Is Jasmine Rice Good for Weight Loss, and Is It Healthier Than Regular Rice?

Jasmine rice gets its name from its distinctive, sweet aroma, which resembles that of the jasmine flower. Jasmine rice contains fewer calories than regular rice, so it is good for weight loss.

Rice is one of the most popular and versatile foods available. This staple ingredient plays an essential role in cuisines across the world. Residents of Asia, Sub-Saharan Africa, and South America consume the largest quantities of rice, but many Americans also regularly eat this food in or alongside various dishes. Jasmine rice is one increasingly popular grain often promoted as a healthy alternative to regular rice, but is jasmine rice healthy, and can it help you lose weight? 

Jasmine rice offers many health benefits that can make it a great alternative to some other types of rice. However, like all starches, jasmine rice carries a few risks, especially if you need to keep a close eye on your weight. 

Read on to discover the differences between jasmine and regular rice and learn nutritional facts about these delicious foods. 

Jasmine rice gets its name from its distinctive, sweet aroma, which resembles that of the jasmine flower. This food originated in Thailand, which still produces a higher quality of jasmine rice than most other countries. During the 2019–2020 growing season, jasmine rice made up 80–85% of Thailand’s exports to the United States. 

Rice comes in three categories with differing lengths and widths: long-grain, medium-grain, and short-grain. Jasmine rice is classified as a long-grain rice. This type of rice has a dry, fluffy texture, and grains don’t clump together when you cook them. 

Plain rice is a processed grain popularly referred to as white rice due to its pale color. Manufacturers produce white rice and other products from rough rice through a multi-step refining process. The first stage mills the rough rice to remove the inedible hull, creating brown rice. The next step detaches the bran layer to produce milled white rice. 

The milling process extends the shelf life of white rice, but removing the bran layer also strips away many of the natural nutrients. Many manufacturers enrich white rice by incorporating additional minerals and vitamins, such as iron and vitamin B. As a result, white rice has some nutritional value, but it’s not as healthy as many other varieties. 

Jasmine rice and regular rice are both flexible and tasty ingredients that you can add to many meals. You can eat rice alongside meats like chicken and pork or consume this grain as part of a vegetarian meal. 

Jasmine rice is typically more expensive than white rice, but all kinds of rice are generally affordable. 

Examples of popular rice dishes include:

• Burritos
• Casseroles 
• Chicken alla pitocca
• Corn rice
• Curry
• Fried rice
• Paella
• Rice pudding
• Risotto
• Tacos with rice
• Wild rice arugula salad

You can also feed plain white rice to your dog if they suffer from gastrointestinal issues. This bland food is easy for pets to digest and can soothe an upset stomach. 

Jasmine rice and white rice contain different amounts of nutrients. This table provides a quick comparison of the nutritional values of these two common grains. 

As the table above shows, jasmine rice contains fewer calories than an equivalent serving of regular rice, making this grain a healthier substitute if you want to lose weight. Jasmine rice also has slightly fewer carbohydrates than white rice, which can be beneficial because a diet high in carbohydrates can raise your blood pressure and cause health issues like coronary heart disease and Type 2 diabetes. 

You’ll also gain more fiber by choosing jasmine rice over white rice. Eating foods rich in fiber has many health benefits. For example, fiber helps you feel full longer after a meal, keeps your digestive system running smoothly, and improves gut health. 

Jasmine rice also contains a higher amount of calcium than regular rice. Calcium partially makes up your bones and teeth. This essential mineral also aids many critical bodily functions, such as blood clotting and the transmission of nerve signals.  

All of that being said, white rice does sometimes offer some nutritional benefits over jasmine rice. Manufacturers commonly enrich this food with several vital minerals and vitamins during the milling and polishing process. Consequently, a 1-cup serving of white rice contains 67.9 mg of phosphorus. This mineral helps form and maintain your DNA, RNA, bones, and teeth. A serving of white rice also contains 55.3 mg of potassium, an electrolyte that plays a role in digestion, muscle contraction, and other bodily functions. 

Jasmine rice is generally a more nutritious choice than regular rice, but you can gain valuable nutrients from either variety. 

Yes, jasmine rice can help you lose weight in some situations. Research shows that people who consume whole grains daily are more likely to have a healthy body weight. 

The fiber in jasmine rice can also promote weight loss. Studies demonstrate that increasing dietary fiber intake is one of the most effective ways to lose weight and reduce appetite. 

However, jasmine rice also has a higher glycemic index than some other varieties like brown rice. High-glycemic foods can raise blood sugar uncontrollably, which can cause diabetes, weight gain, and other harmful side effects.

Overall, jasmine rice is a relatively healthy, lower-calorie food that has more calcium and fiber than regular rice. However, it’s best to consume this delicious grain in moderation to help prevent dangerous health conditions like obesity and Type 2 diabetes.