Is White Jasmine Rice a Nutritional Base for Your Meals? Here’s What to Know

If you're looking for an alternative to your usual type of rice, you might want to consider jasmine rice. It’s native to Thailand and found in both white and brown varieties.

Jasmine rice is a long grain rice similar to basmati, but a bit stickier, according to Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan. When cooked, it’s fluffy and fragrant, according to The Nutrition Source. It pairs well with seafood and dishes made with coconut.

Like other types of rice, jasmine rice is a good source of energy and low in fat. As part of a balanced diet, it can also help you meet your daily iron needs. Here’s what you need to know.

Source of Energy From Carbs

Carbohydrates supply your body with energy — and not just your muscles, but your central nervous system, too, according to MD Anderson Cancer Center.

This happens as your digestive system breaks the carbs down into glucose (blood sugar). The glucose then gets absorbed by your bloodstream and directed by insulin to your cells, where it gives you energy, according to Cleveland Clinic.

One cup of white rice like jasmine, cooked without oil or butter, has about 200 calories and 44 grams (g) of carbohydrates, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA).

Exactly how much carbs you should eat every day depends on your age, sex, weight, height, and physical activity, according to the USDA’s MyPlate guidelines.

The MyPlate guidelines suggest focusing on whole grains (like brown rice or quinoa) or looking for enriched varieties of refined grains like white rice. Enriched versions add back in essential nutrients like B vitamins and irons.

Some Protein and Very Little Fat

Jasmine rice contains some protein and very little fat. According to the USDA, a cup of white rice like jasmine or basmati, cooked without oil or butter, contains around 4 g of protein and less than 1 g of saturated fat.

Protein acts as a building block for your muscles, bones, skin, cartilage, and blood, according to the MyPlate guidelines. The guidelines recommend eating a variety of protein-filled foods — such as lean meats and seafood, as well as beans, lentils, nuts, seeds, and soy products — to get a mix of nutrients.

And a diet that’s low in saturated fat can improve heart health and protect against cardiovascular conditions like heart disease, according to Harvard Health Publishing.

Additional Mineral Content

Cooked jasmine rice also contains nearly 16 g calcium in a cup, according to the USDA. It also contains only about 380 mg of sodium — but keep in mind that this doesn't include any salt or other flavorings that you might add to the rice as you cook it.

Calcium helps your body maintain strong bones and assists in muscle and nerve function, according to Mayo Clinic.

Sodium is an essential nutrient for your body, but most people consume too much of it, according to the World Health Organization (WHO). So while it’s important to get some salt from your diet, watching your sodium intake is one of the most cost-effective ways to improve your health, the WHO suggests.

B Vitamins and Iron

White jasmine rice doesn’t contain much in terms of essential vitamins and minerals. But according to the National Library of Medicine (NLM), rice kernels can be fortified with micronutrients like iron, Vitamin A, zinc, and B-complex vitamins like folic acid.

B vitamins help your body turn food into energy, according to Cleveland Clinic. Iron helps your body make hemoglobin, which carries oxygen from your lungs to the rest of your body, according to the National Institutes of Health Office of Dietary Supplements.

Many companies sell fortified jasmine rice in both white and brown varieties. Keep an eye out for the words “enriched” or “fortified” on the packaging when you’re in the grocery store.

Brown Jasmine Rice

To increase the fiber benefits of jasmine rice, replace white jasmine rice with brown jasmine rice.

While white rice is typically a refined grain (a simple carbohydrate), brown rice is a whole grain (a complex carbohydrate). Complex carbs such as those found in whole grains, beans, and vegetables can add vitamins, minerals, and fiber to your diet, according to MedlinePlus.

In the case of rice, whole grain varieties offer extra fiber magnesium, potassium, iron, and B vitamins, according to Harvard Health Publishing.

It also has a lower glycemic index than white rice, which means your body takes longer to break it down, slowing the release of glucose into your bloodstream, according to the Glycemic Index Guide.