In our modern world, the amount of food available to us is pretty much limitless. We can reach every corner of the world in every season, so you can choose pretty much any unusual or exotic ingredient for your table that your budget allows. It’s pretty exciting.
We still, however, have a few foods that are “staples”. They’re the things that nearly everyone eats that contain many of the nutrients we need to survive. Potatoes. Corn. Beans. And one of the most popular, rice.
You might think of rice as an Asian staple, and it’s true that it has its origins in China, which remains the largest producer. There’s also a fair amount eaten in Africa. What you might not realize is there are also distinct types of rice being grown in America. For example, Carolina Gold in South Carolina (https://www.bluezones.com/2021/12/how-this-south-carolina-rice-could-help-you-live-to-100/#).
European colonists and African slaves brought rice to America, with South Carolina and Georgia among its first destinations. Today, most rice in the U.S. is grown in Arkansas, Louisiana, Missouri, Texas, California and Mississippi. It’s just behind corn and wheat in terms of how much is produced. There’s been some effort, however, to restore South Carolina’s rice heritage.
You can have fried rice with your Chinese takeout or as the side for an Indian curry. Add it to jambalaya or with a Mexican chili con carne. Rice and peas is one of the most iconic dishes throughout the Caribbean islands, or you can stuff peppers or grape leaves with rice for a Middle Eastern or Mediterranean staple. Simple to grow and cook and with plenty of nutrients, rice can form a valuable part of a healthy lifestyle.
The most prominent nutrients in rice are water, which constantly needs replenishing in the body, and carbohydrates, which provide us with energy. There’s also protein, essential for growth and building and repairing muscles (though not enough for all your needs, so you’ll still need other food with it). Some rice may have low levels of other nutrients naturally, but in many places, it is fortified with various vitamins and minerals to enable it to form an even more important part of a balanced diet. That makes it even healthier overall.
Rice is eaten all around the world, but America has its own specific history that has led to healthy, nutritious golden rice becoming a dietary staple.
