Riceberry facts for kids
Riceberry (Thai: ข้าวไรซ์เบอร์รี่) is a special type of rice from Thailand. It's a mix of two other rice types: Jao Hom Nin (a local purple rice) and Khao Dawk Mali 105 (Hom Mali rice).
Scientists at the Rice Science Center, Kasetsart University in Thailand, created Riceberry in 2002. It's a soft, deep purple whole grain rice. People often use Riceberry instead of brown rice. In 2005, it was approved for farmers to grow and for people to eat a lot.
Riceberry grows mostly in northern and northeastern Thailand. The best time to plant Riceberry is during the wet season, from August to December.
It's important to know that Riceberry is different from traditional black rice.
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What Makes Riceberry Special?
Riceberry plants usually grow to be about 105 to 110 centimeters (around 41 to 43 inches) tall. It takes about 130 days for the rice to be ready to harvest. Farmers can get about 1,875 to 3,125 kilograms of rice per hectare (about 1,673 to 2,788 pounds per acre).
The grains of Riceberry are long, about 7.2 millimeters (0.28 inches) when they are brown rice. The outside layer, called the pericarp, is a deep purple color.
| Nutritional value per 100 g (3.5 oz) | |
|---|---|
| Energy | 1,631.76 kJ (390.00 kcal) |
|
80 g
|
|
| Sugars | 0 g |
| Dietary fiber | 4 g |
|
4 g
|
|
| Saturated | 0 g |
|
Protein
|
8 g
|
| Vitamins | Quantity
%DV†
|
| Vitamin A equiv.
beta-Carotene
|
1%
63 μg |
| Folate (B9) |
12%
48 μg |
| Vitamin E |
5%
0.68 mg |
| Minerals | Quantity
%DV†
|
| Iron |
14%
1.8 mg |
| Sodium |
3%
50 mg |
| Zinc |
34%
3.2 mg |
| †Percentages estimated using US recommendations for adults. | |
Health Benefits of Riceberry
Riceberry is packed with healthy stuff called antioxidants. These are like tiny protectors for your body. It has antioxidants that dissolve in water, mainly anthocyanin, which gives it its purple color. It also has antioxidants that dissolve in fat, like carotenoid, gamma oryzanol, and vitamin E.
Most of these healthy things are found in the outer layer of the rice grain, called the bran. Only a small part is in the inner white part. This is why it's best to eat whole grains like Riceberry, instead of polished white rice, to get all the good nutrients.
Riceberry also has a "medium" glycemic index (GI=62). This means it releases sugar into your blood at a moderate speed.
How the Government Supports Riceberry
The Commerce Ministry in Thailand wants to help more farmers grow Riceberry. They planned to increase the farming area from 5,000 rai to 20,000 rai (about 3,200 hectares or 7,900 acres) by 2018.
They want to do this because there's a growing demand around the world for organic brown rice. Even though the demand for special organic rice is still small, Riceberry sells for two or three times the price of regular white rice. This means it can help farmers earn more money.
Around 2015, Riceberry sold for about 50 baht per kilogram in Thailand. But when it was exported to other countries, it sold for about 200 baht per kilogram.
Images for kids
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Riceberry
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Riceberry
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Whole grain riceberry
