Jasmine Rice Nutrition Calculator — White, Brown & Thai Hom Mali

A cup (158g) of cooked white Jasmine rice provides approximately 205 calories, 4.5g protein, 45g carbohydrates, and 0.6g fat ^[1]. Per 100g, this translates to 130 calories — identical to regular white rice and Basmati rice. The macronutrient profile gives no hint that Jasmine rice behaves differently during digestion, but its starch composition tells a different story.

Jasmine rice has a glycemic index of 68–80, placing it in the medium-to-high GI range ^[2]. This is notably higher than Basmati rice (GI 50–58) despite similar calorie counts. The reason is Jasmine rice's lower amylose content (12–19%) and higher amylopectin content, which produces softer, stickier grains that are more rapidly digested and absorbed ^[2].

For anyone monitoring glycemic responses, the difference between a Basmati and Jasmine rice meal — at equal portions and identical calories — can be meaningful. However, this effect is modulated by what else is eaten alongside the rice: protein, fat, and fibre from accompanying dishes all slow the overall glycemic response of the complete meal.

Jasmine rice's signature soft, slightly sticky texture is a direct result of its starch composition. It contains 12–19% amylose (a linear starch chain) and correspondingly more amylopectin (a highly branched starch) compared to Basmati's 20–25% amylose ^[2]. Amylopectin gelatinises more extensively during cooking, creating the clingy texture that defines Jasmine rice.

This starch difference has nutritional implications beyond texture. Amylopectin is digested more rapidly than amylose by pancreatic alpha-amylase, leading to a faster glucose release curve after eating ^[2]. This explains Jasmine rice's higher GI despite having the same total carbohydrate content as Basmati or regular white rice.

The starch profile also affects resistant starch formation. When rice cools, amylose retrogrades (recrystallises) more readily than amylopectin, forming resistant starch that resists digestion. Because Jasmine rice has less amylose, it forms less resistant starch upon cooling than Basmati or long-grain varieties — meaning the "cool and reheat" strategy for reducing glycemic impact is less effective with Jasmine rice ^[2].

"Jasmine rice" is sometimes used generically for any fragrant long-grain rice, but Thai Hom Mali is the original and most prized variety. It is grown exclusively in Thailand's northeast (Isaan) region, where sandy loam soils and seasonal flooding produce the distinctive aroma from 2-acetyl-1-pyrroline (2AP) — the same compound responsible for the scent of pandan leaves ^[2].

From a nutritional standpoint, Thai Hom Mali does not significantly differ from other Jasmine rice in macronutrient or mineral content. The differences lie in aroma intensity, grain texture, and growing conditions. Cambodian Jasmine rice (Phka Malis) is nutritionally similar but tends to be slightly softer with a marginally different aromatic profile.

One practical distinction: new-crop Jasmine rice (harvested within the past season) is softer and stickier than aged Jasmine rice. Most Thai Hom Mali sold commercially is from recent harvests. This means Jasmine rice purchased in stores will consistently produce stickier results than Basmati, regardless of cooking technique.

Jasmine and Basmati rice are the two most popular aromatic rice varieties globally, yet they behave differently despite near-identical calorie counts. Both provide 130 kcal per 100g cooked, with similar protein (~2.7g), carbohydrates (~28g), and enrichment-derived micronutrients ^[1]. The nutritional divergence is entirely in their starch architecture.

Basmati's GI of 50–58 vs. Jasmine's GI of 68–80 represents the most significant practical difference ^[2]. In a meal containing 200g of cooked rice, this GI difference can produce measurably different postprandial glucose curves — even though both meals deliver the same 260 calories from rice. For people who track glycemic responses alongside calories, this distinction justifies choosing one variety over another.

The texture difference also affects eating behaviour. Jasmine rice's soft, clumpy texture makes it easier to eat quickly with chopsticks or a spoon, while Basmati's firm, separate grains encourage slower eating. Research suggests that eating speed influences satiety — slower eating tends to produce greater fullness per calorie consumed. This is a secondary consideration but worth noting for those focused on portion control.

Like other enriched white rice varieties, Jasmine rice's most notable micronutrients come from two sources: natural mineral content and mandatory enrichment. Manganese at 0.47mg per 100g cooked (21% DV) is naturally present in the rice endosperm and survives the milling process — a single cup provides approximately 32% of the Daily Value ^[1].

Selenium at 7.5 mcg per 100g (14% DV) is another naturally retained mineral, though its concentration varies with growing soil composition ^[1]. Thailand's Isaan soils produce rice with moderate selenium levels. The enrichment process adds iron (1.2mg, 7% DV), thiamine (0.163mg, 14% DV), niacin (1.48mg, 9% DV), and folic acid (58 mcg DFE, 15% DV).

Where Jasmine rice falls short is in potassium (35mg/100g), magnesium (12mg), and fibre (0.4g) — all of which were concentrated in the removed bran layer ^[1]. Pairing Jasmine rice with potassium-rich vegetables (like spinach or tomato-based curries) and fibre-rich legumes creates a more nutritionally balanced meal than the rice can provide alone.