- 11.9 micrograms selenium
- 2.3 milligrams niacin
- 1.9 milligrams iron
- 0.1 milligrams vitamin B6
- 68 milligrams phosphorus
- 0.6 milligrams pantothenic acid
- 19 milligrams magnesium
- 0.8 milligrams zinc
- 0.1 milligrams copper
Brown Jasmine Rice:
- 238 calories
- 50 g carbohydrates
- 5 g protein
- 2 g fat
- 3 g fiber
- 91.8 micrograms folate
- 76 mg magnesium
- 199 mg phosphorus
- 2.1 milligrams iron
- 0.5 milligrams vitamin B6
- 168 mg potassium
- 394 mg sodium
- 2 mg of zinc
- 11 mcg selenium
- 0.1 milligrams copper
Benefits of Jasmine Rice
Being a kind of rice, it is usual for jasmine rice to be high in carbohydrates and calories. However, jasmine rice offers many important health benefits that need to be mentioned.
1. Rich Source of Vitamin and Minerals
Jasmine rice, especially the brown variety, is rich in essential water-soluble vitamins and minerals, including vitamin B1, vitamin B6, magnesium, phosphorus, selenium, and manganese. Vitamins and minerals are essential elements for the metabolism and cell formation of the human body.
2. Good Source of Iron
Iron plays a significant role in blood formation in the human body. Both white and brown jasmine rice is high in iron and folate, the brown one more in ratio than the white. They are two times richer in iron than plain white rice.
3. Generates More Energy to the Body
Since jasmine rice is high in carbohydrates, it gives a huge amount of energy and calories to the body. Thus, it is the best carbohydrate staple for bodybuilders and weight lifters.
4. Contains Whole Grain Fiber
Brown jasmine rice contains a fair amount of whole grain. As it is more rustic and not refined, the grain germ and bran, eliminated from the white jasmine rice, is kept within the brown type. And this whole-grain fiber is high in vitamins, minerals, and other nutritional factors.
5. High in Antioxidants
Jasmine rice contains a good number of minerals that exclusively work as antioxidants. The function of the antioxidants is to protect the body from harmful free radicals that are formed while breaking down the food.
6. Improves the Immune System
It is important to look after your and your family’s immunity. Jasmine rice boosts up the immune system of the body and protects the body from harmful foreign pathogens. And so, it can be a healthy eating choice for kids as well.
7. Supports Digestive Health
Because of having more fiber contents, jasmine rice can aid in smooth digestion. It complements your digestive system well, reducing gas burns in people with gastric problems.
8. Promotes Healthy Heart
It is not a secret that fibrous foods are best for your heart. Being extremely fibrous, brown rice is a good staple for people with weak hearts or any heart disease.
9. Can Help Fight Cancer
It might sound strange that how can something as simple as jasmine have the ability to fight cancer. Well, not only cancer but jasmine rice assists in fighting various other fatal diseases with its high antioxidant levels.
10. Encourages Healthy Pregnancy
Jasmine acid is a great source of folic acid, which is one of the most essential components that encourage a healthy pregnancy. Thus, jasmine rice is a great diet option for pregnant women.
Risks and Side Effects of Jasmine Rice
Even though jasmine rice has a significant level of nutritional value, few risks and side effects might result from switching to jasmine rice as a staple. That are-
1. High Arsenic Levels
Jasmine rice is high in arsenic levels. We all know that arsenic is very poisonous to human health. And so, consuming a huge amount of jasmine rice might lead to a significant increase of arsenic in the human body.
2. Blood Sugar Spikes
As mentioned earlier, like all other rice variants, jasmine rice is very high in the glycemic index. We all know how crucial of a factor the glycemic index is for diabetes type II patients. Even brown jasmine rice is capable of causing blood sugar levels to spike in diabetes patients.
3. Jasmine Rice Allergy
There are very few food items in the world with zero risks of allergy because food items have a vast amount of nutrients. Since many people in the world are allergic to various nutrients like iron and folic acid, jasmine rice can affect their bodies negatively.
4. Flavored Jasmine Rice Might Contain Gluten
Though jasmine rice is completely gluten-free, many flavored jasmine rice might contain gluten. If you have issues with gluten, it is better to check the nutrition labels of the jasmine rice before purchasing. Also, it is better to always go for non-flavored jasmine rice.
Which Type of Jasmine Rice is Healthier?
By now, you should have understood which type of jasmine rice is healthier than the others. If you’re assuming that brown jasmine rice is more nutritional than the white type, you are absolutely right.
Brown jasmine rice is higher in nutritional value than its fellow white type. This is because of its high amount of unprocessed fiber. It is also richer in iron, vitamins, and mineral levels than white jasmine rice.
And so, if you want to switch to jasmine rice as a staple, the brown type would be the best to go with.
Which One is Better: Plain White Rice or White Jasmine Rice?
The plain white rice and the white jasmine rice differ not only in looks but also in taste, smell, and nutritional value. In plain rice, you definitely miss the beautiful aroma of jasmine rice.
Moreover, jasmine rice is rich in several minerals and antioxidants that plain white rice does not have. The iron content of plain white rice is also very less compared to jasmine rice. And so, plain white rice is a better option for people with iron intolerance.
But if we come to the carbohydrate level, plain rice has a huge amount of carbohydrates and generates large calories. While the carbohydrate level in jasmine rice isn’t less as well, it is observed that less sugar content is absorbed from brown jasmine rice during digestion than plain white rice.
Moreover, there are hardly any rice dishes that you won’t be able to make with jasmine rice in place of plain white rice. You can make plain rice, fried rice, sushi, and spicy oats with it. You can even use it as a compliment in the bowl of chicken burrito.
For any healthy human, jasmine rice is way more beneficial and healthier than plain white rice in terms of nutrition.
Final Words
Don’t stop switching to jasmine rice from plain white rice after knowing the risks of jasmine rice because plain white rice has the same risks as jasmine rice and, in many terms, even more.
Hence, jasmine rice is definitely a healthier substitute to plain white rice unless you are iron or folic acid intolerant.
Now that you have known everything about jasmine rice, you know better what to do!