Rice is probably known to everyone. This is not surprising, since rice is the basis of food for more than half of the world's population and is grown on all continents except Antarctica.
What makes rice a staple food in many countries? What kind of harvest can you get from one seed? What kind of rice is the tastiest and what is the most valuable? Can rice be poisonous? How did this cereal contribute to the construction of the Great Wall of China? And why is wild rice better than varietal rice? You will find the answer to these and many other questions in the next article.
Read to the end to get the most useful information.
1. Rice - a specialty of Asian cuisine
It will come as no surprise to many that rice is home to Asia. On this continent, it was cultivated for another 7 thousand (according to some sources, 15,000) years ago. Therefore, it is safe to say that rice is the oldest known food product, which is still very popular today. In Asia, at least it accounts for 90% of world production and consumption of rice grains. But despite the geographical success, rice remains one of the most important sources of energy for all mankind, along with wheat and corn.
Although rice is grown in over 100 countries around the world, the highest consumption is in Asian countries. So, in China alone, there are over 100 kg of rice per person per year. For comparison, Americans consume only 10 kg per person per year, while Europeans, including Russians, even less - 4-6 kg.
2. Food bomb
Why is rice so prized as a food source? One of the reasons is its exceptional yield - up to 3 thousand grains can be obtained from one seed. Plus, rice is extremely rich in nutrients. So let's take a look at the benefits our body gets from rice.
Rice is an excellent source of energy as it is composed primarily of carbohydrates. Our body converts carbohydrates relatively quickly into energy, which is necessary for all types of activity. What's more, the carbohydrates in rice stimulate the brain to produce serotonin, a hormone associated with improved mood and decreased appetite. And starch, as one of the complex carbohydrates, helps the digestive system produce beneficial bacteria that improve digestion.
It is also worth noting that rice is the richest source of valuable protein among all known cereals.
Rice is an excellent food for people who are deficient in vitamins B1, B2, B3 and minerals such as zinc, selenium, magnesium and iron. This makes it great for preventing anemia or for skin problems.
Rice is also rich in folate, which supports normal cell growth. Dietary fiber contained in grains prevents the formation of tumors, improves the functioning of the digestive systems, help maintain normal blood sugar levels and reduce hunger, thereby controlling weight. Rice is a great alternative to wheat for those on a gluten-free diet.
Interestingly, despite all the positive health benefits of rice, it contains arsenic, a dangerous and poisonous substance. However, the content of poison in the risk is so small that there is no need to worry about poisoning.
3. What kind of rice is healthy and what is the most delicious
What if we have 40 thousand types of rice at our disposal? Which one is the most valuable?
It all starts with the grain harvested from the field, containing the germ, endosperm, bran, which gives the grain its characteristic color, and the husk.
Brown rice (whole grain) is formed after removing the inedible outer layer, that is, precisely the husk.
During the production of white rice, the grain is cleaned of bran and germ and, in addition, polished to give it the best taste. It should be noted, however, that removing these portions of the grain robs white rice of most of the protein, fiber, vitamins and minerals, although they are sometimes added artificially. Such intensive processing of rice reduces its nutritional value in favor of improved palatability, ease of preparation and increased shelf life.
White rice is found in many varieties. If you like rice more sticky when cooking, choose short grain (especially round). On the other hand, lovers of free-flowing side dishes should pay attention to long grain rice.
In addition, certain types of rice are associated with different sensory sensations. For those with a strong taste, brown or red rice will be the preferred choice. For those who love pleasant aromas, choose jasmine rice or basmati rice. The latter is especially attractive because it contains 20% more fiber than any other rice variety.
However, it's important to remember that white rice can have a completely opposite effect on blood sugar than its whole grain counterpart. Therefore, people with diabetes should only choose brown rice.
4. Why is wild rice better than varietal rice?
Did you know that wild rice is not rice at all, but only its very distant relative? In fact, it is a type of marsh grass that grows mainly in North America. In these places it is called water oats, Canadian or Indian rice. Due to the fact that wild rice is an excellent source of protein, it formed the basis of the diet of the Sioux and Ojibway tribes.
Wild rice contains many more vitamins and minerals than crop varieties and can be stored indefinitely, making it a great competitor to Asian grains. In addition to this, varietal rice should be consumed within 3-6 months. After this time, its nutritional value decreases. As for wild rice, it remains edible for 10-30 years.
5. Rice is not just food
Rice is valued not only for its typical food. Due to its wonderful qualities, this grain has become a very important element in all spheres of life and not only on the Asian continent.
For example, the Chinese word for rice corresponds to food. A popular greeting in China is "Did you eat rice today?" And in Thailand, the word "rice" is a common invitation to eat. In Japan, rice is so prized that individual grains of rice are called "little buddhas." At the same time, in this country, one word rice means boiled rice itself, and all the rest of the food.
Interestingly, we, the inhabitants of the Western world, are also not spared the cultural impact of rice. In honor of this grain, two Japanese car brands, which are eagerly bought by Europeans, were named - Toyota and Honda. The first of the names translates as "beautiful rice field", and the second - "main rice field". Europeans also adopted the Asian tradition of sprinkling rice on newlyweds. This ritual symbolizes the wish of happiness to the bride and groom in their life together.
Rice is also used in architecture, art, economics and other fields.
The crushed grain was added to the solution from which the Great Wall of China was built (it was built in the 15-16 centuries), and, despite the fact that a lot of time has passed, the building is still in excellent condition.
Even more surprising is the fact that rice is used today to make jewelry. The most common practice is to engrave your name on the grain, which is placed in a special bottle and worn like a pendant.
The stems of the rice plant are used to make famous Japanese ceramics. They are used to wrap clay products, due to which characteristic patterns are created on the walls of future dishes.
In some rural areas of Asia, rice is still used to pay off debts and pay wages. In addition, rice is used to make milk, vinegar, paper, grain is used in the production of cosmetics, packaging materials, toothpaste and popular alcoholic beverages such as wine, beer, grappa and sake. The Swiss have developed a technology for producing rice cushions that relieve back pain.
