A Celebration of Rice Part 2

Back this week with more about rice! Last month we learned that “good rice” is usually, first and foremost, organic and brown.

by Julia Chinnock

Belle, the Director of Grace Bio explained that “brown” rice may not be a very accurate descriptor because “brown” rice actually comes in a rainbow of colors. There is red rice, black rice and everything in-between. Rice naturally grows in a spectacular bouquet of colors. The saturation of color of the rice indicates the level of antioxidants it contains. In other words, the darker the rice, the better it is for you.

Brown and black rice contain high-levels of this free-radical attacker and will keep you healthy, young and beautiful. It is also high in Vitamin B2 and fiber. The darkest, black rice, has been named as one of the great natural preventers of heart disease, cancer and diabetes. It has a wonderfully nutty flavor and texture and adds another dimension to any meal.

Sometimes we have to search for specialty rices, as Bangkok markets and supermarkets often just stock the highly-refined and bland white varieties. They might cost a little extra too. “Yes,” Belle admits, “it is expensive.” However, she justifies paying the little extra by explaining, “Good taste could perhaps be considered a luxury, but really, our health is not a luxury.” She explained that organically grown brown and black rice are more costly because farmers get a much lower yield with black rice than with conventional white rice.

For each rai they plant, farmers using conventional farming methods can expect to yield about 1,000 tons per rai versus 200 tons for black rice. Additionally, they only have one growing season per year, instead of the two a year that farmers using chemically assisted agricultural methods have. Growing this rice also takes a lot of effort— Belle estimates perhaps 10 times more. “Think about it, this method requires pulling weeds by hand versus spraying the field with chemicals that kill the weeds by the next day.

Even watering the plants is much more labor intensive, instead of just turning on the hose, the water is stored in ponds where it becomes part of a compost natural fertilizer, and is then pumped into the fields.” And all this is just at the growing stage. Milling and distribution are equally time-consuming and costly endeavors for high-quality rice.

But all that work is worth it- as the results are delicious and nutritious! Like other foods and libations that we love—wine, cheese, olive oil—rice is nuanced, endless in its variety of aromas and flavors. Yes, they are subtle, but they are there for us to discover as we become coinsurers. When dining at up-market restaurants be sure to ask about the rice being served and where it comes from. You’ll be surprised how informative a knowledgeable server can be-- they’ll tell you which meals pair nicely with which rice and why the chef serves them together. The more we learn about rice, the more we come to appreciate it.

Special thanks to Belle of Grace Bio who provided us with so much information.

To buy Grace Bio rice, visit http://www.gracebio.co.th/wheretobuy.html to find a retail outlet closest to you. Visit the webite here: http://www.gracebio.co.th/index.html