Rice Glycemic Index
Medium GI · The honest verdict
A moderate blood-sugar rise
Glycemic index
48–93
reported range
Glycemic load
24
High GL
This food's glycemic index is 48–93, which is Medium GI.
Rice is a high-carbohydrate food that can significantly affect blood sugar, especially white varieties with a high GI. Brown rice and parboiled rice have a lower GI and are better choices for blood sugar management. Portion size is critical — a standard one-cup serving provides over 50 g of net carbs. This is general nutrition information, not medical advice — people with diabetes should confirm serving guidance with their care team.
GI numbers vary by source, ripeness, and how a food is prepared. This is general nutrition information — not medical advice. If you manage diabetes, confirm specifics with your care team.
Key facts
White rice GI ranges 70–93 (high), brown rice 50–68 (medium) — one of the most variable staple foods.
One cup of cooked white rice provides 53 g total carbs and 242 calories — a high-carb staple.
Cooling cooked rice for 12–24 hours can reduce GI by 10–20% through resistant starch formation.
What's actually inside
Per 100 g, with your typical serving noted as 1 cup (186 g), cooked. The carb family is what moves blood sugar — fiber is the number that softens the spike.
- Total carbs
- 53.2g
- Net carbs
- 51.7g
- total carbs minus fiber
- Fiber
- 1.5g
- slows the glucose rise
- Sugars
- 0.1g
- Protein
- 4.4g
- Calories
- 242kcal
Notable nutrients
- Manganese0.7 mg
- Selenium11.9 mcg
- Magnesium19 mg
- Niacin (Vitamin B3)2.3 mg
- Folate7.8 mcg
Is it a smart choice for blood sugar?
GI is only half the story — portion (glycemic load) and what you eat it with decide the real-world effect. Here's the honest read.
The verdict
Requires careful portion control — high-carb staple with variable GI
Rice is a high-carbohydrate food that can significantly affect blood sugar, especially white varieties with a high GI. Brown rice and parboiled rice have a lower GI and are better choices for blood sugar management. Portion size is critical — a standard one-cup serving provides over 50 g of net carbs. This is general nutrition information, not medical advice — people with diabetes should confirm serving guidance with their care team.
Portion guidance
A half-cup serving (about 93 g cooked) of rice contains roughly 26 g of net carbs and a glycemic load of around 12, which is in the medium GL range. Sticking to half a cup per meal and pairing with protein, healthy fats, and non-starchy vegetables helps moderate the glycemic impact. Using brown rice, basmati, or parboiled rice instead of standard white rice can lower the GI of the meal.
This is general nutrition information, not personal medical advice. Blood sugar responses are individual — if you have diabetes or prediabetes, your care team can tell you how this fits your plan.
How to keep the spike small
The same food can land differently depending on how it's cooked and what it's eaten with. Use these levers to your advantage.
Cooking method and water ratio
Raises GIStandard boiling or steaming fully gelatinizes rice starch, producing a higher GI. Using the 'pasta method' — cooking rice in excess water and draining — can reduce some starch content and modestly lower GI.
Cooling after cooking (resistant starch formation)
Lowers the spikeCooling cooked rice for 12–24 hours in the refrigerator converts some digestible starch to resistant starch, which is not absorbed as glucose. Reheating cooled rice retains much of this benefit, reducing GI by 10–20% compared to freshly cooked rice.
Choosing whole grain vs. white rice
Lowers the spikeBrown rice retains the bran and germ layers, which add fiber and slow starch digestion, resulting in a GI roughly 10–20 points lower than white rice. Parboiled (converted) rice also has a lower GI than standard white rice.
Rice variety (basmati, jasmine, sticky rice)
Raises GILong-grain varieties like basmati have a lower GI (50–58) than short-grain varieties like jasmine (68–80) or sticky/glutinous rice (80–93). The amylose-to-amylopectin ratio in the starch determines this difference.
Pairing tip
Pair rice with a lean protein source (chicken, fish, tofu, beans) and plenty of non-starchy vegetables to slow digestion and reduce the glycemic spike. Adding healthy fats like avocado or olive oil further blunts glucose response. Avoid eating rice alone or with only sugary sauces. A squeeze of lemon or splash of vinegar on the rice can also modestly lower post-meal blood sugar.
Why GI numbers vary
Rice GI varies enormously — from 48 for some brown rice varieties to 93 for sticky white rice — making it one of the most variable staple foods. Factors include the rice variety (amylose content), degree of milling (brown vs. white), cooking method, water ratio, and whether the rice is cooled or reheated. Even the same variety grown in different regions can differ. We report the full honest range (48–93) and note that most white rice eaten in Western countries falls in the 70–87 range (high GI), while brown rice and basmati are medium (50–68).
Not medical advice. This page is general nutrition information about Rice. It isn't a diagnosis or a treatment plan. If you have diabetes, prediabetes, or another condition affecting blood sugar, confirm any dietary decisions with your doctor or care team.
Frequently Asked Questions
White rice typically has a GI of 70 to 87, placing it in the high-GI category. Short-grain white rice (like jasmine or sushi rice) tends toward the upper end of this range, while long-grain white rice is somewhat lower. The exact value depends on cooking time, water ratio, and whether the rice is cooled before eating. Parboiled white rice (sometimes called converted rice) has a lower GI, around 55–65.
Yes, brown rice has a lower GI (50–68, medium) than white rice (70–87, high) because it retains the bran and germ, which provide fiber and slow starch digestion. Brown rice also has more magnesium and B vitamins. However, brown rice is still a high-carb food — a one-cup serving contains about 45 g of net carbs — so portion control remains important for blood sugar management.
Yes, people with diabetes can eat rice in controlled portions. Choosing brown rice, basmati, or parboiled rice over standard white rice helps. Limiting to half a cup cooked per meal, pairing with protein and vegetables, and cooling the rice before eating (to form resistant starch) are effective strategies. Blood sugar response varies individually, so testing post-meal glucose can help determine personal tolerance. This is general nutrition information — consult your care team.
Yes, cooling cooked rice for 12–24 hours converts some digestible starch to resistant starch, which is not broken down into glucose. This can reduce the GI by 10–20%. Reheating the cooled rice retains most of this resistant starch benefit. This is the principle behind 'sushi rice' having a lower GI than freshly cooked hot rice, and why rice salads or leftover rice can be better choices for blood sugar.
Brown basmati rice has one of the lowest GI values among common rice varieties, typically around 50–58 (medium). Parboiled (converted) rice is also lower, around 55–65. Wild rice (technically a grass, not true rice) has a GI of about 53. The lowest GI rice options are those with higher amylose content (basmati, brown rice) and those that are less processed (whole grain).
White rice has a higher GI than most whole grains — quinoa (53), barley (28), bulgur (48), and oats (55) all have lower GI values. Brown rice is comparable to quinoa and oats. Rice is also higher in net carbs per serving than many grains, meaning its glycemic load is higher at the same portion size. For blood sugar management, replacing some or all rice with lower-GI grains can be beneficial.
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Reviewed by
Curex Editorial TeamReviewed for accuracy
Last reviewed July 2026