Wild rice vs Rice, brown, parboiled
Side-by-side nutrition comparison per serving. See which fits your goals better.
Wild rice and brown rice are both marketed as healthy whole grains, but wild rice — technically an aquatic grass seed, not a true rice — has a nutritional profile that edges ahead in key areas. Wild rice delivers 101 calories per 100g cooked with 3.99g protein, 21.3g carbs, and 1.8g fiber. Brown rice provides 147 calories with 3.09g protein, 31.3g carbs, and 1.7g fiber.
Wild rice delivers more protein for significantly fewer calories, making it the better choice for calorie-conscious eaters who want to maximize nutrients per bite. Its protein content per calorie exceeds all true rice varieties. Wild rice also contains more zinc, phosphorus, and folate than brown rice.
The barriers to wild rice adoption are practical: it costs three to five times more than brown rice, takes 45-60 minutes to cook versus brown rice's 30-40 minutes, and has a chewy, almost crunchy texture that some people find challenging. Blending wild rice and brown rice 50/50 captures the nutritional benefits of wild rice at a lower cost while creating a more approachable mixed texture.
Pro tip
Cook wild rice in a large batch and freeze in 1-cup portions — it reheats perfectly from frozen in 3 minutes in the microwave. This neutralizes the cooking time disadvantage and lets you add it to any meal as easily as leftover white rice.
Quick Verdict
Best for weight loss
Wild rice
Best for muscle gain
Wild rice
Best for low-carb
Wild rice
Macro Comparison
Wild rice: 100g (100g) | Rice, brown, parboiled: 100g (100g)
101
Wild rice
147
Rice, brown, parboiled
3.99g
Wild rice
3.09g
Rice, brown, parboiled
21.3g
Wild rice
31.3g
Rice, brown, parboiled
0.34g
Wild rice
0.85g
Rice, brown, parboiled
Protein Efficiency
What percentage of calories come from protein — higher is better for staying lean.
16%
Wild rice
8%
Rice, brown, parboiled
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| Nutrient | Wild rice | Rice, brown, parboiled |
|---|---|---|
| Calories | 101 | 147 |
| Protein | 4g | 3.1g |
| Carbs | 21.3g | 31.3g |
| Fat | 0.3g | 0.9g |
| Fiber | 1.8g | 1.7g |
| Sugar | 0.73g | 0.15g |
| Sodium | 3mg | 4mg |
| Cholesterol | 0mg | — |
| Saturated Fat | 0.05g | 0.21g |
| Potassium | 101mg | 61mg |
| Vitamin A | 0mcg | — |
| Vitamin C | 0mg | — |
| Calcium | 3mg | 3mg |
| Iron | 0.6mg | 0.53mg |
Which Should You Choose?
For weight loss
Choose Wild rice. With 101 calories and 3.99g protein, it gives you more protein per calorie — keeping you full while cutting calories.
For muscle gain
Choose Wild rice. Wild rice delivers 3.99g protein per serving — 0.9g more than Rice, brown, parboiled.
For low-carb diets
Choose Wild rice with 21.3g carbs per serving.
Premium grains like wild rice deliver outsized nutrition per calorie, but only if you eat them consistently. Sunn helps you track your grain variety and see whether investing in better grains actually shifts your nutrient intake.
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Take the free quizCommon Questions
Is Wild rice or Rice, brown, parboiled better for weight loss?
For weight loss, Wild rice is the better choice. Wild rice has 101 calories and 3.99g protein per serving, while Rice, brown, parboiled has 147 calories and 3.09g protein. Lower calories with higher protein helps you stay full while eating fewer calories.
Which has more protein, Wild rice or Rice, brown, parboiled?
Wild rice has more protein per serving. Wild rice provides 3.99g and Rice, brown, parboiled provides 3.09g of protein.
Can I eat both wild rice and rice, brown, parboiled together?
Yes! Combining wild rice and rice, brown, parboiled gives you 248 calories and 7.08g protein. This combination can work well as part of a balanced meal.