Brown rice

Oryza sativa · Grass family · seed (whole grain) · plant · details

What it fights you with

100 g boiled, for a 31–50-year-old woman, 70 kg.

Inorganic arsenic: 5.39 µg in 100 g, a margin of exposure of 0.779 at 70 kg. Human observational studyMargins of exposure assume you eat this every day over the long term. EFSA names no margin of exposure as low concern; it says a margin of 1 raises a health concern.

Checked: Are lectins bad for you?
Checked: Is there arsenic in rice?

Every compound listed for this food, with its source and threshold: Show the numbers

Whose daily amount?

aged 31–50

Portion (boiled)

100 g boiled, as eaten. Household measures are USDA FoodData Central's own for this food.

This portion of boiled brown rice gives 54.1% of a day's manganese and 16.2% of thiamin. Inorganic arsenic gives a margin of exposure of 0.779 at 70 kg.Margins of exposure assume you eat this every day over the long term. EFSA names no margin of exposure as low concern; it says a margin of 1 raises a health concern.

What you get

Top 3 nutrients, % of the US daily amount, 100 g boiled, for a 31–50-year-old woman, 70 kg.

Manganese: 54.1% of 1.8 mg [US AI]
Thiamin: 16.2% of 1.1 mg [US RDA]
Phosphorus: 14.7% of 700 mg [US RDA]

What you have to deal with

100 g boiled, for a 31–50-year-old woman, 70 kg. Each compound on its own; they are never added together.

Inorganic arsenic: 5.39 µg in 100 g, a margin of exposure of 0.779 at 70 kg. Human observational studyMargins of exposure assume you eat this every day over the long term. EFSA names no margin of exposure as low concern; it says a margin of 1 raises a health concern.
: 96.1–254 mg in 100 g, no established safety limit. Regulatory assessment

What changes it

Inorganic arsenic: FDA: cooking rice like pasta (6 to 10 parts water, then draining) can cut inorganic arsenic by 40 to 60 percent, but also cuts the folate, iron, niacin and thiamine added to enriched rice by 50 to 70 percent; FDA found rinsing has 'a minimal effect'. Other studies found cold rinsing cut it in white rice by 10–40%, and parboiling then absorbing removed 54% (brown) and 73% (white) (Menon et al. 2021). [source]
Phytate: Soaking, sprouting and fermenting lower . Cooked figures on this site are worked out from the raw figure and assume none is lost, so they may overstate what is eaten. [source]

Seeds are the plant's offspring and among its most defended parts.

The story (per 100 g)

Brown rice is the whole grain. Cooked, 100 g gives 54.1% of the US for manganese for women and 16.2% of the thiamin . Cooked unenriched white rice gives 26.2% of the manganese.

Figures and sources are under Show the numbers.

Show the numbersHide the numbers

Key nutrients per 100 g

USDA FoodData Central label amounts. Each preparation is FDC's own entry, per 100 g as eaten; no cooking factors are applied.

Nutrient	raw [FDC 169703]	boiled [FDC 169704]
Protein	7.54 g [USDA]	2.74 g [USDA]
Fat	3.2 g [USDA]	0.97 g [USDA]
Carbohydrate: not essential	76.2 g [USDA]calculated	25.6 g [USDA]calculated
The US National Academies: 'The lower limit of dietary carbohydrate compatible with life apparently is zero, provided that adequate amounts of protein and fat are consumed.' The same report says the amount that gives optimal health 'is unknown', and still sets a recommended 130 g a day. [IOM 2005, p. 275] [RDA 130 g a day]
Fiber	3.6 g [USDA]	1.6 g [USDA]
Sugars	0.66 g [USDA]	0.24 g [USDA]
Vitamin A A carotenoids, converted to at IOM 12:1 / 24:1	by USDA (not measured) [USDA]	by USDA (not measured) [USDA]
Vitamin C	0 mg (no USDA derivation code) [USDA]no FDC derivation code	0 mg (no USDA derivation code) [USDA]no FDC derivation code
Vitamin D	by USDA (not measured) [USDA]	by USDA (not measured) [USDA]
Vitamin E	0.6 mg [USDA]	0.17 mg [USDA]
Vitamin K1vitamin K1 (phylloquinone); K2 (MK-4) listed separately	0.6 µg [USDA]	0.2 µg [USDA]
Folate (DFE)	23 µg [USDA]calculated	9 µg [USDA]calculated
Vitamin B6	0.477 mg [USDA]	0.123 mg [USDA]
Potassium	250 mg [USDA]	86 mg [USDA]
Magnesium	116 mg [USDA]	39 mg [USDA]
Calcium	9 mg [USDA]	3 mg [USDA]
Iron	1.29 mg [USDA]	0.56 mg [USDA]
Zinc	2.13 mg [USDA]	0.71 mg [USDA]
Beta-carotene A carotenoid, label amount (not )	by USDA (not measured) [USDA]	by USDA (not measured) [USDA]
Alpha-carotene A carotenoid, label amount (not )	by USDA (not measured) [USDA]	by USDA (not measured) [USDA]
Beta-cryptoxanthin A carotenoid, label amount (not )	by USDA (not measured) [USDA]	by USDA (not measured) [USDA]

Daily amounts per 100 g boiled

The same 100 g against five sets of daily amounts for adults aged 31–50: US/Canada (National Academies), UK (PHE 2016), EU (EFSA), Australia/NZ (NHMRC) and WHO/FAO. Your choice is highlighted. Each line names its type (RDA, RNI, PRI, RDI, AI, and so on) and links to its source. Label amounts, with no absorption factors. Where a body sets no value, it says so; no other body's figure is used instead.

Nutrient	Per 100 g boiled	Daily amounts, woman 31–50
Protein	2.74 g	US/Canada (your choice) 5.96% of 46 g [RDA] [source] UK 6.09% of 45 g [RNI] [source] EU (EFSA) 4.72% of 58.1 g [PRI] [source]0.83 per kg body weight × 70 kg Australia/NZ 5.96% of 46 g [RDI] [source] WHO 4.72% of 58.1 g [safe level] [source]0.83 per kg body weight × 70 kgfor top-quality protein (PDCAAS 1.0): "The value accepted for the safe level of intake is 0.83 g/kg per day, for proteins with a protein digestibility-corrected amino acid score value of 1.0. (PDF p. 256)"
Fiber	1.6 g	US/Canada (your choice) 6.4% of 25 g [AI] [source]total fiber UK 5.33% of 30 g [recommendation] [source] EU (EFSA) 6.4% of 25 g [AI] [source] Australia/NZ 6.4% of 25 g [AI] [source] WHO 6.4% of 25 g [at least] [source]
Vitamin Aprovitamin A carotenoids, converted to RAE at IOM 12:1 / 24:1	assumed zero by USDA (not measured)from Beta-carotene: assumed zero by USDA (not measured) (label amount), gives 0 µg RAEfrom Alpha-carotene: assumed zero by USDA (not measured) (label amount), gives 0 µg RAEfrom Beta-cryptoxanthin: assumed zero by USDA (not measured) (label amount), gives 0 µg RAE	US/Canada (your choice) assumed zero by USDA (not measured), so no % of 700 µg [RDA] [source] UK units differ, not computed: UK and EFSA use retinol equivalents (RE); the plate uses [source] EU (EFSA) units differ, not computed: UK and EFSA use retinol equivalents (RE); the plate uses [source] Australia/NZ units differ, not computed: Australia/NZ and WHO use retinol equivalents (RE); the plate uses [source] WHO units differ, not computed: Australia/NZ and WHO use retinol equivalents (RE); the plate uses [source]
Vitamin C	0 mg (no USDA derivation code)	US/Canada (your choice) zero is not measured for every food, so no % of 75 mg [RDA] [source] UK zero is not measured for every food, so no % of 40 mg [RNI] [source] EU (EFSA) zero is not measured for every food, so no % of 95 mg [PRI] [source] Australia/NZ zero is not measured for every food, so no % of 45 mg [RDI] [source] WHO zero is not measured for every food, so no % of 45 mg [RNI] [source]
Vitamin E	0.17 mg	US/Canada (your choice) 1.13% of 15 mg [RDA] [source]alpha-tocopherol UK 5.67% of 3 mg [safe intake] [source] EU (EFSA) 1.55% of 11 mg [AI] [source] Australia/NZ 2.43% of 7 mg [AI] [source]in mg alpha-tocopherol equivalents WHO 2.27% of 7.5 mg [best estimate] [source]
Vitamin K1vitamin K1 (phylloquinone); K2 (MK-4) listed separately	0.2 µg	US/Canada (your choice) 0.222% of 90 µg [AI] [source]compared with vitamin K1, the form plants contain UK 0.286% of 70 µg [guidance] [source]about 1 µg per kg body weight EU (EFSA) 0.286% of 70 µg [AI] [source]vitamin K1 Australia/NZ 0.333% of 60 µg [AI] [source]compared with vitamin K1, the form plants contain WHO 0.364% of 55 µg [RNI] [source]compared with vitamin K1, the form plants contain
Folate (DFE)	9 µg	US/Canada (your choice) 2.25% of 400 µg [RDA] [source]µg DFE UK 4.5% of 200 µg [RNI] [source]UK value is not DFE, so it is compared with food folate EU (EFSA) 2.73% of 330 µg [PRI] [source]compared with folate DFE Australia/NZ 2.25% of 400 µg [RDI] [source]compared with folate DFE WHO 2.25% of 400 µg [RNI] [source]compared with folate DFE
Vitamin B6	0.123 mg	US/Canada (your choice) 9.46% of 1.3 mg [RDA] [source]rises to 1.7 men / 1.5 women from age 51 UK 10.2% of 1.2 mg [RNI] [source] EU (EFSA) 7.69% of 1.6 mg [PRI] [source] Australia/NZ 9.46% of 1.3 mg [RDI] [source]NHMRC public consultation on vitamin B6 closed 30 Sep 2026; value may be revised WHO 9.46% of 1.3 mg [RNI] [source]
Potassium	86 mg	US/Canada (your choice) 3.31% of 2600 mg [AI] [source] UK 2.46% of 3500 mg [RNI] [source] EU (EFSA) 2.46% of 3500 mg [AI] [source] Australia/NZ 3.07% of 2800 mg [AI] [source] WHO 2.45% of 3510 mg [at least] [source]
Magnesium	39 mg	US/Canada (your choice) 12.2% of 320 mg [RDA] [source]ages 19–30: men 400, women 310 UK 14.4% of 270 mg [RNI] [source] EU (EFSA) 13% of 300 mg [AI] [source] Australia/NZ 12.2% of 320 mg [RDI] [source] WHO 17.7% of 220 mg [RNI] [source]
Calcium	3 mg	US/Canada (your choice) 0.3% of 1000 mg [RDA] [source]women 51–70: 1,200 UK 0.429% of 700 mg [RNI] [source] EU (EFSA) 0.316% of 950 mg [PRI] [source]age 25 and over; 1000 mg for ages 18–24 Australia/NZ 0.3% of 1000 mg [RDI] [source] WHO 0.3% of 1000 mg [RNI] [source]
Ironnonheme iron	0.56 mg	US/Canada (your choice) 3.11% of 18 mg [RDA] [source]women 51+: 8 UK 3.78% of 14.8 mg [RNI] [source]UK women's 14.8 mg applies to ages 19–50 EU (EFSA) 3.5% of 16 mg (premenopausal); 5.09% of 11 mg (postmenopausal) [PRI] [source] Australia/NZ 3.11% of 18 mg [RDI] [source] WHO 0.952–2.86% of 19.6–58.8 mg, depends on diet [RNI] [source]depends on diet: WHO gives one figure for each level of iron absorption from the diet (15%, 12%, 10% and 5%)
Zinc	0.71 mg	US/Canada (your choice) 8.88% of 8 mg [RDA] [source] UK 10.1% of 7 mg [RNI] [source] EU (EFSA) 9.47% of 7.5 mg (300 mg phytate band) [PRI] [source]EFSA's band nearest the phytate here (96.1–254 mg), treating it as the day's phytate; counts only foods with a phytate figure Australia/NZ 8.88% of 8 mg [RDI] [source] WHO 7.24–23.7% of 3–9.8 mg, depends on diet [RNI] [source]depends on diet: WHO gives one figure for each level of zinc absorption from the diet (high, moderate and low)

Other nutrients with a daily amount

Nutrient	Per 100 g boiled	Daily amounts, woman 31–50
Vitamin D	assumed zero by USDA (not measured)	US/Canada (your choice) assumed zero by USDA (not measured), so no % of 15 µg [RDA] [source] UK assumed zero by USDA (not measured), so no % of 10 µg [RNI] [source] EU (EFSA) assumed zero by USDA (not measured), so no % of 15 µg [AI] [source] Australia/NZ assumed zero by USDA (not measured), so no % of 5 µg [AI] [source] WHO assumed zero by USDA (not measured), so no % of 5 µg [RNI] [source]
Thiamin	0.178 mg	US/Canada (your choice) 16.2% of 1.1 mg [RDA] [source] UK 22.2% of 0.8 mg [RNI] [source] EU (EFSA) per MJ of energy intake (0.1 mg/MJ); there is no sourced energy default, so it needs an energy intake [source] Australia/NZ 16.2% of 1.1 mg [RDI] [source] WHO 16.2% of 1.1 mg [RNI] [source]
Riboflavin	0.069 mg	US/Canada (your choice) 6.27% of 1.1 mg [RDA] [source] UK 6.27% of 1.1 mg [RNI] [source] EU (EFSA) 4.31% of 1.6 mg [PRI] [source] Australia/NZ 6.27% of 1.1 mg [RDI] [source] WHO 6.27% of 1.1 mg [RNI] [source]
Niacin	not computed	US/Canada (your choice) units differ, not computed: the reference is in niacin equivalents (NE); FDC niacin is preformed niacin only [source] UK units differ, not computed: the reference is in niacin equivalents (NE); FDC niacin is preformed niacin only [source] EU (EFSA) units differ, not computed: the reference is in niacin equivalents (NE); FDC niacin is preformed niacin only [source] Australia/NZ units differ, not computed: the reference is in niacin equivalents (NE); FDC niacin is preformed niacin only [source] WHO units differ, not computed: the reference is in niacin equivalents (NE); FDC niacin is preformed niacin only [source]
Vitamin B12	assumed zero by USDA (not measured)	US/Canada (your choice) assumed zero by USDA (not measured), so no % of 2.4 µg [RDA] [source] UK assumed zero by USDA (not measured), so no % of 1.5 µg [RNI] [source] EU (EFSA) assumed zero by USDA (not measured), so no % of 4 µg [AI] [source] Australia/NZ assumed zero by USDA (not measured), so no % of 2.4 µg [RDI] [source] WHO assumed zero by USDA (not measured), so no % of 2.4 µg [RNI] [source]
Selenium	5.8 µg	US/Canada (your choice) 10.5% of 55 µg [RDA] [source] UK 9.67% of 60 µg [RNI] [source] EU (EFSA) 8.29% of 70 µg [AI] [source] Australia/NZ 9.67% of 60 µg [RDI] [source] WHO 22.3% of 26 µg [RNI] [source]
Iodine	not computed	US/Canada (your choice) not reported: FDC has no figure for any food on the plate [source] UK not reported: FDC has no figure for any food on the plate [source] EU (EFSA) not reported: FDC has no figure for any food on the plate [source] Australia/NZ not reported: FDC has no figure for any food on the plate [source] WHO not reported: FDC has no figure for any food on the plate [source]
Copper	0.106 mg	US/Canada (your choice) 11.8% of 0.9 mg [RDA] [source]table gives 900 µg UK 8.83% of 1.2 mg [RNI] [source] EU (EFSA) 8.15% of 1.3 mg [AI] [source] Australia/NZ 8.83% of 1.2 mg [AI] [source] WHO no value setnot in FAO/WHO 2004 Annex 1 or 2
Manganese	0.974 mg	US/Canada (your choice) 54.1% of 1.8 mg [AI] [source] UK no value set [source] EU (EFSA) 32.5% of 3 mg [AI] [source] Australia/NZ 19.5% of 5 mg [AI] [source] WHO no value setnot in FAO/WHO 2004 Annex 1 or 2
Phosphorus	103 mg	US/Canada (your choice) 14.7% of 700 mg [RDA] [source] UK 18.7% of 550 mg [RNI] [source] EU (EFSA) 18.7% of 550 mg [AI] [source] Australia/NZ 10.3% of 1000 mg [RDI] [source] WHO no value setnot in FAO/WHO 2004 Annex 1 or 2
Sodium	4 mg	US/Canada (your choice) 0.267% of 1.5 g [AI] [source]table gives 1,500 mg; this is an adequate intake, not a limit UK the UK figure (2.4 g) is a maximum, not a need [source] EU (EFSA) 0.2% of 2 g [safe and adequate] [source] Australia/NZ 0.2% of 2 g [SDT] [source]NHMRC public consultation on sodium closed 30 Sep 2026; values may be revisedadequate intake (): 460–920 mg/day; shown for reference, no % WHO 0.2% of 2 g [limit] [source]
Choline	9.2 mg	US/Canada (your choice) 2.16% of 425 mg [AI] [source] UK no value set [source] EU (EFSA) 2.3% of 400 mg [AI] [source] Australia/NZ 2.16% of 425 mg [AI] [source] WHO no value setnot in FAO/WHO 2004 Annex 1 or 2

Absorption

No absorption figure has been sourced for this food yet, so label amounts are shown unadjusted.

What comes with it: what the carbohydrate becomes

Per 100 g as eaten, from UK CoFID 2021 (McCance and Widdowson). CoFID gives starch and sugars as monosaccharide equivalents, so half of sucrose counts as glucose and half as fructose. This is a different measure from USDA's “carbohydrate, by difference” in the table above, and the two are never mixed.

brown rice

UK CoFID 2021 has no entry for raw brown rice. USDA lists 72.5 g of starch and 0.66 g of sugars in 100 g; what it breaks down to is not worked out here.

Starch	72.5 g [USDA]
Total sugars	0.66 g [USDA]
Glucose	0 g (measured) [USDA]
Fructose	0 g (measured) [USDA]
Sucrose	0.66 g [USDA]
Maltose	0 g (measured) [USDA]
Lactose	0 g (measured) [USDA]
Galactose	0 g (measured) [USDA]
Fiber (USDA total)	3.6 g [USDA]

USDA FDC 169703: Rice, brown, long-grain, raw (Includes foods for USDA's Food Distribution Program) (not matched to a CoFID food yet) [source]

brown rice (boiled)

UK CoFID 2021 has no entry for boiled brown rice. USDA lists 24.8 g of starch and 0.24 g of sugars in 100 g; what it breaks down to is not worked out here.

Starch	24.8 g [USDA]
Total sugars	0.24 g [USDA]
Glucose	0 g (measured) [USDA]
Fructose	0 g (measured) [USDA]
Sucrose	0.24 g [USDA]
Maltose	0 g (measured) [USDA]
Lactose	0 g (measured) [USDA]
Galactose	0 g (measured) [USDA]
Fiber (USDA total)	1.6 g [USDA]

USDA FDC 169704: Rice, brown, long-grain, cooked (Includes foods for USDA's Food Distribution Program) (not matched to a CoFID food yet) [source]

What comes with it: compounds

Amounts for 100 g of each preparation. Thresholds are worked out for 70 kg body weight.

Inorganic arsenic

As the source gives it: 16 µg/100 g, uncooked rice as sold [source]
Dose: raw: 16 µg in 100 gboiled: 5.39 µg in 100 g (worked out from uncooked rice; assumes no arsenic is lost in cooking; USDA water per 100 g: 11.8 g uncooked, FDC 169703; 70.27 g cooked, FDC 169704)
Cooking: FDA: cooking rice like pasta (6 to 10 parts water, then draining) can cut inorganic arsenic by 40 to 60 percent, but also cuts the folate, iron, niacin and thiamine added to enriched rice by 50 to 70 percent; FDA found rinsing has 'a minimal effect'. Other studies found cold rinsing cut it in white rice by 10–40%, and parboiling then absorbing removed 54% (brown) and 73% (white) (Menon et al. 2021). [source]
Threshold: raw: 0.262 (EFSA names no margin as low concern) [source] = reference point (no guidance value) of 0.06 µg/kg body weight/day (BMDL05, skin cancer) ÷ dose per kg at 70 kg; EFSA CONTAM Panel 2024, EFSA Journal 22(1):e8488. Margins of exposure assume you eat this every day over the long term. EFSA names no margin of exposure as low concern; it says a margin of 1 raises a health concern. A larger MOE is further from harm.boiled: 0.779 (EFSA names no margin as low concern) [source] = reference point (no guidance value) of 0.06 µg/kg body weight/day (BMDL05, skin cancer) ÷ dose per kg at 70 kg; EFSA CONTAM Panel 2024, EFSA Journal 22(1):e8488. Margins of exposure assume you eat this every day over the long term. EFSA names no margin of exposure as low concern; it says a margin of 1 raises a health concern. A larger MOE is further from harm.
Effect: Inorganic arsenic is a genotoxic carcinogen. EFSA: long-term intake from diet and drinking water is associated with cancers of the skin, bladder and lung. Rice is one of the main sources in the diet. EFSA set no level of low concern. Human observational study

(phytic acid)

As the source gives it: 285–755 mg/100 g, fresh weight [source]
Dose: raw: 285–755 mg in 100 gboiled: 96.1–254 mg in 100 g (worked out from the raw figure; assumes no phytate is lost in cooking; USDA water per 100 g: 11.8 g uncooked, FDC 169703; 70.27 g cooked, FDC 169704)
Cooking: Soaking, sprouting and fermenting lower phytate. Cooked figures on this site are worked out from the raw figure and assume none is lost, so they may overstate what is eaten. [source]
Threshold: No established threshold [source]No . EFSA instead raises zinc requirements with intake: at 300/600/900/1,200 mg phytate/day, men need 9.4/11.7/14.0/16.3 mg zinc and women 7.5/9.3/11.0/12.7 mg
Effect: Lowers zinc absorption; zinc needs rise as intake rises (see the threshold note). Regulatory assessment

0 entries for this food are hidden pending verification. They are never shown with a value until checked.