Rice


Rice characteristics

  • Rich in fibre
  • Source of B group vitamins
  • Source of manganese and selenium
  • Rich in antioxidants
  • Fights against the development of certain pathologies

Nutritional and caloric values of rice

For 100g cooked rice:

  • Energy: 145 calories
  • Water: 63.9g
  • Protein: 2.92g
  • Carbohydrates: 31.8g
  • Lipids: 0.41g
  • Starch: 27.7g
  • Fibre: 0.8g
  • Cholesterol: 0.75mg
  • Sodium chloride salt: <0.01g
  • Calcium: 14mg
  • Chloride: 5.91mg
  • Copper: 0.07mg
  • Iron: 0.04mg
  • Iodine: < 20 mcg
  • Magnesium: 7.1mg
  • Manganese: 0.17mg
  • Phosphorus: 35 mg
  • Potassium: 16 mg
  • Selenium: < 20 mcg
  • Sodium: < 5mg
  • Zinc: 0.26mg
  • Beta-carotene: < 5 mcg
  • Vitamin E: <0.08mg
  • Vitamin K1: <0.8µg
  • Vitamin C: <0.5mg
  • Vitamin B1 or thiamine 0.03mg
  • Vitamin B2 or riboflavin: <0.01mg
  • Vitamin B3 or PP or niacin: 0.16mg
  • Vitamin B5 or pantothenic acid: 0.21mg
  • Vitamin B6: 0.029mg
  • Vitamin B9 or total folate 9.9 mcg
  • Vitamin B12: 0.032 mcg

Rice is rich in calories (145 calories/100g) due to its high starch content. It is rich in vegetable protein and low in fat. It is rich in minerals and trace elements.

The benefits of rice: why eat it?

  • A panel of antioxidants
  • Cancer prevention
  • Correction of digestive disorders
  • Source of phosphorus and magnesium
  • Reservoir of trace elements
  • Source of B vitamins

Choosing the right rice

Rice is a plant that grows in a cluster of stalks that can range in height from less than a metre to more than fifty metres. The rice grain is the fruit.

The different varieties

The treatments to which the rice grains have been subjected influence their nutritional value. Brown rice, from which only the inedible hull has been removed, is more nutritious than all white rice and contains more fibre. However, some types of white rice are more nutritious than others. Parboiled white rice is actually more nutritious than other white rice: parboiling causes many nutrients to migrate to the centre of the grain, reducing the risk of further loss. On the other hand, "minute" rice, although it is practical because it can be cooked very quickly, is much less nutritious because it has undergone more treatments.
The different varieties also correspond to the places where they are grown and consumed. Japan, China, India, Thailand, Vietnam, Laos, Bhutan and Africa have their favourite grains: Red rice from the highlands of Africa or the foothills of the Himalayas, purple rice from Thailand, rice from China, jasmine rice from north-eastern Thailand, medium-grain botanical rice for making Japanese sushi, and finally bamboo rice from China's Yunnan province, an 800-year-old speciality made by infusing chlorophyll from young bamboo plants into the grain during the polishing process, giving it a fresh green colour.

Contraindications and allergies

Some people who are less attracted to dairy products may be tempted to replace milk with a rice drink, which is similar in colour and consistency to milk. Although some rice drinks are fortified with calcium, vitamin A, vitamin B12 and vitamin D, it is important to remember that these drinks contain much less protein than cow's milk or soy drinks.
For infants, rice drinks, whether fortified or not, are not a suitable substitute for breast milk.