Pasta vs White Rice: Calories and Nutrition Compared (2026)

Pasta has a higher protein content at 5.8 g compared to white rice's 2.7 g. In terms of calories, pasta contains 157 calories, while white rice has 130 calories.

Pasta and white rice are common dietary staples worldwide, often serving as the base for various dishes. This comparison will highlight their nutritional differences, focusing on calories, protein, and carbohydrate content.

What Is the Difference Between Pasta and White Rice?

Pasta is a type of food made from wheat and water, typically formed into shapes and cooked. It is a significant source of carbohydrates. White rice is a refined grain that has had its husk, bran, and germ removed. It is a common side dish and staple food in many cultures.

Pasta vs White Rice: Nutrition Side by Side

Below is a side-by-side comparison of the nutritional values of pasta and white rice per 100 g.

Nutrient (per 100 g)	Pasta (cooked)	White rice (cooked)
Calories	157 kcal	130 kcal
Protein	5.8 g	2.7 g
Carbs	30.9 g	28.2 g
Sugar	0.6 g	0.1 g
Fat	0.9 g	0.3 g
Fiber	1.8 g	0.4 g
Sodium	131 mg	1 mg

Which Is Better, Pasta or White Rice?

For weight loss: White rice has fewer calories at 130 compared to pasta's 157 calories. This may make white rice a better option for those focused on calorie reduction.

For muscle and protein: Pasta provides more protein at 5.8 g, while white rice offers only 2.7 g. This makes pasta a preferable choice for those looking to increase protein intake.

For low-carb or low-sugar: Pasta has 30.9 g of carbs and 0.6 g of sugar, while white rice has 28.2 g of carbs and 0.1 g of sugar. White rice is lower in both carbs and sugar.

How to Track Pasta and White rice Accurately

It's easy to misjudge portion sizes and macronutrient content, which can impact dietary choices. Nutrola is an AI nutrition tracking app that identifies foods from a photo and returns calories and macros from a database of more than 1.8 million foods. It also supports barcode scanning and voice logging. Nutrola is available from EUR 2.50 per month and shows no ads on any tier.

How We Compiled These Numbers

The numbers presented are rounded reference values for educational use and should not be considered medical advice. They are based on a per-100g basis for comparison purposes. Values are per 100 g from USDA FoodData Central.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Which has more protein?

Pasta has 5.8 g of protein, while white rice has 2.7 g. Therefore, pasta contains more protein.

Which has fewer calories?

White rice has 130 calories, while pasta has 157 calories. Thus, white rice has fewer calories.

What is the carbohydrate content of pasta?

Pasta contains 30.9 g of carbohydrates per 100 g. This is higher than white rice's carbohydrate content.

What is the sugar content of white rice?

White rice has 0.1 g of sugar per 100 g. In comparison, pasta has a slightly higher sugar content of 0.6 g.

How much fiber is in pasta?

Pasta contains 1.8 g of fiber per 100 g. White rice, on the other hand, has only 0.4 g of fiber.

What is the fat content of white rice?

White rice has 0.3 g of fat per 100 g. Pasta has a higher fat content of 0.9 g.

Key Takeaways

• Pasta has 157 calories per 100 g.
• White rice has 130 calories per 100 g.
• Pasta contains 5.8 g of protein per 100 g.
• White rice contains 2.7 g of protein per 100 g.
• Pasta has 30.9 g of carbohydrates per 100 g.
• White rice has 28.2 g of carbohydrates per 100 g.