Blog
Which Rice Is Best for PCOS? 6 Types Compared
Short answer: Wild Rice fits PCOS best of the 6 types of rice compared here: rated a good fit for all four PCOS subtypes. Per typical serving, Wild Rice carries the lowest glycemic load (17) and Jasmine Rice the highest (46). Rated 'Use with caution' for Insulin-Resistant PCOS: Brown Rice and White Rice. Serving size, preparation and your subtype still change the picture, so each one is broken down below.
Take this with you
Peach scans any meal or barcode and tells you how it sits with PCOS — plus recipes, meal plans, workouts and full cycle & symptom tracking.
Download on theApp StoreAt a glance
- Wild Rice — GI 57, glycemic load 17 per 150g cooked (~3/4 cup) · 2.7 g fiber · 6 g protein · full breakdown
- Basmati Rice — GI 58, glycemic load 22 per 150g cooked basmati rice (~3/4 cup) · 0.6 g fiber · 4 g protein · full breakdown
- Brown Rice — GI 68, glycemic load 22 per 150g cooked (~3/4 cup) · 2.7 g fiber · 3.9 g protein · full breakdown
- White Rice — GI 73, glycemic load 31 per 150g cooked (~3/4 cup) · 0.6 g fiber · 4 g protein · full breakdown
- Sushi Rice — GI 85, glycemic load 36 per 150g cooked sushi rice (~3/4 cup) · 0.6 g fiber · 3.5 g protein · full breakdown
- Jasmine Rice — GI 109, glycemic load 46 per 150g cooked (~3/4 cup) · 0.8 g fiber · 4.2 g protein · full breakdown
Frequently asked questions
What is the best rice for PCOS?
Wild Rice fits PCOS best of the 6 types of rice compared here: rated a good fit for all four PCOS subtypes. Rated 'Use with caution' for Insulin-Resistant PCOS: Brown Rice and White Rice.
Which rice has the lowest glycemic load?
Per typical serving, Wild Rice carries the lowest glycemic load (17) and Jasmine Rice the highest (46).
Which types of rice need more care with PCOS?
Rated 'Use with caution' for Insulin-Resistant PCOS: Brown Rice and White Rice; for Inflammatory PCOS: Basmati Rice and Jasmine Rice.
How each rice fits the four PCOS subtypes
Wild Rice
Wild rice is not really rice — it is the seed of an aquatic grass, and it carries noticeably more protein and fiber than white or brown rice. It cooks up chewy and nutty, hot or cold, and tests around 57 on the glycemic index.
- Insulin-Resistant PCOS: Good fit
- Post-Pill PCOS: Good fit
- Inflammatory PCOS: Good fit
- Lean PCOS: Good fit
Basmati Rice
Basmati rice, with its moderate glycemic index, can fit into a PCOS-friendly diet. Its suitability varies by subtype, depending on pairing and overall dietary pattern.
- Insulin-Resistant PCOS: Depends
- Post-Pill PCOS: Good fit
- Inflammatory PCOS: Use with caution
- Lean PCOS: Depends
Read the full basmati rice guide
Brown Rice
Brown rice: GI 68 and glycemic load 22 per 150 g cooked, vs 73 and 31 for white rice, with 2.7 g fiber and 3.9 g protein. Good fit for post-pill PCOS, use with caution for insulin-resistant PCOS: pairing it with protein matters more than the swap.
- Insulin-Resistant PCOS: Use with caution
- Post-Pill PCOS: Good fit
- Inflammatory PCOS: Depends
- Lean PCOS: Depends
Read the full brown rice guide
White Rice
White rice has a high glycemic index and, at a typical serving, a genuinely high glycemic load with very little fiber to soften that — it's not a food to eliminate, especially given how central it is to many cuisines, but for insulin-resistant PCOS specifically it's worth pairing thoughtfully.
- Insulin-Resistant PCOS: Use with caution
- Post-Pill PCOS: Depends
- Inflammatory PCOS: Depends
- Lean PCOS: Depends
Read the full white rice guide
Sushi Rice
Sushi rice alone has a high GI of 85, but assembled sushi tests at GI 45–48. Vinegar, fat, protein, and vegetables substantially change the glycemic response. The preparation and pairing determine whether sushi fits your PCOS pattern.
- Insulin-Resistant PCOS: Depends
- Post-Pill PCOS: Depends
- Inflammatory PCOS: Good fit
- Lean PCOS: Depends
Read the full sushi rice guide
Jasmine Rice
Jasmine rice, with its high glycemic index, can fit into a PCOS-friendly diet when paired with protein, fats, and fiber-rich foods. Its impact varies based on PCOS subtypes, so consider preparation and pairing strategies.
- Insulin-Resistant PCOS: Depends
- Post-Pill PCOS: Good fit
- Inflammatory PCOS: Use with caution
- Lean PCOS: Depends
Read the full jasmine rice guide
Reading these numbers
Glycemic index (GI) ranks how quickly a food's carbohydrate raises blood glucose compared with pure glucose. Glycemic load (GL) multiplies that by the carbohydrate in a real serving, so it is usually the more useful number for an actual plate. Foods with little carbohydrate have no GI assigned at all. Servings differ between foods, and cooking method, portion size and what you eat alongside all change the real-world effect.
This page compares Peach's individual food guides side by side. It isn't medical advice, and a clinician or registered dietitian can help you fit these foods to your own plan.
Portion size changes glycemic load. Estimate the glycemic load of your own serving, or check any other food in the full GI and GL table.
Head-to-head comparisons: Basmati vs Jasmine Rice for PCOS: GI 58 vs 109; Brown Rice vs White Rice for PCOS: Which Is Better?; Cauliflower Rice vs White Rice for PCOS; Quinoa vs Brown Rice for PCOS: Which Is Better?.