Black Rice

Like most men, when I need something from a store I go to the store, get what I need, pay for it, and leave. In other words, I don’t shop—I purchase. Therefore, there are many things in the store that fly under my radar. They may be common items but I’m not aware of them.

When I buy rice, I choose brown rice, never white or yellow rice. White rice is basically brown rice with the healthy parts removed, and yellow rice is white rice colored yellow with annatto, saffron or turmeric. White rice has such poor nutritional content that certain nutrients are usually added to it before it is packaged. Then it is called enriched rice. Brown rice has more protein, more fiber, and more vitamins and minerals.

Now we are at the point where my not being a shopper becomes relevant. I was not aware until recently that there are other varieties of rice that are even healthier than brown rice. Healthier but harder to find are red rice and purple rice. There are several varieties of red rice, such as Himalayan red rice, Thai Red Cargo rice, and the rare Rakthashali. Their color comes from a flavonoid called anthocyanin pigment. Anthocyanin is an antioxidant that promotes heart health and lowers the risk of some cancers. Anthocyanin is what gives blueberries their color and health benefits.

Purple rice has more anthocyanin than red rice, and black rice has more anthocyanin than purple rice. There are several varieties of black rice such as Indonesian black rice, Philippine balatinaw rice, and Thai jasmine black rice. Black rice is also called forbidden rice because in ancient China it was reserved for the emperor. Ordinary Chinese were not allowed to eat it.

I have never seen these varieties of colorful rice on a store shelf, and if I had I would probably have shrugged and thought “rice is rice.” Yet they exist and are healthier than other types of rice. Not every grocery stocks black rice but you can buy it online. Black rice costs more than white or brown rice, and organic black rice costs still more.

According to their website, a nearby Kroger stocks black rice. The store is ten miles up the road from me, but it might be worth a trip there to satisfy my curiosity. What does it taste like? Will I like it? If I don’t like it at first, will its taste “grow on me”? It’s too late for me to start making food choices based on health benefits. But recipes for black rice dishes and superb food photos online have piqued my curiosity.