For lower calorie and carbohydrate content, rice comes out top. But if protein and fibre is your aim, pasta wins over rice. That said, both can play a part in a healthy diet - and as the nutritional differences are quite small, it often comes down to which you would prefer.
Of rice, pasta, potatoes, and bread, potatoes are the healthiest of these starchy and complex carbohydrate foods. This is because potatoes are dense in nutrients, containing essential minerals, vitamins, and other micronutrients.
Rice Wins! This was a close one. In their refined forms, white pasta wins out versus white rice, so save that for your cheat days. In terms of true health, weight loss and performance benefits, however, the fibre and mineral content of brown rice makes it the perfect fuel to feed your fitness goals.
Rice is more digestible and rich in resistant starch, which is very beneficial to our intestinal bacteria. Therefore, as long as pasta and rice are cooked in a healthy and reasonable way, and vegetables and protein rich food are eaten at the same time, they can both be used as staple foods in a healthy diet.
Pasta is part of a healthy diet
“Pasta can be a part of a balanced meal and healthy eating pattern,” says Rahaf Al Bochi R.D.N., L.D., spokesperson for the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. “It provides a great source of energy, B vitamins, and fiber, if the pasta is whole grain.”
Baked, mashed, or boiled, potatoes actually provide more energy-delivering complex carbohydrates than a cup of pasta. All varieties--russet, red, yellow, purple, and sweet--contain impressive quantities of vitamins and minerals.
For lower calorie and carbohydrate content, rice comes out top. But if protein and fibre is your aim, pasta wins over rice. That said, both can play a part in a healthy diet - and as the nutritional differences are quite small, it often comes down to which you would prefer.
Basmati rice is a staple in the Indian diet. This rice is grown in India's desert regions, making it a good source of nutritive minerals like iron, zinc, and calcium. It's also high in dietary fiber and has a low glycemic index. This makes it an ideal grain to have in your meal plan following a healthy diet.
White rice is well-known for being an easy to digest food. It is low in fat and fiber, making it easy on the stomach.
Although sometimes harder to find, black rice is the number one nutritional rock star among rice varieties. 1 It's high in fiber and nutrients that lower cholesterol, promote healthy digestion, and stave off chronic disease.
Whether you should choose rice or bread depends on your nutritional goals, as rice provides more vitamins and minerals but bread is lower in calories and carbohydrates. Whichever you choose, opt for the whole-grain version for the best health results.
It's rich in selenium and manganese, which help fight cancer cells and promote overall health. Jasmine rice also has naturally occurring oils, which help to lower cholesterol and diabetes. And its antioxidant properties score equally with foods such as blueberries and other fruits.
Although avoiding white bread, pasta, rice and potatoes can be a useful step toward weight loss, it should be done as part of a healthy program that includes a balanced diet, along with exercise. For guidance on weight loss plans that may be right for you, consider meeting with a dietitian or talk with your doctor.
In terms of rice vs pasta, although rice contains fewer calories for an equal-sized serving, pasta provides more fiber and protein, which both have been shown to increase satiety, helping you stay fuller for longer.
The healthiest sources of carbohydrates—unprocessed or minimally processed whole grains, vegetables, fruits and beans—promote good health by delivering vitamins, minerals, fiber, and a host of important phytonutrients.
Which rice is healthier? White jasmine rice and other types of white rice have an almost identical nutritional profile. Jasmine rice contains slightly more calories and fat than some other white rices, but not enough to significantly affect a person's nutritional goals, or how full they feel after eating.
Jasmine and basmati are similar in terms of their nutritional contents, but basmati is the healthier choice. You can go with white or whole grain jasmine and basmati rice. Whole-grain rice offers more nutritional quality and potential health advantages.
Basmati has a MUCH lower GI than Jasmine rice (58 compared to 109), meaning it digests slower and releases sugar into the bloodstream less rapidly. Focusing on foods with low GI is key to dropping unwanted pounds.
Whole wheat pasta is healthier than white pasta, because it's packed with nutrients such as complex carbs, protein, fiber, iron, magnesium, and zinc. On the other hand, white pasta is made of refined carbs, meaning it has been stripped of many nutrients during its processing.
Quinoa and rice are comparable in terms of calories and fiber content. They're both nutritious ingredients that can complement a well-rounded diet, but quinoa has the edge. It is a complete protein, while brown rice only contains a few of the essential amino acids.
Both white potatoes and sweet potatoes actually have more vitamins and minerals to offer than pasta. Between the two, sweet potatoes are the best option. As you can see from the chart below, the amounts of vitamin A and C in sweet potatoes are excellent, and the extra fiber is a bonus.
“One cup of cooked pasta is a serve and its kilojoule energy content is a little bit higher than a serve of bread which tends to be two slices. In terms of carbohydrate content, we have 42g of carbohydrate in the cup of pasta and about 30g in a serve of bread.” However, Feren adds that pasta is a low GI energy source.