1. A Starter Course on Rice
Rice is a staple that is eaten daily by many people throughout the world. The variety of rice available includes raw rice, paddy rice, brown rice, white rice, parboiled rice and precooked rice, to name just a few. Rice comes in bags, boxes or prepackaged boxes and include long grain rice, medium, short or waxy grain rice. Specialty rice includes arborio and aromatic rice. Most rice has been enriched with B vitamins, because processing rice removes many nutrients. Packaged rice mixes are a great convenience food to use as a main dish or side dish. Rice mixes are fast cooking and come in many flavors, including long grain and wild rice, saffron rice, brown rice or chicken-flavored rice. Other products made from rice include rice flour, rice starch, rice bran, rice bran oil and brewer's rice, which is used in beer making.
2. Compare Apples to Apples
Do a side by side comparison of packaged rice mixes to compare the nutritional value. Choose the same type of packaged rice mix to compare. Compare different brands of wild rice to get a good idea of the nutritional value of the packaged mix. Always check the serving size first because nutrients are listed based on the serving size. The percent of the Recommended Daily Allowance (RDA) of nutrients will be different, based on serving size. If the serving size is 1/2 cup dry rice, make sure you compare it to another brand that also has 1/2 cup as a serving size. Compare the calories, carbohydrates and protein per serving. Fats, cholesterol, fiber and sugar content will vary according to the contents of the packaged rice mix. Rice itself doesn't contain fat or sugars, but a packaged rice mix that is chicken flavored may contain fat.
3. Vitamin and Nutrient Comparisons
Because most rice is processed, it loses many nutrients during the processing. Most rice is enriched with B vitamins, including folic acid, thiamin and niacin. Most packaged rice mix is also enriched with iron. The amount of protein in a packaged rice mix will be higher than regular rice if the ingredients include slivered nuts or beans. When comparing packaged rice mixes, make sure you look for additives that have been used as flavorings, colorings and preservatives. Check to see if the ingredients are real or are simply "flavored". For example, the packaged rice mix may contain dehydrated onions or it may be onion flavored. As an educated consumer, it's up to you to choose a packaged rice mix based on your own needs and the nutritional comparison.
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