A rice-based diet can be healthy, as long as it is consumed as part of a balanced diet that includes foods from the other food groups. There are a few preparations and nutritional tips that can help you to get the most from your rice-based diet.
Background
Rice is the main food staple in many Asian and Pacific cultures. Rice is part of the grain food group. A rice-based diet should have rice as the main grain, but not exceed recommended grain servings per day. The United States Department of Agriculture or USDA recommends 5 to 8 oz. of grain per day based on calorie needs. The Food and Drug Administration has guidelines for adding essential nutrients to rice labeled as enriched.
Types
Rice is classified according to its mode of cultivation, grain length and texture. Types of rice include short grain, long grain and medium grain. There are many different forms of rice, which include white rice, brown rice, instant rice, wild rice and converted or parboiled rice. White rice has had the husk, bran and germ removed, which removes all of the fiber and many vitamins. Brown rice has had only the hull removed. Wild rice, while classified as a rice form, is not actually rice. Wild rice is a reed-like water plant. Converted or parboiled rice is long-grain rice that has been soaked, steamed under pressure and dried before milling.
Rice Nutrition
Nutrient content varies with the type of rice and the method in which it is prepared. One cup of rice contains about 200 calories, 30 g carbohydrate, and 6 g protein. Nutritionists recommend brown rice because it contains fiber. When purchasing white rice, choose types labeled as enriched because these contain extra essential vitamins. Enriched rice will contains thiamin, niacin, iron and folic acid. Enrichment occurs through a few methods including dusting. Dusting is when the rice is dusted with a fortification powder. Washing dusted rice before or after cooking causes the enriched nutrients to be lost.
Rice Preparation
Cooking time for rice varies from five to 45 minutes based on type of rice. The most typical way of preparation is to place lightly salted water---about ¼ tsp. salt per 1 cup water---in a sauce pan and heating until boiled. After the water is boiling, add rice and cover the pan. Stir the rice as little as possible during cooking. Adding rice to an already boiling pan results in a fluffier product; excess stirring of the rice gives the rice a gummier texture.
Considerations
A rice-based diet can be healthy as long as it is balanced with the other food groups. The USDA divides the grain group into whole grains and refined grains, and states that grain consumption should be at least half whole grains. For a rice-based diet, this means that at least half the rice consumed should be brown rice, while the rest should be enriched rice to ensure adequate nutrient intakes.
References
- "Journal of the American Dietetic Association"; White Rice Sold in Hawaii, Guam, and Saipan Often Lacks Nutrient Enrichment; Rachael T Leon Guerrero et al; October 2009
- "Understanding Food"; Amy Brown: 2004
- USDA: Grain Group
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