To those of you who are rice-eaters, have you considered making a shift to brown rice. Well, what's the difference between brown and white rice anyways, aside from the color? If you are on a mission to get healthy then you are probably making the necessary changes to your diet by incorporating nature foods, like fruits and vegetables. Well, why not consider adding brown rice to your list?

Read on to uncover the difference between brown and white rice.

Consider this grain of truth about rice. A single grain of rice consist of several layers. When harvested, rice must first undergo processing. Milling is the process that creates the difference between brown and white rice. If just the exterior husk of the rice grain is removed, you have brown rice. But when several layers of the grain are milled further as they are stripped and polished, white rice results. Milling removes the husk from the grain and turns the rice grain to white, which is why milling is often called "whitening".

A number of reasons point as to why rice is stripped down to the core grain. White rice cooks faster, and tends to be fluffier. This type of rice is also often preferred over brown rice because some consumers feel that it tastes better.  White rice also has a much longer shelf life than brown rice since the nutrient rich outer layers of the rice have a number of good fats, which can make the rice easily lose its freshness once it is not properly stored or not eaten soon enough. Ideally, brown rice should be refrigerated, so shelf life can run longer to about six months.

With brown rice, more of the outer layers are intact and unbleached. Since the bulk of the nutrition is available in these layers, brown rice is a much healthier option for the consumer. In the past, brown rice is linked with impoverishment and wartime famines and was not often eaten except by the sick, the elderly and as a remedy for constipation. Today, brown rice is now more expensive than common white rice, partly ascribable to its comparatively low supply and difficulty of storage and transport. Due to its unpolished or partly milled condition, brown rice is closest to its natural form, which makes it the smarter choice for the health conscious consumer as a staple fiber diet.

The difference between brown rice and white rice in terms of nutritional value can be gleaned right off the stalk - the minerals and vitamins present in the unpolished grain. The complete milling and refining process that changes brown rice into white rice destroys all of the dietary fiber and essential fatty acids it originally contains.

Brown rice has loads of Vitamins B2, B3 and B6 which are needed for energy production, healthy nervous system and good digestion. What also makes brown rice special is that it is considered to be an excellent source of manganese. Studies show that one cup of brown rice will provide you with 88.0% of the daily value for manganese. This trace mineral plays a role in fat and carbohydrate metabolism, calcium absorption, and blood sugar regulation and is also necessary for healthy nervous system and immune function.

Brown rice delivers a concentrated source of the natural fiber which helps to maintain intestinal health, prevent cancer and fight obesity. In fact, certain statistics disclose that brown rice has 349% more fiber than white rice. Also, brown rice is a very good source of selenium, a trace mineral that has been shown to help in the prevention of colon cancer and a powerful antioxidant working in conjunction with vitamin E to help prevent heart disease and build up the immune system.

Magnesium is found in brown rice. This is a very important mineral that helps in protein synthesis, cellular metabolism, and absorption of other important minerals like calcium and potassium. Magnesium is a key element in the enzyme production that regularizes the blood sugar. Studies indicate that regular consumption of brown rice will lessen the risk of developing type 2 diabetes. In contrast, white rice has substantially less magnesium. In fact, white rice has been found to contribute to diabetes and for those who are already diabetic, white rice is less safe than brown rice because it breaks down into glucose more rapidly. New findings also suggest that Magnesium may reduce blood pressure in people with high blood pressure. A deficiency of magnesium underlies the prevalence of heart disease, high blood pressure, diabetes and osteoporosis.

Another reason to choose brown rice as part of your staple fiber diet is that the oil in whole brown rice lowers cholesterol. Previous research suggests that certain components of rice bran can lower levels of unhealthy LDL cholesterol.

So now you have learned the difference between brown and white rice. Apparently, there's huge difference in terms of health benefits that you can find in brown rice. If you are looking to enhance your nutrition and dieting, remember to choose brown rice for that much healthier option.