Health Insight into RICE!

Let’s take a minute to appreciate the wonderful adversity of one of the world’s most common consumed grain. Rice! Rarely does anyone ask the question, “What is it?” For starters, rice is actually the seed of certain grasses grown around the world and is the third largest worldwide produced agricultural product. The International Rice Congress recognizes 120,000 different varieties of rice! Now, this blog’s purpose isn’t to overwhelm, but to promote the health benefits of a few popular rice varieties you’ll come across at your local market and to suggest a handful of fast, tasty and easy homemade recipes! So, let’s take a minute to ‘Think Rice!’

Brown rice, or whole grain-grain rice, is considered to be a quite nutritious because it is minimally processed; only the hull is removed, which is non-edible. This allows us to digest the many nutrients brown rice offers. B vitamins, manganese, phosphorus, iron, selenium, thiamin, niacin and dietary fibers are all found in brown rice, making it a heart-healthy food! Fiber may foster healthy digestion and keeps us feeling fuller longer. It is also naturally gluten-free making it ideal for anyone following a gluten-free diet. Try this yummy citrus brown rice recipe. It can be used as a side dish or enjoy it as the main course and the color is on-point!

CLICK HERE FOR RECIPE!

So, does that mean white rice is bad for us? Nope! White rice is a staple food of many Asian countries and as with anything, is healthy in moderation. White rice is naturally-low in calories with only 250 calories in one cup and is enriched with thiamin, riboflavin and niacin and folate. The daily requirement of folate is 400 mg and 1 cup of white rice has 108 mg of folate, making it an excellent source of folate! (An excellent source supplies us with more than 20% of our daily value for the specific nutrient) White rice is also naturally gluten-free and a popular choice in many households. Try out the recipe below of this delicious burrito bowl! 

ClICK ME FOR THIS DELISH VEGAN BURRITO BOWL

What about wild? We can’t forget about this exciting and versatile rice. Since this is an informational blog, it’s important to mention how this rice isn’t “technically” rice, because it isn’t the seed of the plant. It is actually the grain, but we have treated it like and call it rice because it behaves as other rice does. Wild rice is found naturally in freshwater marshes and along many bodies of water and is packed with many beneficial nutrients. What makes wild rice special is we find four grams of protein packed into ½ a cup of wild rice! Combine that with the amount of fiber (two grams) means this rice will help us stay feeling full for longer periods of time, which can assist in reducing the amounts of calories we consume throughout the day.

Here is a protein packed recipe that uses only a few ingredients and is vegetarian, for those looking for meatless options.

CLICK HERE FOR THIS DELISH WILD RICE RECIPE!

And now you’re armed with some nutritional benefits of a few varieties of rice grown right here in the United States! As the proverbial word of advice goes, we want a variety of different foods in our diets and that holds true with the many varieties of rice inside our Price Cutter stores. Each type of rice has its own place in our cabinets and in our recipe books! #nomnom

 

 

Written by Eat Well Interns Shelby & Derrick:

Hello my name is Shelby Gray, I am from Russellville, Arkansas and am currently a first year student at Cox College in the Masters of Nutrition and Diagnostics program. I have a passion for creating healthy and unique recipes.

Howdy! I am Derrick Connor and have made the trip to Springfield, MO from Owatonna, MN. I am a student at Cox College in the Masters of Nutrition and Diagnostics program. We have both enjoyed our time working with the Pyramid Foods dietitian, Jessica Miller, and excited to continue with our journey in the dietetics field!