| Measure | Brown rice | White rice |
|---|---|---|
| Typical serving | 1 cup cooked (195 g) | 1 cup cooked (158 g) |
| Protein per serving | 5.3 g | 4.3 g |
| Protein per 100 g | 2.74 g | 2.69 g |
| Calories per serving | 240 kcal | 205 kcal |
| Protein density | 9% of calories | 8% of calories |
| Share of 50 g Daily Value | 11% | 9% |
| Protein quality | Incomplete | Incomplete |
| Category | Grains | Grains |
Compare foods · Brown rice · White rice
Protein comparison
Brown rice vs White rice: which has more protein?
Brown rice gives you 5.3 g of protein per 1 cup cooked; white rice gives you 4.3 g per 1 cup cooked. On equal weight it is 2.74 g against 2.69 g per 100 g. The full side-by-side, from the same USDA-sourced records as the rest of the site:
The verdict
On equal weight this is close to a tie: brown rice has 2.74 g of protein per 100 g and white rice has 2.69 g. Per typical serving, brown rice delivers 5.3 g (1 cup cooked) to white rice's 4.3 g (1 cup cooked), a difference of 1 g.
For the full breakdown of each food, see the protein in brown rice and protein in white rice pages, each with its USDA FoodData Central record id.
Quick answers
Brown rice vs White rice FAQ
Which has more protein, brown rice or white rice?
Brown rice has more protein per 100 g: 2.74 g against 2.69 g. Per typical serving, brown rice provides 5.3 g (1 cup cooked) and white rice provides 4.3 g (1 cup cooked).
Is brown rice or white rice more protein-dense?
Brown rice is the more protein-dense of the two: about 9% of its calories come from protein, against 8% for white rice.
Are brown rice and white rice complete proteins?
No. Neither brown rice nor white rice is a complete protein on its own; pairing them with other protein sources across the day covers the full range of essential amino acids.
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