Red rice facts for kids
Red rice is a special type of rice that gets its red color from a natural substance called anthocyanin. Unlike white rice, red rice is usually eaten without being fully polished. This means it keeps its red outer layer, called the bran. This bran layer gives red rice its unique color and a slightly nutty flavor.
Red rice is known for being very healthy. It has a lot of nutritional value, especially because you eat it with the bran still on. Some types of red rice have a low glycemic index. This means your body digests them slowly, releasing energy steadily. This helps keep your blood sugar levels from rising too quickly.
Red rice is also full of antioxidants. These are like tiny protectors that help keep your body's cells healthy. Plus, red rice has more important minerals like iron, magnesium, calcium, and zinc compared to white rice.
Types of Red Rice
There are many different types of red rice grown around the world. Here are a few examples:
- Rakthashali: This is a rare type of red rice from India. It is often mentioned in ancient Indian health practices called Ayurveda and in Hinduism.
- Wild Red Rice: Some types of wild rice, like Oryza rufipogon, are also known as red rice.
- Weedy Rice: This is a type of red rice that can grow like a weed in fields of other rice varieties. It doesn't produce as much rice as other types.
- Thai Red Cargo Rice: This is a long-grain red rice from Thailand that is not sticky.
- Bhutanese Red Rice: This medium-grain rice grows in the mountains of Bhutan, a country in the Himalayas.
- Camargue Red Rice: This is a newer type of red rice grown in the wetlands of the Camargue region in southern France.
- Matta Rice: Also known as Kerala Matta rice, this red rice is grown in the Palakkad District of Kerala, India. It's very popular in Kerala and Sri Lanka, where it's used to make dishes like idlies and appams.
- Ulikan or Mini-angan: These are traditional red rice types from the Ifugao and Kalinga regions in the Philippines.
- Arroz da Terra: This is an old type of red rice grown in northeastern Brazil since the 1500s.
- Malaysian Red Rice: Malaysia has several types of red rice, including Udang Besar, Udang Halus, and UKMRC-9, which is a newer type developed through special plant growing programs.
Dishes Made with Red Rice
Red rice can be used in many delicious dishes.
- Gullah Red Rice: This is a traditional dish from the Gullah people in the Lowcountry region of the United States. It's similar to West African jollof rice.
