Rice : From Field to Plate – 30 Fascinating Facts to Impress Your Dinner Guests
Rice is a delicious and staple food in India that is readily available, relatively cheap and can be paired with a variety of dishes. But there are some interesting facts about rice you probably didn’t know.
What is rice?
Rice is a staple food in India. White rice is the main source of carbs and can be consumed with almost every meal. These days, more people are researching the best diets and looking for alternative treatments to improve their health.
Here, the role of rice in nutrition is interesting. Rice not only varies in type, color and consistency but also offers many ways to consume it.
In addition, Obesity is a global health concern these days. Experts have the challenge to find a way to restrict its growth.
So, how to deal with rice? Is it high in calories or weight loss-friendly?
Why should we include rice in our daily meals?
- Rice is a good source of energy having an ample amount of calories, vitamins, minerals and fibers.
- It helps you maintain a balanced diet.
- Intake of rice along with daily meals fulfils your body’s carbohydrate needs.
- People may think that rice leads to an increase in weight, but it is the other way around. Rice is a healthy choice for improving your health being a source of nutrients and multivitamins.
- White rice consists of carbs in the form of starch and glucose. High-fiber foods promote the feeling of fullness and also help in weight management.
- Brown rice is higher in fiber, vitamins and minerals than white rice and also helps to improve glycemic control.
- Its dietary fiber lowers LDL (bad cholesterol) and reduces the risk of cardiovascular disease.
Interesting facts about rice
Rice is one of the world’s most favorite and versatile foods although it is produced in its greatest quantities in Asia. It is also known as the oldest food and is widely consumed today.
Rice has more than 40000 varieties of short, medium to long grain types, one most famous of which is fragrant Basmati.
- Rice is associated with different gods in many eastern religions. It is used in different cultures during weddings, birth celebrations and in multiple. Rice can be eaten in a variety of different ways and can be prepared in double quick time.
- Rice is also used as pillow stuffing to decrease muscle tension or as a building material or to make some jewelry and even produce some alcoholic drinks such as shakes.
- Rice is a grain or cereal that is grown and harvested for consumption.
- Rice is harvested from the long grass-like stalk of the Oryza sativa.
- Rice is the most widely consumed staple food for a large share of the world’s human population, especially in the Asian continent.
- It is grown on every continent on Earth except Antarctica.
- Rice is the third highest worldwide crop after sugarcane and maize.
- Rice was spread from East Asia to South and South East Asia and was introduced to Europe through the Western nation.
- Rice is normally grown as an annual plant however it can survive as a perennial and in tropical areas.
- The length of a rice plant depends on the variety and soil fertility, although It can grow to 1 to 1.8 m tall.
- Rice cultivation is labor-intensive and requires ample water so, it is well suited to countries and regions with low labor costs and high rainfall. However, it can be grown anywhere, even on a steep hill or mountain area.
- There are different methods of growing rice but in most Asian countries the traditional hand methods of cultivating and harvesting rice are still practiced.
- The field to grow rice is prepared by applying fertilizer and smoothing.
- Usually, rice crops reach maturity at around 105 to 150 days after crop establishment depending on the variety. The irrigation is maintained by hand watering or dike-controlled canals and the fields must drain before cutting.
- The Asian continent alone both produces and consumes more than 90% of the world’s rice.
- Rice nutrients include carbohydrates, vitamin B, iron, zinc, magnesium, and other components such as fiber but they don’t have sodium or cholesterol and barely any fat. It is naturally gluten-free and provides 20% of the world’s dietary energy supply.
14 things you never knew about rice
Rice originated in China in 2000 BC as evidence indicates. Some research also shows that rice may have been indigenous to India and Pakistan much earlier.
Rice is a cooking staple with a permanent spot in your kitchen but you probably don’t know some facts about rice. Rice has a long history and some of its details are fascinating. Here are some facts you probably don’t know about rice.
- Initially, all white rice starts Brown and it is interesting to know white rice is just brown rice that’s been rid of its outer brown layer and polished.
- Basmati rice has many benefits i.e. Preventing the formation of Cancer cells, lowering saturated fats and being diabetes friendly, it also adds to digestion and weight loss.
- Gluten-sensitive people or those with celiac disease can include basmati rice in their meals as it is naturally gluten-free.
- In its original form, all rice varieties are gluten-free.
- The basic difference between white and brown Rice is refinement. During refinement, the white rice removes all the parts of the seed except for the endosperm while brown rice removes only the external layer of the seed leaving the endosperm awn, germ and bran behind. That’s the reason brown rice claims to be healthier than white rice although it costs more.
- India is the largest producer of basmati rice in the World.
- This nation accounts for more than 50% of its output in the global basmati rice market.
- Pakistan, Nepal and Indonesia are also known to produce basmati rice.
- Uncooked white rice can stay fresh for anywhere between 10 and 30 years depending on how you store it but uncooked brown rice will stay fresh and edible for just 3 to 6 months because the bran coating will oxidize.
- If you have sometimes tried to remove burnt rice from the bottom of a pot, you can imagine how strong it can be.
- During the 15th and 16th centuries, The Great Wall of China was held together with sticky rice. Labourers used porridge made with rice along with calcium carbonate as a mortar to hold the wall’s stones together.
- Sticky rice contains the highest amount of amylopectin and no amylose. It is very waxy and sticky and is often used to make signature sweet dishes in Asia such as rice cakes.
- Paella is a famous rice-based seafood dish. It originated in Spain and is one of the most common and favourite rice dishes. This dish has been transformed into many versions aside from seafood and can be mixed with chicken, rabbit, beans or snails.
- After Asia, Africa is one of the oldest rice producers dating back to 1500 to 800 BC.
Final word
We must try consuming rice that is rich in nutrients and consume other foods that are nutritious and healthy at the same time. Avoid completely polished rice and go for parboiled rice.
100 grams of parboiled rice contains 3.5 grams of dietary fiber and 7.6 grams of protein.
So, it can be a great major towards improving your health.
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