brown rice

cereal

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June 22, 2026

Quick Summary

Brown rice is a type of rice that has been hulled but not polished, meaning it retains its bran layers, endosperm, and germ. This processing method preserves more of the grain's nutrients compared to white rice, which has had its bran removed.123

Rice (Oryza sativa) is a cereal grain and a staple food for a significant portion of the world's population. It can be cooked by boiling or ground into flour and is used in various dishes, as well as in products like breakfast cereals and alcoholic beverages such as sake. The word "rice" has a long etymological history, with roots tracing back to ancient Greek and Indo-Iranian languages, reflecting its ancient cultivation and spread from South Asia.24

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human nutrition
Cereals
…vitamins are also lost when brown rice is polished to yield white rice. People living on white rice and little else are at risk for developing the disease beriberi, which is caused by a deficiency of thiamin (vitamin B₁). Beriberi was formerly common in poor Asian communities in which a…
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…vitamins are also lost when brown rice is polished to yield white rice. People living on white rice and little else are at risk for developing the disease beriberi, which is caused by a deficiency of thiamin (vitamin B₁). Beriberi was formerly common in poor Asian communities in which a…
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Poaceae
Economic and ecological importance
The immediate product of harvesting, brown rice, may be converted to white rice for a visually appealing but nutritionally inferior grain, with reduced protein and B vitamins. The thousands of rice cultivars supply the basic food for more than half of the world.
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The immediate product of harvesting, brown rice, may be converted to white rice for a visually appealing but nutritionally inferior grain, with reduced protein and B vitamins. The thousands of rice cultivars supply the basic food for more than half of the world.
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rice
Rice processing and uses
…remove only the husks, called brown rice, contains about 8 percent protein and small amounts of fats and is a source of thiamine, niacin, riboflavin, iron, and calcium. Rice that is milled to remove the bran as well is called white rice and is greatly diminished in nutrients. When white…
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…remove only the husks, called brown rice, contains about 8 percent protein and small amounts of fats and is a source of thiamine, niacin, riboflavin, iron, and calcium. Rice that is milled to remove the bran as well is called white rice and is greatly diminished in nutrients. When white…
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