Rice

One of the most consumed cereal grains, rice is a type grass native to Asia and Africa that is consumed worldwide as a grain (one rice seed can produce over 3,000 grains). Rice alone provides over half of the daily calories for almost half of the world's population.

All the Many Types

Brown rice is the rice grain with the outer hull removed. This is the least damaging way to process rice as it preserves the most nutritional value in the rice, including vitamins B3, B1, B6, manganese, phosphorus, iron and fiber. Hence brown rice is considered a whole grain.

White rice on the other hand is the next step along the way. It is further milled to remove the outer brown husk. (The rest of that husk is used to create rice bran.) In the process of getting to that white piece of rice we all know so well, many nutrients from the husk and grain are removed leaving you with a carbohydrate heavy rice kernel. Sometimes the white rice is also called polished rice.

Many people have taken to bemoaning white rice because it is not a whole grain (as is brown rice). Many studies show whole grains are healthy, but for those with food problems, be it allergies or sensitivities, it is best if you talk to your doctor about whole grains before you make up your mind.

Sometimes that extra layer of processing actually can help reduce allergens or an excess amount of vitamins (especially if you are taking a lot of vitamin supplements). However, that extra layer of processing can actually add things to the rice that can trigger an allergic reaction. Before deciding on brown or white rice, talk to a doctor.

Meanwhile, wild rice is something else altogether. It shares ancestry with domesticated forms of rice but is a different species. It is a grass grown in North America, in particular the Great Lakes region.

Grain Lengths

Long grain rice is more slender of a kernel, that is anywhere from three to five times longer than it is wide. When long grain rice is cooked it tends to be light and fluffy. Long grain varieties include basmati, Patna, Calmati, Carolina, jasmine, Louisiana pecan, American, Persian, Texmati and many others.

Short grain meanwhile is, hence the name, shorter; short grain rice is less than twice as long as it is wide. Sometimes if it just a little larger than that it can be referred to as medium grain rice. There are many different varieties of short grain rice, including Spanish, Valencia, sweet, sushi, mochi and pearl. No matter what variety you have, when cooked, short grain rice tends to be softer and clings together.

Rice Flour

Rice flour is a good substitute for wheat flour. However, since rice does not contain any gluten, it doesn't mix as well as wheat.

A Little History

Rice cultivation is nearly four to seven thousand years old (depending on sources) when the first forms of rice were domesticated in Asia and Africa. Given that in ancient Asian cultures, the words for rice and agriculture were the same (or neatly the same) it is a good bet that rice was even more important in that society than in today's world.

Trivia

Americans haven't eaten rice for nearly as long as other cultures, and as a result, rice is a very uncommon allergy in the USA. However, a rice allergy is not impossible especially if you live in an area where rice is grown (because of the rice pollen that can be in the air). The other big cause of a rice allergy is because rice is related to barley, corn, wheat, grass, oats, rye and soy. Also, because rice is found in so many dog foods, dogs can be allergic to rice too.

More information

Recipes with Rice

Rice, rice pasta and rice cereal
Rice flour