Babies Baby Food Brown Rice Nutrition Information for Babies By Jennifer White Jennifer White has authored parenting books and has worked in childcare and education fields for over 15 years. Learn about our editorial process Jennifer White Reviewed by Reviewed by Willow Jarosh, MS, RD on April 27, 2020 instagram Willow Jarosh, MS, RD, is a registered dietitian and nutrition coach specializing in intuitive eating. She is the author of Healthy, Happy Pregnancy Cookbook. Learn about our Review Board Willow Jarosh, MS, RD Updated on April 27, 2020 Print sarune zurba / Moment / Getty Images Brown rice is a whole grain with a mild, somewhat nutty flavor. It is an inexpensive staple and one that is often a part of the first foods parents and caregivers give to infants beginning solid foods (though it should never be used as the only food). Comparatively speaking, you'll get much more for your money if you prepare your own rice cereal than if you purchase manufactured infant cereals. However, homemade versions will not contain added iron, so you will also need to include other iron-rich foods (such as beans, lentils, egg yolks, and meat) in your baby's diet. Brown Rice vs. White Rice Brown rice is the seed of the rice plant, with just the fibrous outer husk removed. White rice is further processed by taking the brown rice grain and removing the bran layer and the germ. This step also removes some vitamins, minerals, fatty acids, and fiber as well, since much of the nutrient content in the rice is included in the bran and germ. Nutritional Value in Brown Rice Brown rice is rich in nutrients and is a wonderful grain to offer your baby in addition to other whole grains and foods. The USDA provides the following nutrition information for 100 grams (a little less than half a cup) of cooked, medium-grain brown rice. Carbohydrates 23.5 grams Dietary fiber 1.8 grams Fat 0.8 grams Protein 2.3 grams Thiamine (vitamin B1) 0.1 milligrams Riboflavin (vitamin B2) 0.01 milligrams Niacin (vitamin B3) 1.3 milligrams Pantothenic acid (Vitamin B5) 0.4 milligrams Vitamin B6 0.2 milligrams Folate (Vitamin B9) 4 micrograms Calcium 10 milligrams Iron 0.5 milligrams Magnesium 44 milligrams Manganese 1.1 milligrams Phosphorus 77 milligrams Potassium 79 milligrams Sodium 1 milligrams Zinc 0.62 milligrams When to Introduce Baby Cereal Contemporary research makes it clear that starting healthy babies on solid foods, including infant cereals, before the age of 4 months is not recommended. Rather than looking to the calendar to time when you will begin solid foods, you should be watching your baby closely for developmental signs that they are ready for solids. This will likely be around 6 months of age. These include: Absence of tongue thrust, a reflex that when something is placed in their mouths, they push their tongue out. If they're going to swallow food, it is essential that this reflex is gone.Solid head and neck control. They need to be able to turn their head away so that they can communicate with you that they are full. They also need to be strong enough to support the weight of their own head.Can sit up independently fairly well.Has doubled their birth weight (though this is not a "magic" moment that indicates that they are ready for solids). Guidelines for Introducing Solid Food Making Your Own Infant Rice Cereal You can make your own rice cereal by grinding rice into a fine powder using a high-powered blender, food processor, or clean coffee grinder. However, remember that this homemade rice cereal will not include additional iron and that rice cereal is not recommended as the only first food. Be sure to follow the general tips for safely starting solids. Was this page helpful? Thanks for your feedback! Track your baby’s most exciting moments with our milestone checklist. Get it free when you sign up for our newsletter. Sign Up You're in! Thank you, {{form.email}}, for signing up. There was an error. Please try again. What are your concerns? Other Inaccurate Hard to Understand Submit Article Sources Verywell Family uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read our editorial process to learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy. Rice, brown, medium-grain, cooked. FoodData Central. U.S. Department of Agriculture. Published April 1, 2019.