Wild Rice: Nutrition, What It Is and Is Wild Rice Healthy?

Wild rice is the long, dark seed of an aquatic grass in the genus Zizania, and despite its name it is not true rice. Cultivated rice belongs to a different genus, Oryza. Wild rice grows in shallow lakes and slow rivers, has long been harvested by Indigenous peoples of the Great Lakes region, and cooks into chewy, nutty grains. Below are the USDA wild rice nutrition facts per cooked cup, how it compares with white rice, brown rice and barley, what the research does and does not show, and a practical answer to the question “is wild rice healthy?”

Peptide Labs does not sell wild rice or wild rice products. This article is general nutrition information, not medical advice.

What is wild rice?

The US Fish and Wildlife Service describes northern wild rice, Zizania palustris, as a member of the grass family that sprouts after the ice melts on inland lakes and grows in shallow lakes, drowned river mouths, backwaters and slow-moving streams. A 2025 genetics study in Ecology and Evolution calls it an aquatic, annual grass of ecological, cultural and economic importance to the Great Lakes region. A 2023 review in the Journal of Cereal Science notes that Zizania seeds simply resemble the grains of Oryza sativa, which is how they got the name “rice”.

• Manoomin: the Fish and Wildlife Service lists Manoomin as another name for the plant. Indigenous groups harvested it in the fall, and it was a key food species in the upper Great Lakes. A 2026 study in Frontiers in Plant Science notes that its range and abundance have shrunk substantially and that restoring it is a shared goal of tribes in the region.
• Cultivated wild rice: a 2023 Crop Science review explains that domestication began about 60 years ago, when demand outgrew hand harvesting from lakes and rivers. Today most cultivated wild rice grows in irrigated paddies, mainly in Minnesota and California.

Packages labeled “wild rice blend” mix wild rice with white or brown rice, so the nutrition label of a blend describes the whole mix, not wild rice alone. FDA labeling rules list ingredients from most to least by weight, so the first grain named is the main one.

Wild rice nutrition per cooked cup

The table uses the USDA FoodData Central SR Legacy entries for cooked grains, each at its USDA cup weight. Percent Daily Value (%DV) uses the FDA Daily Values on Nutrition Facts labels. Enriched white rice has iron, folic acid and B vitamins added back by law, which is why it leads on folate and iron.

Per cup, wild rice also gives about 22% DV copper, 20% DV manganese, 13% DV each of niacin and vitamin B6, and 11% DV each of phosphorus and riboflavin in USDA data, with almost no fat or sodium. Its zinc stands out for a grain; our guide to zinc-rich foods shows how it compares with meat, shellfish and seeds. Raw wild rice is dense: USDA lists about 14.7 grams of protein per 100 grams uncooked, which shrinks to about 4 grams per 100 grams once the grains absorb water.

Wild rice has more protein than white rice, but a cup is still a modest protein source next to beans, eggs or fish; see our list of high protein foods. For fiber, barley wins in this table, and our barley guide and fiber-rich foods list explain why. Compared head to head, brown rice has more magnesium and manganese, and wild rice has more protein and zinc for fewer calories.

Is wild rice healthy? What the research shows

Wild rice is a whole grain with a useful mix of protein, fiber and minerals, and it fits the Dietary Guidelines for Americans advice that at least half of the grains people eat be whole grains. The research on wild rice itself is mostly lab and animal work:

• Composition (2026, Food Chemistry: X): a lab comparison found wild rice had significantly more protein, dietary fiber and essential minerals than white and brown rice, and its bran held 2 to 11 times more phenolic compounds and flavonoids.
• Cooking and digestion (2026, Molecules): cooking cut total phenolics by about 17 to 23 percent in commercial wild rice samples, and a simulated digestion model tracked how much of the rest could be released. This is test-tube work, not a human trial.
• Mouse study (2024, Nutrients): mice on a high-fat diet that ate wild rice for 12 weeks had lower fasting blood sugar, blood fats and inflammatory markers than mice eating white rice, along with gut bacteria changes. Mouse diets do not translate directly to people.

So the fair answer to “is wild rice healthy?” is yes, as a nutrient-dense whole grain, but claims that wild rice lowers blood sugar, cholesterol or weight in people are not backed by human trials yet. If you manage diabetes, your clinician or dietitian can help you fit any grain into your plan; our low glycemic foods guide and refined carbs guide explain how whole and refined grains differ. Other whole grains worth rotating include quinoa, farro and oats.

Wild rice benefits in the kitchen

• Texture: the grains stay chewy and often split open when done, showing the pale inside.
• Cooking: wild rice takes longer to cook than white rice. Follow the package directions, since lake-harvested and paddy rice can behave differently.
• Uses: soups, salads, stuffing and grain bowls; mixing it with white or brown rice softens the flavor.
• Leftovers: refrigerate cooked grains promptly. The rice food safety advice in our white rice guide applies to wild rice dishes too.

Cautions and labels

• Allergy: rice and wild rice are not among the nine major food allergens that US law requires on labels. Allergy to any grain is possible; see an allergist if you react.
• Blends and seasonings: flavored wild rice mixes can be high in sodium. Compare the Nutrition Facts label of the plain grain with the seasoned mix.
• Fiber changes: if you are adding more whole grains, increase them gradually and drink fluids to limit gas.

If you eat smaller portions on a GLP-1 medicine, our GLP-1 diet guide covers how protein-rich grains fit in. Our guide to magnesium in foods lists other whole grains and seeds with more of that mineral.

Frequently Asked Questions

Questions about a label? Contact us or read our Buyer’s Guide. Food comes first; follow the label and ask a healthcare provider before starting a supplement, especially if you take medicines, are pregnant or have a food allergy. These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.

Last reviewed October 2026.

Related guides: White Rice: Nutrition, Enriched Rice and Is White Rice Healthy?, Brown Rice: USDA Nutrition, Brown vs White Rice and Arsenic Facts, High Protein Foods: USDA Values for Meat, Dairy and Plant Sources.