What type of vitamin is in rice? The comprehensive guide to rice nutrition

November 19, 2025 •

4 min read

Rice is a fundamental staple for over half the world's population and is a source of essential B vitamins, particularly when consumed as a whole grain. The answer to what type of vitamin is in rice depends largely on whether the outer bran and germ layers have been removed during processing.

Quick Summary

The vitamins in rice vary based on processing. Brown rice retains B vitamins and Vitamin E in its bran, while refined white rice is often enriched with thiamine, niacin, and folic acid to compensate for nutrient loss during milling.

Key Points

B Vitamins: Brown rice naturally contains several B vitamins, including Thiamine (B1), Niacin (B3), and Pyridoxine (B6) in its bran and germ.
Nutrient Loss: The milling process that turns brown rice into white rice removes the bran and germ, stripping the grain of most of its natural B vitamins and fiber.
Enrichment: Most white rice in the U.S. is 'enriched,' meaning synthetic vitamins, including thiamine, niacin, and folic acid, are added back after milling.
Vitamin E: Brown rice also contains naturally occurring Vitamin E, an antioxidant found in the nutrient-rich germ.
Cooking Practices: Rinsing enriched white rice can wash away the water-soluble added vitamins. Not rinsing helps retain these nutrients.
Parboiling: This process involves soaking and steaming rice before milling, which helps retain a greater amount of B vitamins in the finished grain.
Biofortification: Advanced breeding and genetic engineering are exploring ways to increase vitamin content in rice endosperm for even better nutrition.

The Vitamin Profile of Brown Rice

Brown rice is a whole grain, meaning it consists of the nutritious germ, fibrous bran, and starchy endosperm. The bran and germ layers are the most vitamin-rich parts of the grain and are responsible for brown rice's superior nutritional content compared to its white counterpart. The vitamins found naturally in brown rice are primarily from the B-complex group and also include Vitamin E.

B-Complex Vitamins in Brown Rice

Thiamine (B1): Crucial for converting carbohydrates into energy and for proper nerve function.
Niacin (B3): Essential for metabolism and maintaining a healthy nervous system.
Pantothenic Acid (B5): Plays a role in synthesizing coenzyme A, which is involved in fatty acid metabolism.
Pyridoxine (B6): A cofactor in many enzyme reactions, including those related to amino acid breakdown and red blood cell production.
Biotin (B7): A coenzyme for metabolic processes involving fats, proteins, and carbohydrates.
Folate (B9): Important for cell growth and DNA formation.
Vitamin E: A fat-soluble vitamin acting as an antioxidant.

The Milling Process and Enriched White Rice

White rice is produced by milling brown rice to remove the outer husk, bran, and germ. While this process extends shelf life and alters texture, it also removes a significant portion of the rice's natural vitamins and minerals. For example, the milling process can destroy up to 80% of the naturally occurring Vitamin B1 and 90% of the Vitamin B6.

To counteract this nutritional loss, much of the white rice sold commercially is enriched. Enrichment involves adding synthetic vitamins and minerals back into the grain. The typical vitamins added to enriched white rice include thiamine (B1), niacin (B3), and folic acid (B9), along with iron. This makes enriched white rice a reliable source of these specific nutrients, though it still lacks the fiber, antioxidants, and other vitamins found in brown rice.

A Comparison of Brown Rice and Enriched White Rice


Nutrient	Brown Rice	Enriched White Rice
Vitamins	Contains naturally occurring B-complex vitamins (B1, B3, B5, B6, B7, B9) and Vitamin E in the bran and germ.	Fortified with synthetic Thiamine (B1), Niacin (B3), and Folic Acid (B9).
Processing	Only the inedible outer husk is removed, leaving the nutrient-dense bran and germ intact.	Milled and polished to remove the bran and germ, then sprayed with a vitamin and mineral mix.
Fiber	Significantly higher in dietary fiber.	Much lower in fiber due to the removal of the bran.
Minerals	Higher levels of manganese, magnesium, phosphorus, and zinc.	Lower levels of natural minerals; often fortified with iron.
Cooking	Longer cooking time due to the intact bran layer.	Shorter cooking time.
Taste/Texture	Chewier texture and a nuttier flavor.	Softer, lighter, and more neutral in flavor.

Enhancing Vitamin Retention in Rice

Beyond choosing brown rice, certain preparation methods can help maximize vitamin content. Parboiling is a process that soaks, steams, and dries rice kernels before milling. This process forces B vitamins from the bran into the endosperm, making them less susceptible to loss during milling and cooking. For enriched white rice, excessive rinsing before cooking can wash away the added water-soluble vitamins. Therefore, to get the most nutritional benefit from enriched rice, it should not be rinsed.

Conclusion: A Nutritious Choice Depends on Your Needs

Ultimately, the question of what type of vitamin is in rice has a two-part answer: unprocessed brown rice contains a broader spectrum of natural B vitamins and Vitamin E in its bran, while enriched white rice provides a reliable, albeit more limited, amount of fortified B vitamins. For those seeking maximum natural nutrient density, brown rice is the superior choice. However, for many, enriched white rice remains an accessible and effective way to get key vitamins. Both can be part of a healthy and balanced diet, depending on individual dietary needs and preferences.

Source: Harvard Health

Additional Considerations for a Balanced Diet

While rice provides valuable B vitamins, it's important to remember that a varied diet is the best way to meet all your nutritional needs. Combining rice with other foods like vegetables, lean proteins, and legumes can ensure you're getting a complete range of nutrients. For populations relying heavily on rice, fortified rice can play a crucial role in preventing micronutrient deficiencies.

Fortified Rice: A Public Health Strategy

In many areas where rice is a staple food, governments and health organizations promote the use of fortified rice to combat widespread vitamin deficiencies. Different methods, such as hot extrusion or coating, are used to add micronutrients like iron, folic acid, and other B-complex vitamins to rice kernels. These fortified kernels are then blended with regular rice and distributed through public programs, helping to improve the nutritional status of vulnerable populations.

Frequently Asked Questions

Brown rice contains a range of B-complex vitamins, including Thiamine (B1), Niacin (B3), Pyridoxine (B6), and Folate (B9), along with Vitamin E. These are primarily located in the bran and germ layers.

Plain white rice has very few naturally occurring vitamins due to the milling process. However, most commercial white rice is 'enriched' with synthetic B vitamins like thiamine, niacin, and folic acid to restore some nutritional value.

Brown rice contains a broader spectrum of naturally occurring B vitamins and Vitamin E. Enriched white rice has added B vitamins (B1, B3, B9), but generally in lower concentrations than the natural content of brown rice, and it lacks fiber.

For enriched white rice, rinsing before cooking can wash away the water-soluble synthetic B vitamins and minerals that were added to the surface of the grain. This is less of an issue for brown rice, where the vitamins are more integrated into the grain.

The milling process removes most of the naturally occurring B vitamins (B1, B3, B6, B9), Vitamin E, fiber, and essential minerals found in the bran and germ layers.

Yes, rice can be fortified using processes like hot extrusion or coating, where a vitamin and mineral mix is added to rice kernels. This is a common public health strategy to combat micronutrient deficiencies.

Parboiled rice is more nutritious than regular white rice. The parboiling process pushes B vitamins from the bran into the starchy endosperm before milling, which helps retain more of these vitamins compared to standard milled rice.

No, rice grains do not naturally contain any significant amount of Vitamin C or Vitamin D.