Rice at Every Meal Lecture
NTR 348 – Cultural Aspects of Food
In some cultures, rice is eaten at every meal
In other cultures, it is the only source of food that is put on the table at mealtimes
What is rice?
Rice is the seed of a grass family of plants (Gramineae) with genus Oryza
The genus Oryza includes two cultivated species and twenty wild species
o Wild rice isn’t rice at all, but it is a type of grain
Two cultivated species are the most common African (O.glaberrima), and Asian rice (O. sativa L)
o Only Asian rice is produced commercially around the world
o African Rice is cultivated only in West Africa
There are 140,000 varieties of rice globally
There is a limited vocabulary to describe the different types and varieties of rice
Specialty Rice that is commonly consumed
Jasmine Rice
o Also referred to as Thai fragrant rice
o It's a long grain variety of rice that has a nutty aroma and a subtle flavor caused by a
compound
o Same flavor that is found in a tropical plant named pandan
o Unique flavor and plant are popular in Thai cooking
o Popular variety of rice
o Found in many Asian stores
Arborio Rice
o Short grain Italian rice
o Used in making Risotto
o The process of cooking Arborio rice into Risotto is
Placing the rice in a pan on medium heat
Adding a small amount of hot liquid such as chicken or vegetable broth
Stirring constantly until the liquid is absorbed and repeating the process until all
the liquid is absorbed
The rice is still slightly firm and creamy
Chewy texture that is due to the high starch content that is released due to the
cooking process
o Type of glutinous rice
Basmati Rice
o Common in the Middle East
o It’s the most popular type of rice in Iran
o Common in India and Pakistan as well
o It also carries the distinctive pandan flavor
o Popular variety of rice
o Found in many Asian stores
Glutinous Rice
o Many varieties of glutinous rice
o It is called this because of its sticky rice content that sticks together like glue when
cooked
o Also called sticky rice
o In the Philippines
It is used to make a sweet rice dish that is wrapped in banana leaves
o In Japan
It is used to make mochi
A sweet rice cake
Origins of Rice
8,300 to 13,500 years ago in Pearl River valley region of China
o Rice originated from a single cultivated region
Rice spread to Southeast and South Asia
Introduced to Europe from West Africa
Brought to Americas through European colonization
Rice cultivation requires abundant water
o It's labor intensive
o It is cultivated with cheap labor and in areas where water is abundant
Can be grown on steep hillsides on rice terraces
o Can be grown in mountainous regions
2010
o Rice is cultivated in California, Arkansas, South Carolina (some of the oldest rice
plantations dating back to the 1600s)
With the abolishment of slavery, the rice plantations couldn’t operate in the
same way and were forced to shut down
Rice as a Food Product
Rice and wheat are common in cereals
Rice is a staple food around the world
Approximately 95% of the crop is grown and consumed in Asia
o Rice provides about 60% of the food intake in Southeast Asia
o As well as about 35% in East Asia and South Asia
Rice Compared to Other Staples
Rice crops produce more food energy and protein per acre than wheat and maze
o Can support more people per unit of land than the other two staples
As populations increase, rice cultivation increases
When a population becomes too dependent on one crop, it can result in a famine
Brown rice ranks higher than wheat in carbohydrates, digestible energy, and net protein
utilization
Nutrients in Rice
High in carbohydrates
Low in protein
Missing essential amino acids
Contains a small amount of fat
Great source of carbohydrates
Many of the nutrients in brown rice is removed with processing
o Brown rice is enriched
o Nutrients are added back in with this process name nutrient enrichment
o Not done in all regions of the world
White rice is the most common type of rice consumed
Lacking many essential nutrients
o It does become a problem when it becomes the main source of food intake due to the
lack of nutrition
Global Nutrition
New types of rice that some consider controversial
o These types of rice were produced in order to help with the nutrient deficiencies for
those diets that are mostly composed of rice
o Golden Rice
A genetically modified food product that comes from combining the genes of
daffodils and rice
Through this process, the Vitamin A content of rice is significantly higher than
white rice
Vitamin A deficiency
o It is the leading cause of blindness in children across the world
o Ultra-Rice
Isn't really a rice
It's a rice product
A variety of rice, grains, and cereals are processed through a machine to
produce a product that looks, cooks, and tastes like rice
Much higher in nutrients in rice
A processed food product
