✦ Lowest GI among white rices ✦ High amylose: resistant starch ✦ Distinctive aromatic fragrance ✦ Selenium contributor

White basmati rice is a long-grain aromatic rice from the Indian subcontinent with a distinctively fragrant aroma (from 2-acetyl-1-pyrroline). Among white rices it has one of the lowest glycaemic indices due to its high amylose starch content. It provides moderate selenium and B vitamins as a refined grain.

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Preparation note

Rinse until water runs clear, soak 30 minutes, then cook using minimal water absorption method (1:1.5 ratio); the soaking and high amylose give a drier, more separate grain.

Sources: CoFID 2021

Macronutrients per 100g

1,506
kJ
Energy
8.10
g
Protein
83.7
g
Carbs
0.90
g
Fibre
0.50
g
Fat
0.20
g
Sugars
0.14
g
Saturates
0.00
g
Salt

How to read GI & GL

GI (Glycemic Index) rates how fast the carbohydrates in a food raise blood glucose compared to pure glucose (= 100). Low GI ≤ 55 means a slow, steady rise. But GI says nothing about how much carbohydrate you're actually eating.

GL (Glycemic Load) fixes that. It multiplies GI by the actual grams of carbohydrate per typical serving: GL = GI × carbs per serving ÷ 100. This makes it the more useful number for real-world blood sugar management.

Why they can disagree — a food with low GI can still carry a high GL if the serving is large and carb-dense. Conversely, watermelon has a high GI (72) but a low GL (4) because a normal portion contains very few carbs. Always read both together.

Low GL ≤ 10 Modest total glucose impact per serving.
Medium GL 11–19 Moderate impact — manageable for most.
High GL ≥ 20 Significant carb load per serving. Consider a smaller portion.

Source: Atkinson et al., International Tables of GI & GL Values 2021, Am J Clin Nutr.

Glycemic Index & Load

60
GI Score
🟡 Medium GI
27
GL / Serving
High Load

Medium GI food — moderate effect on blood sugar. Pair with protein, fat, or fibre to lower the overall meal GI.

Glycemic Load (GL = GI × carbs ÷ 100) accounts for portion size. A high GL — keep portions modest.

Source: Atkinson et al., International Tables of GI & GL Values 2021, Am J Clin Nutr

Vitamins & Minerals

Nutrient Per 100g % Daily Value* Level
Phosphorus 101 mg 14%
Potassium 77.0 mg 4%
Chloride 65.0 mg 8%
Magnesium 21.0 mg 6%
Selenium 16.0 µg 29%
Folate 12.0 µg 6%
Calcium 10.0 mg 1%
Iron 1.73 mg 12%
Zinc 1.40 mg 14%
Niacin (B3) 1.20 mg 8%
Manganese 0.740 mg 37%
Pantothenic Acid (B5) 0.410 mg 7%
Copper 0.270 mg 27%
Thiamin (B1) 0.130 mg 12%
Vitamin B6 0.100 mg 7%
Vitamin E (alpha-TE) 0.070 mg 1%
Vitamin C 0.000 mg 0%
Vitamin D 0.000 µg 0%
Vitamin A (RAE) 0.000 µg 0%
Vitamin B12 0.000 µg 0%
Polyunsaturated fat (PUFA) 0.160 g —
Monounsaturated fat 0.140 g —
Sucrose 0.100 g —
Cholesterol 0.000 mg —
Glutamic acid 2.67 g —
Aspartic acid 0.668 g —
Leucine 0.614 g —
Proline 0.490 g —
Valine 0.454 g —
Arginine 0.445 g —
Phenylalanine 0.436 g —
Serine 0.401 g —
Isoleucine 0.356 g —
Alanine 0.356 g —
Tyrosine 0.312 g —
Glycine 0.312 g —
Threonine 0.294 g —
Lysine 0.267 g —
Methionine 0.231 g —
Histidine 0.214 g —
Cysteine 0.160 g —
Tryptophan 0.107 g —
Beta-carotene 0.000 µg —
Biotin (Vitamin B7) 1.10 µg 2%
Retinol (vitamin A) 0.000 µg 0%
Omega-6 (Linoleic acid) 0.150 g —
Omega-3 (Alpha-linolenic acid) 0.010 g —
Sources: CoFID 2021
Grains & Cereals Rice 🇬🇧 CoFID 2021 · 11-857