WELLBEING
Wellbeing is a term that is becoming much more prevalent these days and for good reason. There has been an increasing awareness on the topic of personal health and overall wellness, with diet and nutrition really taking the lead.
RICE FEEDS HALF THE GLOBE
Rice, Oryza sativa, is responsible for feeding more people over a longer period than any other crop. It feeds over half the global population, providing more than 3.5 million people more than 20 percent of their daily calories. It makes up one-fifth of the calories consumed. It is also a key staple of a plant-based approach to eating, along with other whole grains, fruits, vegetables and legumes.
SPECIALTY RICE
There are approximately 40,000 varieties of rice. The most common varieties are typically classified by size and texture such as long, medium, and short-grained, and by the strain such as white, brown, red, black or purple. There is also specialty rice, which include risotto and aromatics such as basmati, jasmine, and japonica.
NOT ALL RICE IS CREATED EQUAL
Not All Rice is Created Equal. The nutritional value can vary depending on many factors including the type of rice, the soil the rice is grown in, if and how the rice is polished or processed, the manner it is enriched, and how it is prepared before consumption. After rice is harvested, the hull must be removed in order for it to be edible. If the rice is milled further, the bran and germ are removed, resulting in white rice, which is the kind of rice that most people eat. White rice, although the most popular, actually has lower levels of health-promoting nutrients. The bran is the outer layer of the rice kernel. It contains nutrients like protein, fat, and dietary fiber as well as minerals like potassium, calcium, magnesium, manganese, thiamine, riboflavin, niacin, and iron. The bran also contains antioxidants such as anthocyanin and γ-oryzanol, which are shown to having as immune-enhancing and cancer-fighting properties.*
* This material is intended to be of general informational use and is not intended to constitute medical advice, probable diagnosis, or recommended treatments.
MAKING A SWITCH
Making a switch from white rice to other-color (red/purple/black) specialty rice has been shown to positively impact your health. This includes lowering the risk of diabetes, decreasing cardiovascular risk by improving cholesterol levels, lowering blood pressure and antioxidant activity, while providing protection against inflammation and cancer.*
* This material is intended to be of general informational use and is not intended to constitute medical advice, probable diagnosis, or recommended treatments.