s/o - Rice as a staple

[myfatherslily]

From the school lunches thread....

 

1) How healthy IS white rice? I mean, when it's actually cooked normally, not minute rice or microwavable rice:) I always thought it was rather lacking nutritionally... like white bread? I do love eating it, though!

 

2) If you eat lots of rice, what kind do you make and what do you eat it with, if anything?

[....]

My husband's family (they're from Korea) eat rice at every meal (white rice made in a rice cooker). Those people are WAY healthier than my relatives, so I'm guessing rice is fine.

 

None of them are overweight either, btw.

 

We make rice in a rice cooker 2-3 times a week.

[DawnM]

It doesn't contain as many nutrients or fiber as brown rice, but I don't think it is junk food either!

 

We have a rice maker and make it 2-4 times per week too. I do make brown and white.

 

I grew up on basmati rice and ate a lot of Indian food as a kid. Dh didn't grow up with it but he loves basmati too. We have Indian dishes about twice per month or so.

 

Other times we cook rice and eat it with salt as a side dish, I have cooked it into casseroles, I make fried rice with leftovers some, I make chicken in sauces to pour over it, and my youngest will have rice with soy sauce for breakfast!~ :D (He is Chinese!)

 

But I also love Jasmin and Rose rice too and will make it if I know Dh isn't eating with us for whatever reason.

 

We LOVE rice!

 

Dawn

 

Dawn

[MomOfOneFunOne]

Rice isn't a major staple here but I do use it. I almost always use brown jasmine. I prefer the brown basmati but my family thinks it's too woody. The jasmine has a bit less fiber and is a little softer chew.

 

I put it in soups/stews mostly. I don't have a rice steamer and CANNOT make it on the stove top (unless it's in a soup).

 

My daughter reaaaaaallllllyyyyy likes rice, a very generous squeeze of lime, chopped cilantro, and salt all tossed together. If I manage to pull off a pot of rice, that's what I make to accompany Mexican meals.

 

Rice is also a nice carrier for the milk, butter, and maple syrup I like so much.

[angela in ohio]

We use brown here, because it is easily available, but I think white is good, too. It is better than the alternatives at a meal (dinner rolls, french fries, rice-a-roni, etc.) It wouldn't be like white bread, which has high fructose corn syrup and chemicals in it.

 

We buy it in 25 lb bags through the food co-op and keep it in a bucket in the kitchen. We have an inexpensive rice cooker, and we just make a few cups in the rice cooker most nights (we have couscous or quinoa some nights instead.) We eat it with broiled fish, sliced turkey breast, or baked chicken breasts, plus 2-3 vegetables. I don't really make anything fancy out of it, except that some nights I throw the meat and veggies in my wok and add some garlic and ginger.

[TheCoffeeChick]

We eat rice 1 or 2 times a week. I only like Uncle Ben's Long Grain White Rice because it seems like it is the only kind I can make without it sticking to the pan. ;)

 

Things I make with rice are: Bourbon Chicken served over rice, Steamed Broccoli & cheese sauce over rice, Pork Mexican skillet (has rice in it), and Gumbo. I always make extra so we can have rice cereal the next day with leftovers too.

[Peela]

We eat basmati (which is a type of long grained, non sticky, fragrant white rice) which supposedly has a much lower GI- it digests more slowly, as in, it doesn't release a rush of sugar into the bloodstream like normal white rice does.

However, it does seem like people who eat a rice based diet tend to be healthier than those of us who eat a more meat and wheat based diet.

So many strange beliefs around food circulating- its really hard to know what is good for you. But billions of Asians seem to do well on rice.

[MaMa2005]

We eat rice daily here. DS is Chinese and loves his rice. We eat sticky white rice as well as a blend of sweet brown rice/sticky rice that I discovered at our local Asian market.

 

We love rice mixed with stir fry vegetables that I get in a can at Aldi. Season with a little sesame oil and :drool5: . Inexpensive and very filling. Rice in chicken broth with vegetables is also a hit. Plain rice with soy sauce is always a hit (but we have to watch DS as he puts WAY too much soy sauce on his rice). He would eat soy sauce by the spoonful if we let him :ack2: .

[myfatherslily]

Thanks for all the suggestions! I think I'll make rice more often:) In fact, I'm kinda wanting rice for breakfast right now...

 

We use brown here, because it is easily available, but I think white is good, too. It is better than the alternatives at a meal (dinner rolls, french fries, rice-a-roni, etc.) It wouldn't be like white bread, which has high fructose corn syrup and chemicals in it.

 

Good point.

[JennyD]

My DH is also Chinese and loves rice, so we have it frequently. I too have always been under the impression that white rice is not terribly good for you, so I am always trying to switch us to brown rice, but DH (who is generally just about the least picky eater in the world) sighs sadly when I break out the brown rice.

 

I did find an interesting rice mixture (assorted brown and red rices) at the Japanese food market that has been a hit for everyone. It's $$$ and I have to remember to put it in the cooker rather earlier, though.

 

ETA: I make Chinese-style stir-fries with the rice, for the most part. But if I make chili or anything even remotely sauce-y, DH will want rice instead of bread, so even if the rest of us are having bread (which the children greatly prefer, to DH's consternation) I will make rice for him. I also make fried rice about once a week to use up the leftover rice in the fridge.

Edited April 20, 2011 by JennyD

[Jenny in Florida]

We eat a lot of rice.

 

In fact, I'm on a kick right now of eating white rice for breakfast. I won't pretend it's healthy (since I eat it with margarine on it), but it's one of the few things that sounds and tastes good right now. (I was sick for a few days something like two months ago, and food has been tasting "weird" since then.)

 

We eat a lot of Mexican-inspired foods that include rice. Sometimes I dress it up and flavor it, but often it's just cooked and eaten. I use it in burritos and casseroles and tacos . . .

 

We also love Indian food and eat a lot of basmati.

 

Sometimes, I make rice pudding, but I'm pretty much the only one who likes it.

[stripe]

We eat rice a lot as well. My husband couldn't survive a day without rice, I think. We eat it with a lot of stew type things. I think it tastes better that way than with drier food (a grilled chicken breast and boiled broccoli, for example). I eat basmati, jasmine, and white rice, but not instant. Brown, once in a while. I also eat white bread, though, but generally only homemade white so there isn't any high fructose corn syrup in it!

[Denisemomof4]

white rice is very tasty but it is not healthy. It's been refined and breaks down to simple sugars in the blood stream.

 

The only rice I buy is brown basmati rice. It is lowest on the glycemic index. Every now and then dh makes a risotto but other than that, brown basmati is the only rice we eat.

[Amira]

We eat lots of rice too, served in a variety of ways. I usually have at least five types on in the house and I use them all. It's easy for me to eat lots of vegetables with a little rice. One of my favorite things to do here is to try new types of rice.

 

I don't much like plain rice though. I don't think I've served plain rice in 13 years.

[MBM]

I have been testing my blood sugar levels after eating various foods, and white rice makes mine soar. I love rice, so if I do eat it, I try to exercise afterward.

 

Interestingly, the brownies I make using pecan flour do not cause my blood sugar levels to rise too much, so...brownies win!

[SonshineLearner]

Brown rice, especially if it's mixed. Personally, I'm thinking, maybe the kids should live at school so they have no choice but to eat the healthy food. AND, in my health education, it looks as though they should be soaked and perhaps sprouted... and 3 grains used at a time for optimum nutritional benefits. In fact, soon, you'll be able to hand off your infants at birth to someone.... so you don't ruin them at home ;)

[SonshineLearner]

The person in my old co-op that was Korean had a brown rice that had part of the bran off. It was a good compromise! :)

[Anita in NC]

We eat basmati rice.

 

Obviously brown rice is healthier but I can never get it to turn out okay. So we eat white basmati rice.

 

We don't eat tons of rice and it is usually mixed in with other things like - lentils and rice.

[LidiyaDawn]

We eat rice from time to time - usually it's just the stuff that makes up right fast (minute rice? five minute rice? whatever it is!) and for me, it's drowning in soy sauce. I LOVE SOY SAUCE. :D ….dh and dd14 eat theirs plain and ds12 likes his with butter.

[Mejane]

So many strange beliefs around food circulating- its really hard to know what is good for you. But billions of Asians seem to do well on rice.

 

I think it's because they pair it with lots of vegs and a bit of meat. We tend to overdo the rice and the meat, and leave off the vegs. ;)

[LibraryLover]

Rice eaten alone can be a glycemic issue for some, but rice eaten with fish or other meats or broths helps with that. I make a lot of Korean food, and rice is never the central part of a meal...there are many broth/meat/leafy green components. I also like to make Indian food where I use rice, but with garbanzo & kidney beans, chicken, lamb, cheese etc.

Edited April 20, 2011 by LibraryLover

[....]

I think it's because they pair it with lots of vegs and a bit of meat. We tend to overdo the rice and the meat, and leave off the vegs. ;)

 

Yeah, Korean people mix a bunch of vegetables in their rice. They rarely just eat the rice by itself. Either it has cabbage or radish...or sprouts - I think they would throw anything into the rice...chicken...ground beef... My SIL is from the Phillipines and they put cut-up hotdogs in the rice. :D

[LibraryLover]

I think it's because they pair it with lots of vegs and a bit of meat. We tend to overdo the rice and the meat, and leave off the vegs. ;)

 

 

Koreans (and other Southeast Asian folks) actually eat quite a bit of meat. Meat is part of a meal, and the big difference is they (traditioanlly) eat far more greens and such. The produce section of a Korean market is a wonderful place. But the meat counter is also something to behold.

 

Now I am super- craving! lol This is my fav place to go for recipes:

 

www.maangchi.com/blog/cooking-class-april-2011

Edited April 20, 2011 by LibraryLover

[TCB]

We really like rice. We don't use a rice cooker but just cook it on the stove I've had good luck cooking it by adding double the amount of cold water to rice - ie. 1 cup of rice with 2 cups of water - bringing it to the boil and then switching it down really low, covered, for 10 minutes or so - until it seems most of the water is gone. I then switch it off , leave it covered and let it continue steaming until ready to eat. The trick is to not take the lid off at all if poss. This is white rice, brown takes longer to cook. Haven't perfected the brown technique yet but would love to hear from anyone who has!

 

Some people we knew used to boil up the rice first thing in the morning (just bring to the boil and then switch off), cover the pan up in a thick quilt, and it would be ready to eat at lunch.

[aggieamy]

We love rice here too and usually buy it in 25 lb bags at a time. I fix it about twice a week since it's pretty budget friendly as a side dish. I'll fix a big portion in the rice cooker and then what we don't eat at dinner I'll save and a few days latter I'll make a rice stir fry with whatever veggies I've got laying around and an egg. It's one of my families favorite easy dinners. The few day old rice actually makes a better fried rice than freshly cooked rice.

 

For lunch I was going to make potatoes as a side dish but now I'm thinking rice instead.

[Carol in Cal.]

White rice is similar nutritionally to white bread--not much there except filler. It has a high glycemic index, too.

 

However, unlike most white foods, if you can find really good white rice (basmati, or Jasmine, or really good Japanese rice) it tastes really good without added fat, so it can be filling but pretty low cal. Also, people tend to eat a lot of veggies with it, which is healthy. So although it's not healthy itself, it lends itself well to a healthy diet.

[Spy Car]

White rice is similar nutritionally to white bread--not much there except filler. It has a high glycemic index, too.

 

However, unlike most white foods, if you can find really good white rice (basmati, or Jasmine, or really good Japanese rice) it tastes really good without added fat, so it can be filling but pretty low cal. Also, people tend to eat a lot of veggies with it, which is healthy. So although it's not healthy itself, it lends itself well to a healthy diet.

 

Good points!

 

Bill

[6packofun]

Rice is perfectly fine, IMO, for those without blood sugar issues. AND, when combined with complimentary foods with the right amino acids, it in fact comes closer to making a complete protein. It is also a good source of folate and manganese and some other nutrients.

 

See link: http://nutritiondata.self.com/facts/cereal-grains-and-pasta/5712/2

 

White rice is a staple in many countries with lower obesity and heart issues than here, so I tend to look at the whole picture rather than seeing white and assuming bad. (Hmmm... LOL :lol: )

[Ellesmere]

nm

[Spy Car]

This thread is making me focus on how large a staple rice is in our diet. We eat a lot of rice (and other grains) in many different styles. On hand at them moment we have:

 

1) Korean Brown rice (unprocessed)

2) Korean Brown Sweet Rice

3) Japanese White Sushi rice

4) Black Japonica Rice

5) White Sri Lankan "Samba" rice (definitely an acquired taste as it smells like manure when cooking)

6) Three types of Sri Lankan "Red Samba" rice (which is whole grain or near-whole grain, and also stinks)

7) White Basmati rice

8) Brown Basmati rice

9) Parboiled Uncle Bens style White rice

10) Pecan rice (a "Southern thing")

11) Italian Arborio rice (for risotto)

12) Spanish Paella rice

13) Wild rice (not really "rice")

 

Plus a variety of rice and rice/bean mixes.

 

We try to make a grain, some form of legumes (beans), and vegetables part of nearly every meal. Having a variety of rice varieties helps being able to match the other elements with a grain that compliments the meal.

 

Bill

[MBM]

I wonder if Asians have a genetic component that allows them to tolerate white rice better than others.

 

As an off-tangent example, certain Europeans -- generally Irish, English and some of the northern Europeans -- can carry a gene that allows them to absorb iron efficiently. If a person carries this gene, they can develop hemochromatosis which results in unhealthy, high levels of iron. I have hemochromatosis, although it doesn't appear to be genetic, and I'm actually iron avid -- low ferritin, high TSAT% -- none of which is due to phlebotomies. I'm a medical conundrum to my docs.

 

Anyway, when I do eat rice, it is always with veggies and meat both of which help prevent surges in blood sugar. It helps me somewhat but not as much as I'd like. I'm not shooting above 140, but it causes almost the highest levels in me. (I have healthy levels of blood sugar, but I monitor because I like to see how different foods affect my blood sugar levels.) So, for whatever reason, I don't tolerate white rice well which is why I should eat my brownies instead. :)

[mytwomonkeys]

brown rice is a staple part of my diet. i eat white rice when we make sushi & love it too.

[zillymom]

We use brown rice around here, mainly because I have PCOS and white rice (and really, any carb with a high glycemic index) is not very friendly to me. I like to mix it with various veggies, maybe some parmesan cheese, herbs/spices.

[Wendi]

Our favorite rice is the sticky kind. I've tried several different ones from the Asian market. Right now the one we like is Han Kuk Mi (a Korean variety). I serve it with Chinese stir-fries or bulkogi. I usually serve it plain, with black sesame seeds sprinkled on top; ds likes to put soy sauce on his, while I put the stir fry on top of mine and eat it together, and dh eats his plain on the side.

 

We eat it about once a week, although I'd serve it several times a week if dh liked it more. I love rice! I do make rice pilaf, Mexican rice, etc., sometimes, but the rest of the family seems to like it better plain.

 

I do not have a rice cooker. I just rinse the rice and follow the directions on the bag. Turns out fine.

 

Wendi

[myfatherslily]

On hand at them moment we have:

 

1) Korean Brown rice (unprocessed)

2) Korean Brown Sweet Rice

3) Japanese White Sushi rice

4) Black Japonica Rice

5) White Sri Lankan "Samba" rice (definitely an acquired taste as it smells like manure when cooking)

6) Three types of Sri Lankan "Red Samba" rice (which is whole grain or near-whole grain, and also stinks)

7) White Basmati rice

8) Brown Basmati rice

9) Parboiled Uncle Bens style White rice

10) Pecan rice (a "Southern thing")

11) Italian Arborio rice (for risotto)

12) Spanish Paella rice

13) Wild rice (not really "rice")

 

 

LOL:) At the moment, I have approx. 2 cups of the cheapest white rice that Walmart sells, whatever that is. I think I need to go shopping... and not at Walmart!

 

One of the big problems here is that *I* am really, really picky. I'll have to go through this thread and write down anything that seems even remotely possible here.

[Spy Car]

LOL:) At the moment, I have approx. 2 cups of the cheapest white rice that Walmart sells, whatever that is. I think I need to go shopping... and not at Walmart!

 

One of the big problems here is that *I* am really, really picky. I'll have to go through this thread and write down anything that seems even remotely possible here.

 

If you're lucky you won't find any Samba rice, because when you cook it the house smells rather like the neighbors just manured their lawns :tongue_smilie:

 

How does rice smell like that?

 

It is really delicious though, especially when teamed with fatty fish and hot spices.

 

The Black Japonica (which we've eaten forever) has become a "heath rage" item recently. Supposedly healthier (at least in some ways) than brown rice. I dunno, but it is pretty and has a nice nutty taste and texture.

 

Basmati is worth trying (if you never have). It is long grained and not "sticky" and has a very pleasant fragrance. It is useful where you might ordinarily use plain old long grain white rice, and is a staple in Indian, Pakistani, Iranian and Arab cuisines.

 

Good luck!

 

Bill

[Mary in VA]

We eat rice 1-3 times a week here and I love my rice cooker. Our dog, on the other hand would eat rice every day if she could. Annie, a Westie, goes crazy when she sees the rice cooker on the counter. She will stand and bark at it continually until we give her some. If we want to call her in from the yard and she is ignoring us, we take the rice cooker out and open and shut the lid. She comes running :001_smile:

 

Mary

[myfatherslily]

We eat rice 1-3 times a week here and I love my rice cooker. Our dog, on the other hand would eat rice every day if she could. Annie, a Westie, goes crazy when she sees the rice cooker on the counter. She will stand and bark at it continually until we give her some. If we want to call her in from the yard and she is ignoring us, we take the rice cooker out and open and shut the lid. She comes running :001_smile:

 

 

That is really, really cute!! :lol:

[Jean in Newcastle]

Asians know that brown rice is healthier for you. But traditionally (at least in Japan where I grew up) brown rice was seen as poor people's food. The richer people could afford the polished white rice.

 

The health benefit of those Asian lunches is found in all the veggies and things like seaweed which are added on the side.

[Spy Car]

Asians know that brown rice is healthier for you. But traditionally (at least in Japan where I grew up) brown rice was seen as poor people's food. The richer people could afford the polished white rice.

 

The health benefit of those Asian lunches is found in all the veggies and things like seaweed which are added on the side.

 

Mmm seaweed. We eat a wide variety of sea-vegetables (sounds better than weeds :tongue_smilie:).

 

One funny thing Jean, is how in this country Brown rice is almost always more expensive than White rice. Weird.

 

Bill

[Jean in Newcastle]

Mmm seaweed. We eat a wide variety of sea-vegetables (sounds better than weeds :tongue_smilie:).

 

One funny thing Jean, is how in this country Brown rice is almost always more expensive than White rice. Weird.

 

Bill

 

Oh, brown rice is more expensive than white in Japan now. But in the old days, the poor people were the farmers who got the unpolished rice right from their fields.

 

:lol: about sea-vegetables.

[Peela]

I get a semi-wholemeal risotto rice also, I just remembered. Its organic. I cant get brown basmati here but I can get this stuff- its imported from Italy. It takes 35 minutes to cook but it tastes great.

 

My understanding is that brown rice is a warming food and so is considered by those who care about such things, to be better as a winter food or for cold climates. White rice is cooling (or neutral cant remember) and so more appropriate for summer, or hotter climates.

[OrganicAnn]

I didn't read all the replies, but I'm sure someone has posted that when you combine rice with beans you get a "complete" protein (ie all the ammo acids). This is why rice and beans are a stable in my poor countries. It doesn't matter if it is white or brown to make a complete protein. Brown rice is of course better for other reasons (already posted).

[LibraryLover]

This whole thread had got me starting a marketing list. For one thing, I am all out of this:

 

www.amazon.com/Seas-Gift-Seaweed-Roasted-0-2-Ounce/dp/B000HVX6NK

 

I want it right NOW! Why has nobody figured out how to FAX food!?

[Spy Car]

This whole thread had got me starting a marketing list. For one thing, I am all out of this:

 

www.amazon.com/Seas-Gift-Seaweed-Roasted-0-2-Ounce/dp/B000HVX6NK

 

I want it right NOW! Why has nobody figured out how to FAX food!?

 

$18 dollars plus for a bag of Kim???

 

It is delicious stuff, but you are shopping at the wrong place lady :D

 

Bill

[LibraryLover]

LOL That's for 24 units of the stuff. Ask your little guy to to the math. lol

 

$18 dollars plus for a bag of Kim???

 

It is delicious stuff, but you are shopping at the wrong place lady :D

 

Bill

[Dawn in OH]

Asians know that brown rice is healthier for you. But traditionally (at least in Japan where I grew up) brown rice was seen as poor people's food. The richer people could afford the polished white rice.

 

 

The same thing once applied to bread . Only the wealthy had white bread. The peasants had brown bread.

[nono]

Asians know that brown rice is healthier for you.

 

In my dh's family (Chinese from a former British Crown Colony), brown rice was only for when one was sick. :)

[melissel]

The only rice I buy is brown basmati rice. It is lowest on the glycemic index. Every now and then dh makes a risotto but other than that, brown basmati is the only rice we eat.

 

Mmmmm, I make a brown rice vegetable "risotto" that we all love (a little too much, actually!). It takes forever, but it's so worth it!

 

The Black Japonica (which we've eaten forever) has become a "heath rage" item recently. Supposedly healthier (at least in some ways) than brown rice. I dunno, but it is pretty and has a nice nutty taste and texture.

 

Our WF used to sell bulk Black Japonica at a good price, but I haven't been able to find it there in a year or so :( I loved mixing it with brown rice--SO delicious. I'll have to start searching in different places...

[flobee76]

Did anyone mention soaking the brown rice with an acid medium before cooking? What most people don't realize is that in traditional cooking, grains were always soaked for a 1 to a few days to ferment. Now we know why they did this: to neutralize phytic acid and make the grain digestible. :D