A guide to understanding the nutritional value of rice

Rice is one of the most popular grains in the world. In addition to being a delicious and inexpensive staple, it is also incredibly nutritious. Read on to learn everything you need to know about the health benefits and different kinds of rice.

• Ninety percent of the calories in rice come from carbohydrates.
• 125 grams (half a cup) of white rice contains about 80 to 100 calories, while brown rice may have 105 to 110.
• Brown rice is significantly higher in fibre, with 1.6 grams per 125 grams (half cup) compared to 0.03 grams in the same volume of white rice. Brown rice also contains more selenium, vitamin E, magnesium, phosphorus and manga­nese.
• The protein content of rice, ranging from 2.0 to 2.5 milligrams per 125 grams (half cup), is less than that of other cereals, but the amino acid balance is superior to that of other grains.
• Processed rice contains only a trace of fat and no sodium.

• Rice has a binding effect in diarrhea, and as such, is part of the BRAT (for banana, rice, applesauce and toast) diet. It helps restore normal bowel function and provides needed energy for someone recovering from diarrhea.
• Rice pudding made with low-fat milk and flavoured with cinnamon is a soothing, easy-to-digest dish for convalescents.
• Several studies have shown that rice bran helps to reduce cholesterol and may reduce the risk of bowel cancer.
• Some studies also show that brown rice helps regulate glucose metabolism in people with diabetes.
• As an unrefined complex carbohydrate, it provides a slow, steady supply of glucose, and not the rapid rise that occurs after eating sugars or refined white rice.
• Along with lamb and a few other foods, rice rarely if ever provokes an allergic reaction. This quality makes rice ideal as the basis of the strict elimination diet that is sometimes used to identify food allergens.

Rice is a true staple in menu planning.

• Risotto, made with fat-free broth and vegetables, and pilaf, based on fat-free broth, chopped nuts and dried fruits, are economical, nutritious, low-fat entrées.
• Rice is an ingredient of hot and cold breakfast cereals, an excellent base for salads and a natural companion to vegetables, fish, meats and cheese.
• Rice bran also adds bulk to baked goods.

Rice is classified by size and shape (long, medium and short grain).

• Long-grain rice remains dry and separate when cooked; short-grain rice, which is wetter and stickier, is more often used in Asian and Caribbean cooking.
• Arborio rice is a creamy-textured, medium-grain Italian rice that is used in making risotto because it remains firm at the centre through very long cooking.
• Basmati is an aromatic rice native to Pakistan and India. When cooked, the grain swells only lengthwise. Basmati grains stay dry and separate and are especially suitable for pilafs.
• Jasmine is an aromatic rice with origins in Thailand. It has a soft, moist texture and grains that cling together.
• Wild rice, a very distant relative of common rice, is a grass native to the lakes and marshes of the Great Lakes region. Once gathered by hand in the wild by Chippewa Indians, wild rice is now cultivated commercially and harvested by machine. Wild rice contains more protein than common rice does and is richer in lysine, the amino acid lacking in most grains.

Rice is an excellent addition to any meal. Keep this guide in mind and try cooking nutritious rice today.