“May your rice never burn!” is a Chinese New Year’s wish. It shows that especially in the Asian region, the grain rice is of enormous importance. In Asia, about 80 percent of the total food consists of rice, which is why in many Asian languages even the words for food and rice are identical. But while more than 90 kilograms of rice per capita are consumed in China every year, the figure in Germany is just over three kilograms. Yet rice is an extremely healthy food: because it contains many complex carbohydrates, rice fills you up for a long time, yet has only a few calories.
Rice: carbohydrates full
Together with wheat, rye, oats, barley, corn and millet, rice is one of the seven most important cereals. Rice is derived from the rice plant (Oryza sativa). Cultivated rice plants can grow up to 1.60 meters tall and bear up to 3,000 fruits. There are now over 8,000 different varieties of rice worldwide. The ingredients of rice depend on the particular variety, but also on different environmental conditions and cultivation techniques. What all varieties have in common, however, is that rice consists largely of carbohydrates. On average, 100 grams of rice contain 77.8 grams of carbohydrates. Because of the large amount of carbohydrates, rice is an important source of energy. In addition, 100 grams of rice are also composed of 12.9 grams of water, 0.6 grams of fat and 6.8 grams of protein.
Valuable donor of protein and potassium.
The protein in rice is particularly valuable to us humans because the proteins are made up of essential amino acids that the body cannot produce on its own. In addition, rice also contains fiber and minerals such as magnesium, iron, zinc and potassium. The high potassium content ensures that the body is drained and purified. This boosts the metabolism and puts less strain on the heart and circulation. In addition, a portion of rice also provides us with important vitamins, especially vitamin E and various vitamins from the B group. Among other things, the vitamins from the B group are responsible for the smooth functioning of our nervous system.
Cultivation and production of rice
Nowadays, rice is mainly grown in China, India and other areas in Southeast Asia. More than 95 percent of the world’s rice production comes from these areas. After harvesting, the rice is threshed and then the water content is reduced. The husks are then removed. What now remains is the so-called hulled rice, which consists of endosperm, germ and silverskin. The germ and silverskin can also be removed by milling. To produce the most commonly sold white rice, the grains must finally be polished with glucose and talc. In general, it should be noted that unhusked rice has a much higher nutritional value than white rice, which is at the end of the production chain. This is because vitamins in rice are found primarily in the silverskin, which is removed during the milling process. By combining with other foods such as fish, meat or vegetables, rice remains an important and low-fat food.
Rice is good for the line
Since rice contains a lot of carbohydrates, but little protein and fat, the cereal is easily digestible and its consumption hardly burdens the organism. Due to the many complex carbohydrates, which can only be processed slowly in the body, rice also provides a long-lasting feeling of satiety. Since rice fills you up for a long time but does not make you fat, rice is also well suited for diets. On average, 100 grams of rice contain over 300 calories, but the calorie data refers to raw and not cooked rice. In fact, 100 grams of cooked rice contain only slightly more than 100 calories. The same portion of pasta, on the other hand, has about twice as many calories. But rice is not only ideal for dieters, but also for people suffering from celiac disease. Because unlike other grains such as rye or wheat, rice does not contain gluten.
Whole grain rice with lots of fiber
Unhusked rice also has the advantage that it gets the digestion going due to its many fibers. Dietary fibers are predominantly indigestible food components. They swell up in the stomach and thus provide a stronger feeling of satiety. For this reason, people who include rice in their diet plan should buy whole-grain rice if possible, as it contains a particularly high amount of dietary fiber. The swelling of the dietary fiber increases the volume of the rice.This increases the stimulus applied to the intestinal walls and stimulates intestinal activity.
Enjoy rice only in moderation
But as healthy as rice is in itself, it should still only be enjoyed in moderation. Because various studies have shown that rice and rice products such as rice cakes or rice flakes can have a relatively high level of inorganic arsenic. This is considered carcinogenic and should therefore be consumed in the smallest possible quantities. The arsenic enters the rice via contaminated water or soil. The level of arsenic contamination therefore varies depending on the region where the rice is grown, but also on the type of rice and how it is processed – even organic rice can contain arsenic. Nevertheless, the Federal Institute for Risk Assessment advises not to take rice off the menu. Limits for the maximum permissible arsenic content in rice and rice products help to reduce arsenic exposure. Above all, however, it is important to eat a balanced and varied diet and especially not to feed young children exclusively rice. Possible alternatives to rice include millet, bulgur, amaranth or polenta. To reduce the arsenic load in rice, it is also recommended to wash the rice before cooking and boil it in plenty of water, which is then poured away.
Delicious recipes with rice
In many cultures in the Asian region, rice is a symbol of life and fertility. For example, the custom of throwing rice at a bride and groom on their wedding day also originated in China. Apart from such rituals, however, rice is generally only used in the kitchen. Rice is used as a side dish for many dishes. It can be prepared quickly and easily. In ten or 20 minutes, rice practically cooks itself. However, for many dishes, rice is also mixed with other ingredients and then fried. Among the best-known rice dishes are paella, risotto or sushi. Rice is also used for the production of liquids. Rice is also used to make rice wine or rice milk. In Southeast Asia, rice is even used to produce beer. In addition to the rice fruit, some other components of the rice plant are also used. However, this is not in food production, but in other areas: for example, the soft rice straw is used in East Asia for the production of shoes and hats, and the husks of the rice grain are used as mattress filling.
