rice

rice is a food that is obtained from the rice plant. Rice is one of the most important staple foods worldwide.

What you should know about rice

More than half of the world's population largely eats rice. Rice cultivation has therefore been an important part of agriculture for several millennia.

Rice plants were already being grown in Asia more than 7000 years ago. The center of rice cultivation in China at that time were the Yangtze valleys. The rice was bred from the two wild forms Oryza rufipogon and Oryza nivara. Rice grown in the wild was already known around 9000 BC. Collected and consumed. Around 300 BC The knowledge of rice cultivation came to Japan. In Okinawa, however, rice was not grown until 800 AD. Rice did not reach the United States until the late 17th century. It came to Europe in the 15th century, but was only eaten there and not grown.

Today rice is grown on every continent. The main cultivation areas are still India, China and other countries in Southeast Asia. Other important growing areas are in the USA and northern Italy. In Europe, rice is also cultivated in Portugal, Spain and France.

Originally, rice was not actually a water plant. Over the years of breeding, the plant has adapted to the flooding of the fields. The flooding is intended to destroy weeds and pests. In regions with little rainfall or in the mountains, rice is grown dry. However, around 80 percent of all rice is produced in wet rice cultivation. It is estimated that there are more than 8,000 different types of rice. The rice plants reach heights of between 80 and 160 centimeters, depending on the variety. 10 to 20 panicles sit on the slender green stalks. There are around 200 grains of rice in each panicle.

Basically, a distinction can be made between two types of rice. Rice with a high sticky content turns out to be mushy after cooking. Rice with less glue, on the other hand, stays loose and grainy. With parboiled rice, almost 80 percent of the nutrients it contains are pressed into the inside of the grain using a special process. Otherwise, these nutrients would be lost when the rice grain is peeled. The slender grains of parboiled rice are snow-white and have a dry, glassy core. Avorio rice is a special type of parboiled rice. This Italian medium grain rice is often used for pancakes and dumplings due to the starch it contains.

Brown rice is also available in stores under the names of whole grain rice or brown rice. The long grain rice is husked, but the valuable ingredients of the silver skin are retained. The brown rice has a strong and slightly nutty taste. However, it has to be cooked for a long time compared to white rice.

White rice is husked rice without a silver membrane. The grains have a smooth and white surface. Rice pudding is also white rice. Basmati rice is particularly popular. The aromatic and grainy rice is one of the most expensive and noble types of rice. Glutinous rice is a particularly starchy medium grain rice. It is also known as sushi rice. The cooked grains stick together. This rice is mainly used in Asia for sweet and savory dishes.

Wild rice is one of the most expensive types of rice, but strictly speaking does not belong to the rice type of grain. Grains of wild rice are the seeds of a particular water grass that only grows in North America and Canada. The black grains take a long time to cook and have a strong nut flavor.

Importance to health

Rice is a healthy filler. The food contains hardly any fat, but it does contain a lot of complex carbohydrates. Digesting complex carbohydrates is more complicated for the body than digesting simple carbohydrates.

This helps rice keep you full longer. In addition, more nutrients pass into the blood through the intestinal mucosa. Rice contains many different vitamins and minerals. In particular, it contains magnesium, potassium and manganese. Potassium has a dehydrating effect, so that rice can also be used for detoxification. The contained B vitamins ensure that the nervous system works well. Iron and folic acid are important for blood formation. Rice also contains various essential amino acids. They are the basic building blocks for many proteins and enzymes in the body.

Ingredients & nutritional values

The ingredients of rice depend on the variety, the cultivation technique and the location. However, what all rice varieties have in common is the high carbohydrate content. 100 grams of rice contain an average of 78 grams of carbohydrates. 100 grams of rice are also made up of about 13 grams of water, 0.3 grams of fat and 2.7 grams of protein. In addition, the rice grains contain fiber and minerals such as potassium, zinc, iron and magnesium. Vitamins from the B group and vitamin E are also found in the small grains.

Intolerances & allergies

Although a large part of the world's population lives mainly on rice, allergies to rice are rather rare. That is why the grain is also classified as hypoallergenic and is also part of various allergy and exclusion diets.

A rice allergy can be triggered on the one hand by ingesting cooked rice and on the other hand by inhaling the vapors during the cooking process. With gastrointestinal manifestation, the allergy manifests itself in the form of diarrhea and vomiting. However, the central nervous system or urticarial reactions can also be involved. Rice allergy can also cause rhinitis or bronchial asthma. In the case of rice allergies, antibodies against glutelins and globulins could be detected in the blood. Both substances lose around half of their allergenic activity when heated.

In infancy, the so-called dietary protein-induced enterocolitis syndrome (FPIES) can be observed in rare cases. It is a disease with diarrhea and vomiting that occurs after eating rice.

Shopping & kitchen tips

Rice can be stored quite easily. This makes the grains a valuable food resource. Rice can be stored for several years in a dry and light-protected environment.

Cooked rice, on the other hand, is easily perishable due to the starch and moisture it contains. It should be consumed as quickly as possible. Packed cool and airtight, it will last a maximum of two days. Of course, the cooked rice can also be frozen. If necessary, it can then simply be reheated in boiling water.

Preparation tips

There are several ways to make rice easy and tasty. Long grain rice is usually prepared as water rice. For this, the rice is boiled in boiling water and then covered with a simmer for 20 minutes. Then it is poured into a sieve.

The swelling method is a gentler variant. It contains more vitamins and minerals. With this cooking method, only as much water is added to the rice as the grains can absorb during the cooking time. As a guideline: 2 cups of water for 1 cup of rice. The easiest preparation method is certainly the preparation in the boil-off bag. Here the bag only needs to be placed in hot water.