Rice – a naturally filling food

Cultivated for thousands of years in Asia, rice is the staple food for half of our planet's population. Rice is a naturally farmed cereal and a filling slow carb food that you should definitely include in your diet.

What’s more natural than rice?

Organically grown rice grains obviously don’t contain chemical products or additives. At the most, rice is often parboiled – steam processed – then dried for varying amounts of time. Rice can therefore really be called a natural food, and is gluten-free besides. Slow carb foods are absolutely essential for a balanced diet, so why not choose one of the most natural of them all, rice?

In contrast, pasta is a more processed product, made from wheat semolina, water and sometimes containing eggs and salt. Depending on where it comes from or how it's made, many other components can be added to pasta to guarantee texture or taste.

In fact, white rice and pasta contain approximately the same energy value and it is generally what accompanies pasta or rice (fats, meat, etc.) that add the calories.

Rice is tried and tested

Rice is a cereal from the grass family, which basically just means it's a plant! Cultivated in tropical regions and warm temperate climates, this starch-rich grain can also be cultivated on dry or wetlands depending on the rice variety and where it is farmed. Rice has been known and consumed for 10,000 years and the two main “strains” come from China and South Africa.

At a time of elaborate dishes and enriched foods, rice alone is enough. This 100% natural cereal has proven its contribution to a balanced diet for centuries now. A staple of Eastern diets, rice is eaten around the world and has been, providing culinary pleasure for a very long time to both young and old.

Rice and its myriad natural varieties

There are numerous varieties of rice, many of which have quite particular flavours and colours. Most of these varieties such as Thai rice, Basmati rice and even Red rice with its inimitable scent and colour are totally natural! That’s right – there are no colourings or artificial flavours in rice and it doesn’t need any particular additives for cooking.

The main reason for the different flavours and kinds are the farming methods and different types of land where various rice varieties grow. All the better for us!

Whether it’s white and delicately perfumed Basmati rice, round and rich risotto rice, or superbly fibre-rich brown rice, they all bring natural filling goodness to our plates.

Try some of our sweet and savoury rice recipes:

Posted 20.06.2011

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