fbpx

Rice, Types of Rice and Alternative Grains
Print Friendly, PDF & Email

Is rice your favourite food staple?

 

various bowls of different types or rice shot from aboveHaving grown up in a Chinese household, rice is an integral staple for my family.  At dinner every night there was a pot of steaming fragrant white rice waiting to accompany the array of delicious dishes my mom cooked. It was not until I began to take interest in nutrition and healthy eating that I expanded what I knew about rice. Not exclusive to Chinese cuisine, rice finds a place in dishes around the globe, particularly in Asia. Rice is a staple in many diets. This article will cover several common rice varieties, including white rice varieties, whole grain brown rice, and black rice 

 

Types of rice and their culinary uses

 

The fluffy, soft white rice that is eaten with many Asian dishes actually comes in many varieties that each have their own distinct flavour and texture.  

 

Basmati white rice is typically used in Middle Eastern Asian cuisines – curries and pil. 

 

Jasmine white rice is a more fragrant, fluffy rice that is commonly associated with Chinese dishes.  

 

Sushi rice is made with medium grained white rice, which is shorter than the long- grained Basmati and Jasmine.  

 

Medium grain rice has a sticky texture, perfect for making delicious sushi rolls. 

 

Short grained rice is commonly used for creamy rice dishes such as Italian risotto, short grain rice absorbs lots of flavour and usually does not have distinct grains when cooked. 

 

Brown rice has a nuttier wheat-like flavour and a chewier texture.  

 

Black rice has an intense indigo colour when cooked. Its rich, beautiful colour creates many visually appealing dishes, and due to its natural, slightly sweet flavour is often used to make rice desserts such as rice puddings. As a smaller grain, it is also very versatile in place of dishes such as risotto or porridge-like foods. 

a bowl of cooked black rice that is a beautiful purple color in a black bowl

 

Rice nutrition and parts of the grain

a graphic displaying the parts of a grain of rice

Each rice grain contains three edible parts – the bran, germ, and endosperm. The most nutritious parts are the bran and germ. The germ, or “seed”, is the part which grows into a new grain. It contains the most nutrients, including B vitamins, healthy fats, and even protein! The bran, on the outer layer of the grain, has an abundance of fiber and antioxidants.  

 

With white rice, processing removes both the germ and bran, only leaving the endosperm. The endosperm, composed of starch, provides energy through carbohydrates to the germ in the grain. It contains the least amount of nutrients when consumed. Because of its starchy composition, white rice is a great simple carbohydrate for quick energy when exercising.  

 

Unpolished rice such as brown rice and black rice, which contain all three parts of the grain, hold lots of fiber and vitamins from the bran and germ. It has higher overall nutritional value than white rice and provides sustained energy and satiety for a longer period of time. 

 

Give alternative grains a try!

 

I ate white rice for most of my life until I gradually introduced other varieties as dinner time staples. My grain choice is always changing – I like to experiment with different kinds. It is a great opportunity for me to try new foods! My current “rice” options include white rice, quinoa, sprouted brown rice, and millet.  

 

Why don’t you give one of my new twists on a traditional Asian favourite a try?  

 

 

Alternative mixed grains with nut and seed congee (porridge) 

 

What you need:

¼ cup each Sprouted brown rice, black rice and glutinous rice
5 pieces walnut, skinned (soak in warm water and rub skins off – the skins are bitter)
25g (4-5 pieces) red dates
¼ cup rolled oat (steel cut oat)
1 tbsp hemp heart
1 tbsp flaxseed
½ to 2 cups water, depending how thick you like your porridge
Salt to taste

 

How you prepare

  • a young girl pushes buttons on a stainless steel rice cookerWash the sprouted brown rice, black rice and glutinous rice
  • Put them in a rice cooker*, add red dates, chopped walnuts, oat, flaxseed and hemp hearts
  • Select the porridge cooking function of the rice cooker.  After cooking, keep it in the cooker for 20 minutes
  • Season with salt to taste, serve immediately.

If you don’t have a rice cooker, you can prepare congee in a pot on the stove by boiling for 30 – 45 minutes. 

 

An easy step towards boosting one’s nutrition might be making a small swap during lunch or dinner time. You may find yourself enjoying the new textures and natural flavours of whole grains! Be sure to check out the various types of rice next time you go grocery shopping! 

 

Looking for more simple meal planning tips and healthy recipes for a healthier lifestyle? Sign up for our weekly newsletter for a healthy recipe of the week (and nutrition articles and videos with a balanced living philosophy to help encourage healthy habits but still save room for your favorites). Our nutrition newsletter is written by the Online / Calgary Nutritionists on our team who each hold a professional Registered Dietitian license to ensure you are getting credible advice. 

Print Friendly, PDF & Email

As seen in

  •  

Success stories

"I am a psychologist in private practice and it is very important to me that my clients have the best care with other health care professionals. For that reason Health Stand Nutrition is my only source for exceptional Dietitians. Andrea and her team provide highly knowledgeable, compassionate, and real world support to my clients who require assistance with food lifestyle. I trust my clients to them and you would be in excellent hands making them part of your health care team."
Adele Fox, Psychologist
“This is the first time I feel satisfied; my cravings have diminished dramatically and I have a whole new relationship with food. I am eating guilt-free for the first time in my life. My energy has also dramatically increased and I feel great!
Rhonda Jenkins, Nutrition Counseling Client
“The Dieticians at Health Stand Nutrition help you to take action on the science behind eating well by making it practical, understandable, and fun. Their office is cozy and not at all clinical or intimidating. I felt like I was sitting down with a really smart, caring friend who wanted to help me make the best choices for my lifestyle and food preferences. They really are the best in the business.”
Marty Avery, Nutrition Counseling Client
“I have come to think of the program as a one stop shopping excursion for everything one needs to know about creating a joyous relationship with food and our bodies. In a single word, the course has gifted me with freedom from the punishing rigidity of disordered eating, old stories that never were true, and body dysmorphia that did nothing but make me lose sight of a body that has done everything I've asked, despite my careless dismissal of her needs. Now when I look in the mirror I find myself shifting from harsh criticism to gentle gratitude.”
Lynn Haley, Pursuit of Healthiness Online Course Participant
“I spent 3 hours when first diagnosed with type 2 diabetes. I learned more from my Dietitian about food in those 3 hours than I had learned in all the years of my life. I also love the newsletter, there is always something to learn.”
Peter Whitehead, Nutrition Counseling Client
“I didn’t realize how strong my “diet mentality” was, and all the rules I had in my head about food. I was in a cycle of reward/punish/binge/cringe. I booked with your business very reluctantly, on the repeated advice of my doctor, to get my slowly rising cholesterol levels in check. I thought I knew everything about food, and my behaviour with food, but I was definitely re-schooled. My weight is creeping down, I feel good about my diet, exercise, body image, and lifestyle.”
Amy Floyd, Nutrition Counseling Client
“Thanks Andrea for an amazing presentation, I have heard all positive remarks from attendees and the evaluations show the same sentiment. It is really gratifying when a speaker does their “homework” and weaves in our profession’s day to day challenges within their content, you did an awesome job of this! You truly took the “die” out of Dietician! Your information on healthy eating and simplifying how we can work towards this as we are all so busy really hit the mark. Andrea connects very well with her audience; she is energetic, funny, and very approachable.”
Carole Ann LaGrange, Transfusion Medicine Safety Officer

Event Planner for Laboratory Diagnostic Imaging Annual Event

I am a family physician who sees patients with a myriad of eating concerns – from wanting to know how to plan healthy meals for active families, to weight loss, to eating disorders, and so on. I cannot recommend the Health Stand team highly enough. I have worked with (and been to!) other Dieticians in the past and too often find that they just ask for food logs and make suggestions that are easily obtained online or in books. The Dieticians at Health Stand offer much more than just telling clients what they “should be eating.” In contrast, the team really does more of a counselling practice, and they work hard to help their clients learn more about why their eating habits may be off track and not optimal for them, as well as helping people to effect change at a deep level that, most importantly, is sustainable for lifetime health.”
Dr. Deb Putnam, Family Physician

Nutrition Counseling Client & Referring Physician

“I am a busy mom, with kids in high level sports, working full-time downtown, and running our home acreage outside the City. I now have the knowledge and tools I need to plan for and manage the chaos of meal planning.”
Gillian Gray, Pursuit of Healthiness Online Course Participant
“As a construction company, we select speakers who can relate to our industry and its employees. Andrea’s message was delivered with humor and empathy. She makes people feel as though they can make changes without leaving behind every favorite food. Andrea focused her presentation on healthy eating as a way to keep energy high throughout the day. This message and the way it was delivered resonated with our predominantly male, blue collar culture. I would highly recommend Andrea as a speaker for groups such as ours. She will get your message across without alienating anyone in your audience – which is a huge hurdle when trying to introduce a wellness program in the workplace!”
Stephanie Wood, HR and Safety Manager

Fisher Construction Group, Burlington, WA

I found my Dietitian warm, funny, and skilled at teaching nutrition concepts without the overwhelm. The general approach of each session was to mix science with emotion, which was exceedingly effective in helping me shift my perspective on food from one of anxiety to one of joy and curiosity.”
Erin Kronstedt, Nutrition Counseling Client
“Excellent presentation! What a refreshing change to have a speaker inspire rather than “lecture” about nutrition. Your captivating stories, tips and overall approach to healthy eating uplifts and puts people at ease. It was great to hear we don’t need to strive to be perfect eaters, and that small changes really can make a difference in how we feel and in our health. Thanks to Andrea, we have solutions to our everyday nutrition challenges that can actually work in real life!”
Tina Tamagi, Human Resources

ARC Resources Ltd.

“Had I not joined this course I would have struggled with no focus, low energy, and mindless eating. Excellent teaching and motivation. This is not just a course, it is a nutrition club with mentorship, support, and connections with other people with similar situations.”
Lorri Lawrence, Pursuit of Healthiness online course participant

Pin It on Pinterest

Share This