What is the Best Rice for Body Building, The Top 5 Varieties

Hi! Welcome back. Are you planning to start building those muscles? Rice and diet are two important partners you should consider. In this article, find out what is the best rice for bodybuilding by choosing from the top 5 varieties.

White vs. brown rice

Rice plays an important role in the bodybuilder’s diet. Both white and brown rice have great nutritional values that benefit the muscle building process. But what is the best rice for bodybuilding? read along to find out.

When we compare the two types of rice with each other, brown rice turns out to be the winner. It is higher in fiber, zinc and magnesium as well, all three necessary components of a muscle building diet.

In fact, white rice is derived from brown rice, through a complex milling process that removes minerals, fibers and vitamins. Thus, brown rice is a healthier choice, because it contains all the essential nutrients needed to build muscles. However, that doesn’t mean white rice isn’t as beneficial.

White Rice

White rice is enriched with B vitamins and a variety of other nutrients that make it a valuable part of any diet. In terms of nutritional value, a cup of white rice equals to around 250 calories, 4 grams of protein, 50 grams of carbohydrates, and 0.4 grams of fat.

Brown Rice

On the other hand, a cup of brown rice carries less calories and carbohydrates and more fat, which makes it a much better choice for bodybuilding. More precisely, a single cup of brown rice equals to around 200 calories, 40 grams of carbohydrates, 4 grams of protein and 1.6 grams of fat.

Overall, both white and brown rice carry significant nutritional values. However, brown rice is slightly more preferable when it comes to bodybuilding, as it has all natural vitamins, minerals and fibers that white rice doesn’t have.

Besides, the carbohydrates that come with brown rice are less likely to go to body fat storage and thus they are used to fuel your energy and help gain muscle mass. But, that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t consume white rice as well. Find out what is the healthiest type of rice from this previous post.

Rice in the diet for mass building

If your goal is to gain muscle mass and push your body to its limits, you must adjust your diet to the workout strategies you’re implementing. A bodybuilder’s diet should consist of:

• lean beef
• fish
• chicken
• whole grains
• veggies
• fruits
• protein rich foods such as eggs and cottage cheese

In order to build muscle mass, you need to increase your calorie intake so that you are eating more calories your body can consume. That means you need to step up your game and start introducing to your diet foods that are higher in carbohydrates and calories.

Besides nutrient rich foods, you can also get that extra amount of protein from supplements such as Whey. The reason why rice is such a great food for mass building is because it is high in carbohydrates and full of protein. The best time to throw some rice on your plate is after a muscle building workout.

Rice is one of the best post-workout meals, as it is a quickly digestive food and delivers the necessary amino acids that help your muscles recover and gain mass.

So What is the Best Rice for Bodybuilding

Even though white and brown rice are the two most commonly used varieties, there are other types of rice that can significantly benefit your mass building process.

The top 5 types of rice varieties to include your diet:

1. Brown rice– We already explained why brown rice is a great food for building muscle mass. It carries all the important nutrients, including the bone-building phosphorus, meaning it will not only help you build the muscles you want but also benefit other aspects of your health.
2. Wild rice– This type of rice grows in North America and can only find in specific organic food stores. In some rare situations you may come across this type of rice in other stores, depending on your location. Wild rice provides a wide range of important nutrients for a bodybuilder’s diet. The only downside is that it takes a bit longer to cook than regular rice.
3. Wehani rice- This tvariety is a slow-digesting type of rice that has a buttery popcorn taste. It is slightly chewy and not even close the regular rice in terms of taste but it carries the necessary carbohydrates to help muscles recover after a hard workout.
4. Sprouted rice- This rice is considered to be the most nutritional type of rice, thanks to the specific growing process is goes through, called sprouting. Sprouted rice is easier to digest, provides all necessary fibers, vitamins and minerals and it is quicker to cook, which makes it the best type of rice for those who are in a rush, looking to take their meal to go. You can make germinated brown rice as well for a healthier option.
5. Black rice- Last but not least on our list of most beneficial types of rice for bodybuilding is black rice. This type of rice features a sweeter taste and is very rich in antioxidants. You can find black rice in most healthy and organic food stores and you will recognize it by its vibrant purple color.

Conclusion

Rice in general is the type of food that is easy to digest, fairly quick to prepare and high in carbohydrates and protein. All these characteristics make rice one of the best food choices for a bodybuilder’s diet. You have just learned what is the best rice for bodybuilding so I hope you will consider any from the top  varieties before hitting the gym.

Make sure to adjust your diet to your workout routines and take in more calories than your body is burning, in order to build the muscles you want. Remember that rice is a great post-workout meal so make sure to prepare some before you head over to the gym.

With five types of rice, you can combine your ingredients into delicious meals that are going to help your body recover and muscles grow.

Do you have a healthy meal plan for those planning on bodybuilding? Share it on the comments below.

Ashley Woodward

I’m currently 31 and based out of sunny Sacramento, CA. I’m a mother of 2 beautiful kids, a certified nutritionist, and a fitness buff that’s spent years dialing in the perfect diet. My goal here is to help as many people as possible learn about the benefits of eating vegan, and want to share my passion with other people who also have a love for cooking and trying new recipes.