Did you know that worldwide there are more than 40,000 different varieties of rice? Rice comes in a rainbow of colors and flavors and almost every culture on Earth has incorporated rice into their diet. For more than half of the world's population rice is a staple and, according to the World Food Grid, 20% of the total food energy intake in the world comes from rice. In Asia alone, more than 2 billion people get up to 70 percent of their daily dietary energy from rice and its by-products.
Rice hit American shores in the late seventeenth century and was an East Coast crop until the mid-1800s. There is currently about 3 million acres of rice cultivated in the U.S. by about 9,000 farms located primarily in Arkansas, California, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri, Florida, and Texas. While this is only 1% of the world's total production, the total annual sales hit $1.2 billion in the year 2000.
One cup of cooked medium-grain white rice has 169 calories, 3.5 grams protein, 1.7 grams fiber, while the same amount of cooked medium-grain brown rice has 218 calories. 4.5 grams protein, and 3.5 grams fiber. But the brown rice contains much higher quantities of thiamin, niacin, B6, magnesium, phosphorus and manganese. Healthier for you, brown rice does take more than twice as long to cook. (HINT: The easiest way to cook rice is to buy a rice cooker/steamer. You measure the water and rice, set it and forget it. White rice cooks in about 20-30 minutes, depending on amount, while brown rice takes about an hour and a half. But you can make a double batch and reheat in steamer or microwave when needed.)
A recent study conducted over 22 years with 197,000 participants found that found that those who ate more refined white rice had a higher risk of type 2 diabetes, while those eating more brown rice had a lower risk of the disease. Researchers at Harvard School of Public Health and Brigham and Women's Hospital assessed three different studies and found across the board that having more white rice in the diet was associated with an elevated risk of type 2 diabetes.
In addition to white and brown rice, there are a number of other rice alternatives that are healthy for you. Break out of your rut and try something new.
Typical U.S. Rice Varieties
* Long grain white rice has a long, slender kernel, and when cooked the grains are separate, light and fluffy.
* Medium grain white rice has a shorter, wider kernel and is more moist and tender, clinging together more than its long counterpart.
* Short grain white rice has a short, plump, almost round kernel which becomes soft and clingy when cooked.
* Brown rice has only the hull removed. (Further milled, it becomes white rice.) slightly chewy texture with a nut-like flavor. Rich in minerals and vitamins.
* Aromatic red rice has a deep, honey-red bran and is minimally processed to retain the bran layers. This makes it slightly chewy and nutty in flavor.
* Basmati rice is an aromatic long grain rice with a flavor similar to that of popcorn or roasted nuts. Cooked grains swell lengthwise and separate and fluffy.
* Black japonica is also an aromatic rice but with a dark black bran. Also minimally processed, it is slightly chewy and sweet.
* Jasmine rice is another aromatic, with long grains that cook soft and moist, but cling together. Like Basmati, the taste is similar to popcorn or roasted nuts.
* Arborio rice is characterized by a white dot at the center of each medium-sized grain. This is the typical rice for risotto because of its ability to slow cook, absorb various flavors, and become creamy and slightly chewy.
* Wild rice is not really rice at all, but a grass seed. Taking longer to cook and with a distinct flavor, it is a bit more costly but is richer in protein and other nutrients.
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