'Rice' is as Precious as 'Wealth-Grains'
Rice is considered the world's most ancient foodstuff. There is hardly any culture in the world in which rice has not been recognized as a grain or a nutritious food item. In Indian culture, besides being the staple food of some regions, rice is a significant center of agriculture. Due to its special place in food and agriculture, it is also given importance in all religious and other customs throughout India.
Rice is woven into the fabric of Indian culture
In Hindu culture, whether it is making a resolution for worship, applying a tilak on the forehead, offering food to God, offering materials, or rituals from birth and death to marriage and Shraddha, paddy along with rice is invariably used in raw or cooked form.
Giving rice a primary place in the diet and weaving it into our culture is proof that this "grain," received as a gift from nature, is so precious that Indian traditions have associated it with themselves, thereby also giving a subtle message of inspiration to preserve and cultivate it as much as possible.
Rice is an essential part of the diet
Rice is not only a precious treasure derived from agriculture, but its consumption as food is also extremely delicious, nutritious, and energy-giving. Raw rice, available in many varieties, sizes, and colors, has its own mellow fragrance, which gives a different aroma and taste when cooked. Rice is a complete meal in itself, which is not only useful for the digestive system due to being light to digest but also maintains a balance of nutrients for a healthy lifestyle. Rice is rich in carbohydrates and minerals and is also "gluten-free." Being easy to cook, easily available, and low in price, it is favored by the poor in the form of dal-bhat, lai, and poha, while for the rich, it is a superfood from which various light and rich dishes can be prepared according to taste and health.
Being rich in nutrients, it is a complete meal in itself, but to enhance its taste and nutrition, rice is also cooked and eaten with spinach, fenugreek, carrots, peas, cauliflower, beans, soy chunks, tomatoes, paneer, and chicken, mutton, as well as various lentils, vegetables, grains, and milk. By cooking rice in this way, its taste is doubled, and the health benefits to the body are also doubled.
In addition to whole rice, many delicious dishes are prepared by grinding rice or making a dry powder, which are very nutritious and beneficial for health, such as idli, dosa, pasta, modak, papad, chakli, etc.
Different Varieties of Rice
Parmal, Basmati, Dubraj, Kala Namak, Kala Bati, Mogra, Sharbati, Indrayani, Patna, Pusa, Sungandha, and Gobindo Bhog are some names that are grown in different states of India and are very popular for their different sizes, types, colors, fragrances, and tastes. Among all these varieties, the Basmati variety is the most popular. Even when cooked with less water, its taste is so sweet and its fragrance so strong that it is called the "King" of rice. Therefore, it is the first choice and popular among chefs and the general public for biryani, pulao, payasam, and other "rich and royal delicacies" of rice.
If you also like to eat rice in your daily meals, then compared to white rice, you must also include other varieties of rice in your diet such as Brown Rice, Red Rice, and Black Rice because they provide more nutrition than white rice and are also much more beneficial for health compared to white rice. According to health experts, they are found to have a higher amount of anti-oxidants, vitamin-E, fiber, and protein, which is why they are very beneficial for people suffering from high blood pressure, high cholesterol, arthritis, and allergies. Therefore, all types of rice that provide so many health benefits should be included in one's diet.
Along with knowing the benefits and uses of rice, let's learn in detail about the different types of rice.
White Rice
White rice is most commonly used in meals. All types of rice varieties are processed to make them white, or we can say that white rice is processed rice in which the outer husk of the rice is first removed. After this, the bran, which is the upper layer of the rice and rich in oil, is removed, and then the germ is also removed. To make the rice white, it is also passed through a polishing process, which makes the rice smooth, soft, and white. However, during this process, the removal of the rice bran reduces the amount of dietary fiber, anti-oxidants, and nutrition. Due to less fiber, it is digested quickly, and in this process, a person eats more, and eating more increases carbs and calories. Generally, for this reason, it is often said that "eating rice leads to obesity."
Brown Rice
Nowadays, health-conscious people are putting more emphasis on eating brown rice. This rice is brown in color. When the outer layer of any variety of rice, which is the paddy husk, is removed, the color of the rice is dull brown, which contains a good amount of fiber along with rice oil. The rice is not processed further than this. This rice contains bran and germ, which are rich in vitamins, minerals, flavonoids, and anti-oxidants, making it a whole-grain food. It is also considered healthier or more nutritious because of its higher protein content. Being gluten-free, it also keeps blood sugar and insulin under control.
Red Rice
Red rice is rich in an anti-oxidant called anthocyanin, which gives the rice its red color. This anti-oxidant is also found in red and dark purple fruits and vegetables. Being a whole-grain rice, it has a higher amount of fiber, magnesium, and iron, which helps in strengthening the metabolism, reducing blood pressure, and controlling heart-related problems, high cholesterol, and blood sugar. Due to more fiber, it takes longer to digest, which makes the stomach feel full for a longer time, thus helping in weight loss by eating less. Due to its special anti-oxidants and magnesium, it is considered even more nutritious than brown rice.
Black Rice
The color of black or purple rice is due to the phytochemicals present in its bran. Rich in anti-oxidants, vitamin-E, fiber, minerals, and protein, the demand for black rice has been rapidly increasing in recent times as a whole-grain food. For people suffering from high blood pressure, high cholesterol, arthritis, and allergies, this rice is no less than a medicine. The anti-oxidants present in this rice also protect us from the damage caused by free radicals.
Benefits of Rice
- According to Ayurveda, rice is light to digest, so even if the metabolism is weak, it is digested quickly. Therefore, due to its beneficial properties in digestive problems, people eat rice khichdi, curd rice, or rice with its thin gruel mixed with salt or sugar.
- For people who are allergic to the gluten present in wheat and grains, rice is a good "gluten-free" alternative.
- Being rich in protein and fiber, rice not only boosts the body's immunity but also works as an energy booster.
- People who go to the gym to build their bodies need carbs in their diet. In such a case, rice provides easily digestible carbohydrates that help in repairing muscles by increasing amino acids in the body.
- Along with the rice itself, rice water is also useful in enhancing the beauty of the skin and hair because the minerals and vitamins present in it remove skin and hair-related problems and work to nourish their cells. The water from soaked raw rice and the water extracted from cooked rice, called 'mand', enhances the beauty of the skin and hair because the natural astringent and starch present in it improve wrinkles, blemishes, and complexion by toning the skin. The amino acids present in it also cure problems like dryness, falling, and split ends of the hair, and the protein elements present in it also condition the hair.
Rice Gruel is also beneficial
The water extracted from cooked rice, called 'mand', is rich in protein along with vitamins B, C, and E, which is not only nutritious but also works to increase physical energy. Being rich in nutrition, it has been used as a food for centuries. In many states of India, where people cannot afford milk, fruits, soup, or juice due to economic problems, they eagerly consume rice gruel themselves and also give it to their infants because it is an easily available, cheap yet nutritious and complete food, and is also very easy to digest. In case of serious illness, fever, diarrhea, physical weakness, and any kind of digestive problem, general physicians, in addition to Ayurveda, also advise drinking rice gruel mixed with a little salt or sugar.
If there is dehydration, i.e., lack of water in the body of newborn infants, children, adults, and the elderly due to excessive diarrhea or any other reason, making rice gruel thin and giving it with a little salt and sugar works exceptionally as an O.R.S., meaning it prevents the lack of water in the body, and especially in summer, it is more effective and also protects the body from heat and sunstroke. Therefore, to get the full benefit of the nutrients contained in rice, besides cooking it in less water to make it fluffy, it should also occasionally be cooked with more water or in the form of a thin khichdi. As far as possible, instead of throwing away the excess water, i.e., gruel, after cooking rice, it should be used in food or for cleaning the skin of the face and hands and feet, or it should be applied on the hair for some time as a conditioner after shampooing.
In Japan, South and North Korea, Singapore, Indonesia, and China, there is a tradition of cooking and eating rice with its gruel, which they call "soup." They prepare many delicious dishes, soups, and salad dishes by making rice thin with its soup. It is believed that due to eating rice with its gruel, the skin of Japanese, Korean, and Chinese people has such a glow and their hair has such a shine.