How many calories are in brown rice?
USDA numbers for cooked long-grain brown rice, per 100 g and per cup, with fiber and the comparison with white rice.
Brown rice is whole-grain rice with the bran and germ left on, which is why it has more fiber and a nuttier chew than white rice. The USDA entry used here is for cooked long-grain brown rice. The surprise for most people is that it is not a low-calorie swap: per 100 g it is only slightly lower than white rice, and a cup of it weighs more, so the cup actually has more calories; the fiber is the real difference, not the calorie count.
Calories in brown rice per 100 g
According to USDA FoodData Central (SR Legacy entry “Rice, brown, long-grain, cooked (Includes foods for USDA's Food Distribution Program)”), 100 g of brown rice contains 123 calories (515 kJ), 2.7 g of protein, 26 g of carbohydrates and 1 g of fat.
| Nutrient (per 100 g) | Amount |
|---|---|
| Calories | 123 |
| Energy (kilojoules) | 515 kJ |
| Protein | 2.7 g |
| Carbohydrates | 26 g |
| Fiber | 1.6 g |
| Sugars | 0.2 g |
| Total fat | 1 g |
| Saturated fat | 0.3 g |
| Sodium | 4 mg |
| Cholesterol | 0 mg |
| Potassium | 86 mg |
| Calcium | 3 mg |
| Iron | 0.6 mg |
| Vitamin C | 0 mg |
Calories per serving
Per-100 g numbers are only useful once you know your portion. Typical servings of brown rice:
| Serving | Calories | kJ | Protein | Carbs | Fat |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 cup (202 g) | 248 | 1,040 | 5.5 g | 52 g | 2 g |
Macro breakdown
By calories, cooked brown rice is about 84% carbohydrate, 9% protein and 7% fat: 25.6 g of carbs, 2.7 g of protein and 1 g of fat per 100 g. Fiber is 1.6 g per 100 g, four times the 0.4 g in white rice, and sodium is only 4 mg before salt.
How brown rice compares with similar foods
| Food (per 100 g) | Calories | Protein | Carbs | Fat |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Quinoa | 120 | 4.4 g | 21 g | 1.9 g |
| White rice | 130 | 2.7 g | 28 g | 0.3 g |
| Couscous | 112 | 3.8 g | 23 g | 0.2 g |
| Sweet corn | 96 | 3.4 g | 21 g | 1.5 g |
| Pasta | 158 | 5.8 g | 31 g | 0.9 g |
Is brown rice good for weight loss?
At 123 calories per 100 g, brown rice is a moderate-calorie carbohydrate, and the 1.6 g of fiber per 100 g makes it a bit more filling than white rice for the same weight. A cup (202 g) is 248 calories with 51.7 g of carbs, 5.5 g of protein and 3.2 g of fiber, so one measured cup is a sensible serving next to a protein and vegetables. Do not assume brown rice is free to eat because it is whole grain; two cups are nearly 500 calories either way. Compared with white rice at 130 calories per 100 g, the per-gram difference is only 7 calories, so switching does little for the calorie budget unless you also measure the portion. Where it helps is satiety and fiber, which make it easier to stop at one cup.
How to log brown rice in Cal.AI
Search for cooked brown rice and log it by cooked weight: one cup is 202 g, so half a cup is 101 g. Scan Food can identify brown rice in a bowl, but check the portion in Fix Results, since a bowl can hold two cups and read as one. The common mistake is logging the dry weight from the bag against the cooked entry, since dry rice roughly triples in weight when cooked.
Frequently asked questions
How many calories are in a cup of cooked brown rice?
One cup of cooked long-grain brown rice weighs about 202 g and has about 248 calories, with 51.7 g of carbohydrate, 5.5 g of protein, 2 g of fat and 3.2 g of fiber. Half a cup (101 g) is about 124 calories. These numbers are for plain rice cooked in water; oil, butter or soy sauce should be logged on top as separate items.
Does brown rice have fewer calories than white rice?
Only slightly per gram: cooked brown rice is 123 calories per 100 g and cooked white rice is 130. Per cup, brown rice is higher (248 calories for 202 g) than white rice (205 calories for 158 g) because the cup weighs more. The meaningful difference is fiber, 1.6 g versus 0.4 g per 100 g, which can make brown rice more filling for the same calories.
Is brown rice good for weight loss?
It can fit if you measure it. A cup is 248 calories, so it is not low-calorie, but 3.2 g of fiber and 5.5 g of protein per cup make it more satisfying than the same weight of white rice. Keep it to one cup, pair it with a lean protein and vegetables, and log oil or sauce separately.
Sources
- U.S. Department of Agriculture, FoodData Central, SR Legacy: “Rice, brown, long-grain, cooked (Includes foods for USDA's Food Distribution Program)” (FDC ID 169704). FoodData Central
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