Rice and potato are a great combo and are a good source of carbohydrates. Rice is the first, whereas potatoes are the third most important food crop in the world. Rice and potato both consist of nutrition that is required for human beings for day-to-day life.
Much research has been done on potatoes and rice to determine which is the healthiest among these two. Even though both rice and potatoes are healthy, there is a slight variation in their nutrients. Let’s find out which is the healthiest, rice or potato?
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Rice vs. Potato
When compared, rice and potato both have different kinds of nutrients. Here is the list of nutrients present in rice and potatoes.
Nutrition Value in 100 Grams of Potato
Carbohydrates – 15.4 grams,
Fat – 0.2 grams,
Protein – 2.2 grams,
Dietary Fiber – 1.7 grams,
Vitamin C – 12 mg,
Sugar – 0.3 mg,
Sodium – 3 mg,
Potassium – 484 mg.
Nutrition Value in 100 Grams of Rice
Carbohydrates – 25.22 g,
Protein – 3.54 g,
Fiber – 0.4 g,
Fat – 0.38 g
Sugar – 0.05 g,
Sodium – 126 mg,
Potassium – 32 mg.
Nutrition in Rice and Potato
Vitamins
Rice consists of vitamin B and a very small amount of vitamin E. In contrast, potatoes consist of vitamin C and vitamin B.
Potatoes are a rich source of vitamin C, and their vitamin content is 2 to 4 times that of rice. One hundred grams of potatoes contain 28 mg of vitamin C. After the potatoes are cooked, most of the vitamin C is retained in its skin. It is advised to eat potatoes without peeling the skin.
A cup of rice provides vitamin B-6, which helps your body with the production of healthy red blood cells and amino acids. Rice also consists of vitamin B12, which helps in the proper functioning of the nervous system.
Fat
The fat content of potatoes is very low; 100 grams of potatoes contain only 0.2 grams of fat. Rice consists of 0.4 grams of fat per 100 grams which is higher than potatoes.
Carbs
Both potatoes and rice consist of good carbs that your body needs. But when compared, potatoes consist of a higher amount of carbs than white rice. Carbs are the main source of energy for your body. It helps in keeping you active for the whole day.
Calories
Potatoes have much lower calories than rice, and eating more potatoes will not make you fat.
Protein
Both rice and potatoes contain necessary proteins for the human body, but Potatoes contain high-quality protein, with a protein content of 1.8% per 100 grams compared to rice. This type of protein that is present in potatoes is easily digested and absorbed by the human body.
Sugar
The sugar level in rice is higher than in potatoes. This is one of the reasons for a diabetes patient to avoid rice. Type 2 diabetes is the most common condition caused due to high level of sugar in the blood. According to the Harvard school of public health, eating rice regularly may increase the risk of type 2 diabetes.
Fiber
In addition, the dietary fiber content of potatoes is 5 to 8 times higher than that of rice. Dietary fiber can speed up gastrointestinal motility, promote metabolism, and enhance immunity and resistance.
Sodium
Sodium content is high in rice compared to potatoes. Sodium is also important for our body to function properly. It acts as an electrolyte and increases the fluid level in your body.
Starch Content in Potato and Rice
Starch is also an important source of your energy. It mainly helps in muscle development for your body.
Rice and potato both consist of starch. One hundred grams of uncooked rice consist of 44 grams of starch. One hundred grams of potato consist of 31 grams of starch. So basically, rice contains high starch than potatoes.
But when cooked, the starch content in rice gets reduced drastically, whereas, in potatoes, this is not the case.
Role of Potatoes and Rice in Weight Loss
Rice and potatoes both are lees in fat content, but they are high in carbs. Carbohydrates release insulin, and their main function is to lower the glucose level in the blood.
Insulin is also referred to as a fat deposit hormone as it promotes fat storage, and it is possible to increase weight due to fat storage. If your body does not absorb the glucose produced by insulin, it will be converted to fat and stored around your waist.
Both potatoes and rice will cause weight gain, so if you are looking forward to losing some weight, both potatoes and rice are not great options.
Rice or Potato, Which is The Healthiest?
The boiled potato has a higher nutritional value than steamed rice. When you boil and cool the potatoes and eat, it consists of high resistant starch, which is important for blood sugar control. This resistant starch is not digested in small intestines and moves slowly in the large intestine feeding the gut bacteria beneficial for your gut health.
Also, the vitamin contents are high in potatoes, and they consist of lower fat than rice. The nutritional value of rice and potatoes depends on the way of cooking and the food consumed with it. Overall potato has more health benefits compared to rice.
The Bottom Line
Including rice and potatoes in your diet is important since they both consist of nutrients your body needs to function properly. Rice and potatoes are both healthy when consumed in limited quantities.
Overall, both potatoes and white rice are a healthy addition to your diet, but potatoes are healthier than white rice when you compare them. This is mainly because the nutrients in potatoes are higher than in white rice.
