White rice has no nutritional value. The husk, which contains the vitamins and protein, has been entirely stripped, leaving only the soft kernel inside which has almost no nutrients. Thus minerals and vitamins are added back to white rice during the packaging process to make it somewhat healthy.
Opt for parboiled rice (closest to white once cooked) which is also similarly priced to white, or go wild – literally – and get what is called wild rice, which is just how rice should be. I’m also partial to black rice which can be quite more expensive for rice, but it’s really fragrant and tasty (but be careful with the water, it stains easily).
All of these have a higher protein content than white rice, lower calories, and the nutrients didn’t have to get added back in, they come from the rice itself.
Whole grain rice also has higher arsenic content, which can be a problem if you’re pregnant or eating a lot of rice. So, it’s best to avoid eating whole grain rice for every meal. Other grains don’t have this issue. Wheat, buckwheat, oats, corn (or hominy), amaranth, and quinoa are all good choices for whole grains depending on your situation, although it can be healthier to buy organic for some of these grains to avoid exposure to glyphosate which can disrupt your gut microbiome. As always it’s best to eat a wide variety of foods.
Personally I think white rice is still a good choice as long as you stick to rice grown outside of the US. Rice grown in California can also be OK in terms of arsenic content.
It’s generally always a good choice to avoid food grown in the US anyway
That’s true, but it’s not always possible, especially if you live there like me.