White rice is milled rice that has had its husk, bran, and germ removed. this alters the flavor, texture and appearance of the rice and helps prevent spoilage, extend its storage life, and makes it easier to digest. after milling (hulling), the rice is polished, resulting in a seed with a bright, white, shiny appearance. the milling and polishing processes both remove nutrients. an unbalanced diet based on unenriched white rice leaves many people vulnerable to the neurological disease beriberi, due to a deficiency of thiamine (vitamin b1). white rice is often enriched with some of the nutrients stripped from it during its processing. enrichment of white rice with b1, b3, and iron is requ...

Source: Wikipedia