Basmati vs Jasmine Rice: What’s the Difference? (2024)

FAQs

Basmati vs Jasmine Rice: What’s the Difference? ›

They're both long grain varieties, which means they cook up fluffy and not very sticky. Their grains also remain distinct, although jasmine is plumper, softer, and a bit more moist than basmati, which has a firmer chew and drier character.

Choose jasmine rice when you want a fluffy, creamy dish. Try basmati in a pilaf, salad, or grain bowl where you want the texture of the individual rice grains to shine through. Both work well as a delicious base under sauces and curries, it just depends on the type of texture you are looking for.

1. Brown rice. Whole grain rice such as brown rice is less processed and refined than white rice. As a result, brown rice contains more nutrients such as fiber and minerals such as magnesium, iron, and zinc.

Basmati rice is defined by minimum kernel dimension, an intense aroma, and the texture of the cooked rice, which involves high volume expansion during cooking, a long length of cooked grain, and fluffiness. These features of basmati rice are determined by the plant's genes and used in plant selection.

Basmati rice hails from the foothills of the Himalayas in northern India and Pakistan. There are some varieties grown in the U.S., but they aren't quite as good as the imported varieties. This is a long grain variety of rice commonly used in Indian, Middle Eastern and Persian cooking.

Compared to other rice types, Basmati rice is proposed to be more healthier. It has fewer calories, a lower glycemic index, and more fiber. But remember, no one type of rice is the best. You need to eat a range of nutrient-rich foods for overall health.

White jasmine rice and other types of white rice have an almost identical nutritional profile. Jasmine rice contains slightly more calories and fat than some other white rices, but not enough to significantly affect a person's nutritional goals, or how full they feel after eating.

Due to its fiber content, brown jasmine rice tends to be lower in calories and carbs than white rice. It also offers calcium, iron, and potassium. Furthermore, red, purple, and black varieties of whole-grain jasmine rice contain varying amounts of beneficial phytonutrients.

Basmati rice is best suited for Indian and Middle Eastern cuisine and is also considered the most expensive rice in the world. Thai Jasmine rice is suitable for Asian cuisine and is considered a cheaper alternative to Basmati rice.

What type of rice do Asians use? ›

Asian rice, also known as oryza sativa, can be split into four main categories: indica, japonica, glutinous and aromatic. The first two, indica and japonica, can be referred to as 'subspecies' or 'subtypes'.