Basmati rice: a lower-GI rice, some of the time

Basmati earned its reputation in the glucose lab. In 75 healthy Chinese, Malay and Asian-Indian men in Singapore, basmati had a mean glycemic index of 59 against 91 for jasmine rice, in single-meal tests of one basmati brand. A crossover trial in 20 healthy Chinese men found lower glucose, insulin and C-peptide responses after basmati meals than after jasmine, whatever fat was added, though the abstract gives no size for the gap. The name on the bag does not fix the number. In a UK test on 14 healthy adults, white basmati was one of four low-GI foods out of ten, with values across the ten running from 37 to 92. A test on 19 volunteers in Qatar, with no stated randomization and local preparation, put white basmati above 70, in the high band. Basmati also lost a comparison with potato. In 24 adults with type 2 diabetes, boiled, roasted or cooled potato at the evening meal gave lower overnight glucose than an equal-energy basmati meal.

How much is actually in it

• CoFID lists white basmati rice at 351 calories and 8.1 g protein per 3.5 oz (100 g) raw, falling to 117 calories and 2.8 g once boiled, because boiled rice holds 69.5 g water per 3.5 oz (100 g). — — Evidence E source
  Raw 351 calories, carbohydrate 83.7 g, protein 8.1 g, water 11.3 g; boiled 117 calories, 26.5 g, 2.8 g, water 69.5 g
• Per 100 g boiled, CoFID gives brown basmati 1.2 g fiber and 44 mg magnesium against 0.6 g and 6 mg for white basmati, and easy-cook basmati 138 calories against 117 calories. — — Evidence E source
  Boiled per 3.5 oz (100 g): brown 131 calories, fiber 1.2 g, Mg 44 mg, iron 1.12 mg; white 117 calories, 0.6 g, 6 mg, 0.08 mg; easy cook 138 calories, fiber trace, 6 mg

What a real portion looks like

• FNDDS has no basmati code, and its generic cooked white rice weighs 5.6 oz (158 g) per cup, which at CoFID's 117 calories per 3.5 oz (100 g) for boiled white basmati is about 185 calories. — — Evidence E source
  1 cup cooked white rice 158 g, quantity not specified 118 g; 158 g x 117 calories/100 g = about 185 calories

What cooking and storage change

• In a 2012 outbreak in Italy, 12 of 13 party guests fell ill and Bacillus cereus was isolated from the basmati rice served and from patients' stool. — 13 guests at a pub birthday party, Bari, Italy (n = 13) Evidence C source
  Attack rate 92%, all cases ate basmati rice

What it does to your health

• In 75 healthy Chinese, Malay and Asian-Indian men in Singapore, basmati rice had a mean glycemic index of 59 against 91 for jasmine rice. — 75 healthy men (25 Chinese, 25 Malay, 25 Asian-Indian), 50 g available carbohydrate (n = 75) Evidence B source
  GI basmati 59 (sd 15) vs jasmine 91 (sd 21), insulinemic index 57 vs 76
• In 75 healthy Asian men given 50 g carbohydrate portions, glucose response was significantly lower after basmati than after jasmine rice (P < 0.001), and chewing more per mouthful raised it. — 75 healthy men (Chinese, Malay, Asian-Indian), single test meals (n = 75) Evidence B source
  GR jasmine > basmati, P < 0.001; chews per mouthful positively associated with GR for basmati (P = 0.005)
• In a crossover RCT in 20 healthy Chinese men, meals with 50 g carbohydrate from basmati rice gave lower glucose, insulin and C-peptide responses than jasmine rice, whatever the added fat. — 20 healthy Chinese men, 6 isocaloric meals with 40 g fat, 4 h sampling (n = 20) Evidence B source
  Glucose, insulin and C-peptide iAUC lower after low-GI (basmati) than high-GI (jasmine) meals, magnitude not in abstract
• In a crossover RCT in 24 adults with type 2 diabetes, evening meals with boiled, roasted or cooled potato gave lower overnight glucose than an isoenergetic basmati rice meal. — 24 adults with type 2 diabetes, mean age 58, diet or metformin, one evening meal per arm (n = 24) Evidence B source
  Nocturnal glucose AUC lower after all potato meals vs basmati (P < 0.001, 95% CI 75 to 282 mg/dL (4.15 to 15.67 mmol/L) x h)

Safety, limits and interactions

• A case report describes IgE-mediated anaphylaxis to rice in a German adult, with positive prick tests to raw and cooked basmati and long-grain rice. — one German adult with rice anaphylaxis, sera from 8 further sensitized subjects (n = 1) Evidence D source
  Specific IgE to rice 1.87 kU/l, 56-kDa glycoprotein implicated
• CDC notes that B. cereus is often present in uncooked rice and its spores may survive cooking. If cooked rice is then held at room temperature, the bacteria multiply and make a heat-stable toxin that can survive brief heating such as stir frying. — General population (home food handling) (n = -) Evidence E source
  Spores survive cooking, toxin forms at room temperature and survives brief reheating

What people believe that the data does not support

• In a UK crossover GI test of 10 foods in 14 healthy adults, white basmati rice was one of four low-GI foods, while the rest were medium or high GI, across a range of 37 to 92. — 14 healthy adults (6 men, 8 women), 50 g available carbohydrate per test food (n = 14) Evidence B source
  GI range 37-92 across 10 foods, white basmati one of 4 low-GI foods, the rest medium or high
• A GI test in 19 volunteers in Qatar found white basmati rice, like all 10 local foods tested, had a high glycemic index above 70. — 19 volunteers in Qatar, glucose and white bread references (n = 19) Evidence C source
  All test foods GI > 70, including white basmati rice

Who this works differently for

• In the same 75-man Singapore study, Asian-Indian men showed a higher insulin response to both basmati and jasmine rice (P = 0.002), although glucose response did not differ by ethnicity. — 75 healthy men in Singapore, 25 per ethnic group (n = 75) Evidence B source
  Insulin response higher in Asian-Indians for basmati (P = 0.002), glucose response no ethnic difference
• Within a 12-week trial of low-GI advice in 104 Asian patients with type 2 diabetes, those in the lowest dietary GI quartile ate more parboiled or basmati rice and lowered HbA1c by 0.7%. — 104 Asian patients with type 2 diabetes, 12 weeks (n = 104) Evidence C source
  HbA1c change -0.7 +/- 0.1% (lowest GI/GL quartile) vs -0.1 +/- 0.2% (highest)

The bottom line

A cooked cup is a modest amount of energy. CoFID lists white basmati at 351 calories per 3.5 oz (100 g) raw and 117 calories boiled, because boiled rice holds 2.5 oz (69.5 g) of water per 3.5 oz (100 g). USDA has no basmati code, so its 158 g cup of generic cooked white rice, applied to basmati, comes to about 185 calories. Boiled brown basmati gives 1.2 g fiber and 44 mg magnesium per 3.5 oz (100 g) against 0.6 g and 6 mg for white. Easy-cook basmati carries 138 calories per 3.5 oz (100 g) boiled because it takes up less water. The response differs by who eats it. In the Singapore study, glucose response to basmati did not differ between the three ethnic groups, while Asian-Indian men had a higher insulin response to both rices (P = 0.002). In a 12-week trial of low-GI advice in 104 Asian patients with type 2 diabetes, those in the lowest dietary GI quartile ate more parboiled or basmati rice and lowered HbA1c by 0.7 percent, against 0.1 percent in the highest quartile. That split was not randomized, and basmati was never separated from the other low-GI foods. If you take medication for diabetes, a change of rice lands on top of it, so it belongs in a conversation with whoever prescribes it. In one 2012 outbreak at a party in Italy, every guest who fell ill had eaten the basmati rice, and Bacillus cereus was isolated from both the rice and their stool. It was a single outbreak, and the weak point it shows is how cooked rice is held after cooking, not the variety. We have no card yet on how fast cooked rice should be cooled and stored, or on whether reheating makes it safe, so this page cannot tell you that reheating rescues rice left out. Rice can also cause allergy. A case report describes IgE-mediated anaphylaxis in one German adult, with positive prick tests to raw and cooked basmati and long-grain rice. We have no card on arsenic in rice, on infants and children, on pregnancy or on medicines for basmati.

Sources

1. bsmt-r4-11 · food composition dataset
   Rice, white, basmati, raw (CoFID 11-857): Energy 351 kcal, Carbohydrate 83.7 g, Protein 8.1 g, Water 11.3 g per 100 g; Rice, white, basmati, boiled in unsalted water (CoFID 11-858): Energy 117 kcal, Carbohydrate 26.5 g, Protein 2.8 g, Water 69.5 g per 100 g
   CoFID 2021, Public Health England, codes 11-857 and 11-858 · checked 2026-09-29
2. bsmt-r4-12 · food composition dataset
   Rice, brown, basmati, boiled in unsalted water (CoFID 11-867): Energy 131 kcal, AOAC fibre 1.2 g, Magnesium 44 mg, Iron 1.12 mg; Rice, white, basmati, boiled in unsalted water (CoFID 11-858): Energy 117 kcal, AOAC fibre 0.6 g, Magnesium 6 mg, Iron 0.08 mg; Rice, white, basmati, easy cook, boiled in unsalted water (CoFID 11-860): Energy 138 kcal, AOAC fibre Tr, Magnesium 6 mg per 100 g
   CoFID 2021, Public Health England, codes 11-858, 11-860 and 11-867 · checked 2026-09-29
3. bsmt-r4-13 · food composition dataset
   Rice, white, cooked, no added fat (fdc 2708408): Energy 129 KCAL per 100 g; 1 cup, cooked = 158 g; Quantity not specified = 118 g
   USDA FNDDS 2021-2023, Rice, white, cooked, no added fat (fdc 2708408) · checked 2026-09-29
4. bsmt-r4-09 · outbreak investigation
   All cases had consumed basmati rice and sweet and sour vegetables (aetiological fraction: 100%). B. cereus was isolated from both basmati rice served during the party and faecal specimens.
   Ann Ist Super Sanita, 2013 · checked 2026-09-29
5. bsmt-r4-01 · randomized crossover trial
   The overall mean GI for Jasmine rice and Basmati rice were 91 (sd 21) and 59 (sd 15), respectively. The overall mean II for Jasmine rice was 76 (sd 26) and for Basmati rice was 57 (sd 24).
   Br J Nutr, 2015 · checked 2026-09-29
6. bsmt-r4-03 · randomized crossover trial
   The GR for jasmine rice was significantly higher than for basmati rice (P < 0.001).
   Eur J Nutr, 2016 · checked 2026-09-29
7. bsmt-r4-04 · randomized crossover trial
   Glucose, insulin and c-peptide iAUCs were significantly lower after ingestion of low-GI than high-GI meals, independent of the type of fat.
   Eur J Nutr, 2018 · checked 2026-09-29
8. bsmt-r4-07 · randomized crossover trial
   All potato meals resulted in lower nocturnal glucose AUC than CONTROL (P < 0.001; 95% CI 4.15-15.67 mmol/L x h).
   Clin Nutr, 2021 · checked 2026-09-29
9. bsmt-r4-10 · case report
   Prick-to-prick tests were positive to raw and cooked rice (basmati rice and long-grain rice) and preparations of different rice extracts.
   Int Arch Allergy Immunol, 2012 · checked 2026-09-29
10. sf-bc-r3-2 · agency advice
    B. cereus is frequently present in uncooked rice, and heat-resistant spores may survive cooking. If cooked rice is subsequently held at room temperature, vegetative forms multiply, and heat-stable toxin is produced that can survive brief heating, such as stir frying (4).
    CDC, MMWR 1994, Bacillus cereus food poisoning associated with fried rice at two child day care centers · checked 2026-10-08
11. bsmt-r4-05 · randomized crossover trial
    The 10 foods exhibited a range of GI values from 37 to 92. The study indicated that rice noodles, long-grain rice, easy-cook long-grain rice and white basmati rice were low-GI foods, whilst all of the other foods were medium-GI and high-GI foods.
    Int J Food Sci Nutr, 2009 · checked 2026-09-29
12. bsmt-r4-06 · clinical trial
    The foods tested for their GI were Fatayer (cheese, Zaatar, spinach), Tanour white bread, white basmati rice, Shearia, Muhalabea, Sago Awama and Qurs Aquili. Results of the study indicated that all of the foods tested had high GIs (> 70).
    Int J Food Sci Nutr, 2010 · checked 2026-09-29
13. bsmt-r4-02 · randomized crossover trial
    The GR did not differ between ethnic groups for Jasmine rice and Basmati rice. The IR was consistently higher for Jasmine rice (P=0·002) and Basmati rice (P=0·002) among Asian-Indians
    Br J Nutr, 2015 · checked 2026-09-29
14. bsmt-r4-08 · observational analysis within RCT
    Subjects in the lowest dietary glycemic index/glycemic load (GI/GL) quartile consumed more parboiled/basmati rice, pasta, milk/dairy products, fruits, and dough, which are foods from the low GI category. There was a significant reduction in the hemoglobin A(1c) level at week 12 for patients in the lowest GI/GL quartile (Δ = -0.7 ± 0.1%) compared with those in the highest GI/GL quartile (Δ = -0.1 ± 0.2%).
    J Am Coll Nutr, 2010 · checked 2026-09-29