Uncooked Rice: Calories, Nutrition and Health Benefits

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Uncooked white rice has about 365 calories per 100 g. A quarter cup dry (45 g) has about 164 calories, 36 g of carbohydrate, 3.2 g of protein, 0.3 g of fat and 0.6 g of fiber, and a full dry cup (185 g) has about 675 calories. Dry rice cooks to roughly three times its weight, so the same grains come to about 130 calories per 100 g once cooked. Check which state a recipe or tracker entry means before you log it.

Quick Nutrition Facts

Per 1/4 cup dry (45 g)

Nutrient	Amount
Calories	164 kcal
Protein	3.2g
Carbohydrates	36g
Fiber	0.6g
Sugars	0.1g
Fat	0.3g
Sodium	2 mg

Macronutrient Breakdown

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NUTRITIONIST'S INSIGHT

The most common rice logging error is mixing up dry and cooked. A cup of dry rice has about 675 calories, while a cup of cooked rice has about 205, because the grains absorb water. If you weigh rice before cooking, log it as raw at about 3.65 calories per gram. If you weigh it after, use the cooked entry at about 1.3 calories per gram. Never mix the two. Raw white rice is almost pure starch with little fiber, protein or fat, so pair the cooked portion with protein and vegetables. Dry rice is not eaten as is: it needs cooking, and rinsing and cooking in extra water is the main way to lower inorganic arsenic.

Myth Busters

MYTH #1: A cup of rice is about 200 calories, so a cup of dry rice is too

TRUTH: About 205 calories is the figure for a cup of cooked rice. A cup of dry rice is 185 g and about 675 calories, because it swells with water and roughly triples in size when cooked. Always check whether the label or tracker entry is raw or cooked. Rice, white, long-grain, regular, raw, enriched, USDA FoodData Central; Rice, enriched, raw, regular, long-grain, white, nutritional value (USDA Standard Reference data)

MYTH #2: Cooked rice has fewer calories than dry rice, so cooking burns off calories

TRUTH: The grains lose nothing. They absorb water, which adds weight and no calories, so per gram the cooked rice looks lower. A quarter cup of dry rice (about 164 calories) and the three-quarter cup of cooked rice it makes have the same total energy. Rice, white, long-grain, regular, raw, enriched, USDA FoodData Central; Rice, enriched, raw, regular, long-grain, white, nutritional value (USDA Standard Reference data); Goya White Rice, 1/4 cup uncooked (45 g), FatSecret

MYTH #3: Rinsing rice before cooking removes the carbs

TRUTH: Rinsing removes surface starch and dust and changes stickiness, but the carbohydrate stays in the grain. About 36 g of carbs per quarter cup dry stays about the same. Rinsing and cooking in extra water does lower inorganic arsenic in some rice. Rice, enriched, raw, regular, long-grain, white, nutritional value (USDA Standard Reference data); Effects of Cooking Techniques on the Nutritional Profile, Glycemic Index, and Sensory Evaluation of Rice: A Systematic Review, Preventive Nutrition and Food Science, 2025; Arsenic in Rice and Rice Products, U.S. Food and Drug Administration

MYTH #4: Raw rice is a healthy snack

TRUTH: Dry rice is hard, hard to digest and not meant to be eaten raw. It can also carry Bacillus cereus spores, which survive cooking and can multiply if cooked rice sits at room temperature, so cooked rice should be chilled quickly and reheated until steaming hot. Can you reheat rice?, NHS

MYTH #5: All white rice has the same glycemic effect

TRUTH: Harvard reports rice glycemic index values from 48 to 93, depending on variety, processing and cooking. Dry white rice is nearly all starch with about 1.3 g of fiber per 100 g, so the cooked result tends to be high GI, while basmati and parboiled tend lower. Rice, The Nutrition Source, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health; Effects of Cooking Techniques on the Nutritional Profile, Glycemic Index, and Sensory Evaluation of Rice: A Systematic Review, Preventive Nutrition and Food Science, 2025

NutriScore by Health Goals

Health Goal	NutriScore	Why This Score?
Weight loss		About 365 kcal per 100 g dry with little fiber or protein. It is fine when you measure the portion, but a quarter cup dry (about 164 kcal) cooks to a larger amount than most people expect, so weigh before cooking. Rice, white, long-grain, regular, raw, enriched, USDA FoodData Central; Rice, enriched, raw, regular, long-grain, white, nutritional value (USDA Standard Reference data)
Muscle building		Cheap, dense carbohydrate for fueling training, with 3.2 g of protein per quarter cup dry, so it needs a protein food beside it. Rice, white, long-grain, regular, raw, enriched, USDA FoodData Central; Rice, enriched, raw, regular, long-grain, white, nutritional value (USDA Standard Reference data)
Blood sugar management		Mostly starch with under 1 g of fiber per quarter cup, and cooked white rice is often high GI. Harvard links high white rice intake to higher type 2 diabetes risk. Portion size, protein and vegetables matter. Rice, The Nutrition Source, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health; Effects of Cooking Techniques on the Nutritional Profile, Glycemic Index, and Sensory Evaluation of Rice: A Systematic Review, Preventive Nutrition and Food Science, 2025
Heart health		Almost fat-free with about 5 mg sodium per 100 g, so it adds no salt unless you cook it with salted water or sauces. It lacks the fiber whole grains give. Rice, white, long-grain, regular, raw, enriched, USDA FoodData Central; Rice, The Nutrition Source, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health
Gut health		Only 1.3 g of fiber per 100 g dry. Cooled cooked rice forms a little resistant starch, which is a small benefit, not a fiber source. Rice, enriched, raw, regular, long-grain, white, nutritional value (USDA Standard Reference data); Effects of Cooking Techniques on the Nutritional Profile, Glycemic Index, and Sensory Evaluation of Rice: A Systematic Review, Preventive Nutrition and Food Science, 2025
Energy		Dense, fast-digesting carbohydrate that suits pre-workout meals and long active days. Rice, white, long-grain, regular, raw, enriched, USDA FoodData Central; Rice, enriched, raw, regular, long-grain, white, nutritional value (USDA Standard Reference data)

PERSONALIZED NUTRITION

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Blood Sugar Response to Uncooked Rice

Dry rice has to be cooked, and once cooked plain white rice gives a quick rise that peaks about 45 minutes after eating and returns to baseline by about two hours in healthy adults. Values are illustrative for the cooked rice from a quarter cup of dry (about 164 kcal, 36 g carbs) eaten alone. Harvard reports rice GI values from 48 to 93, and cooling the cooked rice or eating it with protein, fat and vegetables lowers the peak. Rice, The Nutrition Source, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health; Effects of Cooking Techniques on the Nutritional Profile, Glycemic Index, and Sensory Evaluation of Rice: A Systematic Review, Preventive Nutrition and Food Science, 2025

Typical Glucose Response Curve

Modeled estimate for a person without diabetes, not a measured trace. Individual responses vary.

How to flatten the spike

Weigh the rice dry and keep to about a quarter to a third of a cup per person per meal, then fill half the plate with vegetables.
Eat protein and some fat in the same meal; chicken, fish, eggs, tofu or lentils slow the rise.
Cook extra, cool it in the fridge quickly, then reheat until steaming hot; cooling forms resistant starch that lowers the glycemic response.
Eat the vegetables and protein first, rice last.
Swap in basmati, parboiled or brown rice on days when glucose control matters.

Cultural Significance

Rice is the staple grain for more than half the world. Dry white rice is sold in bags from 1 lb to 50 lb and stored for years, which is why it anchors pantries from Asia and Africa to the Americas, as the base of dishes such as steamed rice, fried rice, risotto and pilaf. Cooks in many regions rinse the grains before cooking, and in Japan and South Asia the rinse is a routine step. In the U.S., long-grain white rice is the standard shelf variety, with basmati and jasmine the most common specialty types.

Compare & Substitute

Uncooked Rice vs Similar Foods

Nutrient	Dry brown rice (1/4 cup, 45 g)	Dry quinoa (1/4 cup, 43 g)	Dry pearled barley (1/4 cup, 50 g)	Cauliflower rice (1 cup, 125 g)
Calories	162 kcal	157 kcal	177 kcal	25 kcal
Protein	3.5g	6g	4g	2g
Carbohydrates	34.5g	28g	39g	5g
Fat	1.3g	2.5g	0.6g	0.3g

Frequently Asked Questions

How many calories are in uncooked rice?

Raw white long-grain rice has about 365 calories per 100 g. A quarter cup dry (45 g) is about 164 calories, and a full dry cup (185 g) is about 675 calories. Packs list 150 to 170 calories for a quarter cup.

How many calories are in 1/2 cup of uncooked rice?

Half a cup of dry white rice (about 92 g) has about 337 calories, 73 g of carbs and 6.5 g of protein. It cooks to roughly 1 1/2 cups.

Is it better to weigh rice dry or cooked?

Either works if you log it the same way. Weigh dry rice and use the raw entry of about 3.65 calories per gram, or weigh it cooked and use about 1.3 calories per gram. Mixing a raw weight with a cooked entry gives a total two to three times too high or low.

How much does rice expand when cooked?

White rice roughly triples. A quarter cup of dry rice makes about three-quarters of a cup cooked, and the calories stay the same because the grains only absorb water.

How many carbs are in uncooked rice?

About 80 g of carbohydrate per 100 g dry, or about 36 g in a quarter cup (45 g), with 0.6 g of fiber and under 0.1 g of sugar.

Is uncooked rice safe to eat?

Dry rice is meant to be cooked. Raw grains are hard to digest, and cooked rice left at room temperature can grow Bacillus cereus, so chill leftovers fast and reheat until steaming hot. Rinsing and cooking in extra water also lowers inorganic arsenic, per FDA guidance.