Interesting facts about rice. Erudite Useful properties and applications

People learned to grow rice nine thousand years ago. Now it is the most popular food in the world: every day it is on the table of half the world's population
. There are up to 300,000 species of edible plants known in the world. About 200 are used by humans. Roughly a quarter of the world's caloric intake comes from rice. And although this cereal occupies only third place in the ranking of food production, in terms of consumption it is the undisputed leader.
Rice is the leader in consumption in the world
. It is a staple food for more than half of the world's population. Sugar cane is not consumed directly as food. Sugar is made from it (its content in the plant is about 20%), and the waste is used to feed livestock. Corn is used to produce biofuel and feed, and it is also used to heat buildings. And most of the rice grain is eaten by humans.
. Average annual rice consumption per person in the world is 57.5 kg
. In Russia, there is 5 kg of rice per person per year. This is more than in Europe (2-3 kg), but tens of times less than in Asia. A resident of Myanmar eats 45.5 times more rice than the average Russian, Vietnamese - almost 43 times, China - 24 times.
. TOP 10 rice producing countries (2013)
. The volume of world rice trade for the 2015-2016 season is projected at 42.1 million tons, which is almost the same as last year.
TOP 10 rice producing countries
. 1 China
2 India
3 Indonesia
4 Bangladesh
5 Vietnam
6 Thailand
7 Myanmar
8 Philippines
9 Brazil
10 Japan
37 Russia
. Up to a third of the mass of rice harvested in the fields is lost during processing.
. Rice yields are highest not in the leading countries in production, but in countries such as Australia (102 centners per hectare), Egypt (95), USA (86), Turkey (81).
1% - This is the projected increase in global rice production in 2015 compared to 2014. Consumption will also increase by 1%.
On average, 1,400 liters of water are used to grow a kilogram of rice.
The Chinese purchase 2.8 million tons of rice annually. The country produces more of this cereal crop than anyone else in the world, but there is still not enough rice, because it is the main food of all segments of the population.
The largest rice consuming countries in the world are China, India, Indonesia, Bangladesh, and Vietnam.
1/7 of the world's population is engaged in the production and processing of rice. This cereal is the largest “employer” in the world.

TOP 20 interesting facts about rice
Rice - round and long, white and brown - has firmly established itself in Russian kitchens, but only 300 years ago few people in Russia had heard of it. But do you know everything about this amazing plant? Below is a selection of interesting facts, you can test your erudition.
Fact No. 1: unpretentious and whimsical at the same time
Rice is considered an unpretentious cereal, since it can grow in the same place for an indefinitely long time, without requiring fertilizer, but giving a fairly decent harvest, however, it is very demanding of moisture and quickly dies if the soil is allowed to dry out.
Fact #2: Associated with cracked heels
There is a legend that explains how rice came to earth. Rice was considered the food of the gods, and only once did a person manage to try this dish. However, the man was not allowed to take grains of rice with him and was sent to earth without them. So no one else would have known the taste of rice, but this man’s heels were rough, with cracks - and several white grains were stuck in them. With love and special care, the man grew these grains and gradually rice became available to everyone.
Fact #3: Rice and Wealth
In Japan and Asia it is believed that whoever has more rice is richer. This is where the tradition of sprinkling grains of rice on newlyweds arose - wishing them wealth.
Fact No. 4: From India to Russia
India is considered the birthplace of rice, since it is there that most wild forms of this plant grow. Ancient irrigation canals and remains of rice in clay shards dating back to the 7th millennium BC were found there. It has been proven that rice was grown in China in the fifth millennium BC. Rice came to Europe already in the 4th century AD - it was brought by the ships of Alexander the Great. Peter the Great brought rice to Russia under the name “Saracenic millet.” It was only at the end of the 19th century that this cereal became popular in Russia under the name “rice”.
Fact #5: Hang it by the ton!
It is estimated that approximately 700 million tons of rice are eaten worldwide each year. To provide such an amount, approximately 1 billion people are employed in the cultivation and processing of rice, that is, every sixth inhabitant of the planet.
Fact No. 6: vitamins and microelements
Rice is a very healthy grain. It contains a lot of vitamins, including groups B, E, PP and carotene. Rice contains a lot of microelements, even such as selenium, iodine, calcium and iron - necessary for maintaining immunity and brain function. Rice is a source of essential amino acids, which means it allows the human body to build proteins without the use of animal food, and therefore saturated animal fats, that is, rice gives the body energy without the risk of atherosclerotic plaques. Rice does not contain gluten, which means it does not cause allergies.
Fact No. 7: not one or two
There are more than seven thousand varieties of rice in the world, and this despite the fact that wild rice does not refer to rice itself, but is only its “distant relative.”
Fact #8: White or Black?
Europeans are accustomed to white rice. However, black is considered more useful, as it contains twice as much vegetable protein and a lot of plant fiber, which normalizes intestinal function. And there are more antioxidants in black rice than in oranges and grape seeds.
Fact No. 9: eat rice - eat rice
In China, the words “breakfast”, “lunch” and “dinner” are literally translated as “rice in the morning”, “rice at noon”, “rice in the evening”. In Japan, the verb "to eat" and the noun "rice" are represented by the same character.
Fact #10: Rice is a staple food
Europeans do not eat rice as often, but in Asia rice accounts for 70% of the calories people get from food. Every second person in the world has rice as a product of their daily consumption. The average Asian person consumes 150 kg of rice per year, while the average European consumes only two.
Fact #11: For those on a diet
100 grams of rice contain only 82 calories, so rice can be consumed by those who want to reduce their weight with virtually no restrictions.
Fact #12: National symbol
Rice is the national grain of Japan, who eat it three times a day and manage to prepare more than 500,000 dishes using rice.
Fact #13: Sanded or Steamed?
In stores you can equally often find polished and steamed rice. It is better to choose steamed one, as it retains up to 75% of the nutrients. Milled rice loses more than 60% of its beneficial vitamins and minerals during processing.
Fact No. 14: Geography of Rice Production
Thailand is the leader in rice production. Next, in order of importance, are: Vietnam, India, Pakistan, Italy, Spain, America, Japan, China and Russia.
Fact No. 15: strictly according to the calendar
Rice is still grown using ancient technologies, according to which rice fields are flooded with water at a certain period of time and drained only for weeding and harvesting. Those who cultivate rice fields wear special sandals to prevent their feet from getting dirty and damaging the crops.
Fact #16: You can’t grow rice without work.
The labor costs for growing rice are very high. They are 40 times more than for growing corn and 50 times for wheat.
Fact No. 17: Cook correctly
Cooking rice is very simple. Rinse it in cold water, pour it into a saucepan, and lightly add salt. Then add water so that it covers the rice by two centimeters. Cover with a lid. After the rice boils, cook for exactly 10 minutes. Then let it sit for another 10. You are guaranteed fluffy rice that retains maximum nutrients.
Fact No. 18: cures all diseases
Gastroenterologists are very fond of rice. The fact is that rice water has a mild enveloping effect and helps to heal well and quickly any damage to the gastric mucosa, including ulcers.
Fact #19: Rice classification
Rice varies in length by:
- extra long grain - more than 7.5 mm;
- long-grain - more than 6.16 mm;
- medium grain - 5.16-6.15 mm;
- short grain - no more than 5.15 mm.
Fact #20: Rice as jewelry
For the first time people began to write on rice grains in Turkey and India. In Istanbul, in the Topkapi Palace museum you can see through a strong magnifying glass an entire letter written with a hair on a grain of rice. Now you can order a souvenir - a decoration made of rice with the name of the person to whom it is given, written on one piece of rice. Unfortunately, you cannot wear such jewelry, you can only admire it.

Every year, the world eats about 700 million tons of rice. This is one of the most popular foods on our planet; rice is the main food for almost half of the world's population. Moreover, rice is one of the first crops that humanity learned to grow. What else do we know about rice?

Where and how is rice grown?

Rice belongs to plants of the grass family. The homeland of rice is India, on whose territory people began cultivating rice seven to eight thousand years BC. Proof of this is the ancient pottery with the remains of rice, which archaeologists find. Subsequently, the culture of rice cultivation spread throughout Asia, and after the campaigns of Alexander the Great, rice began to conquer the European continent. In Russia, rice was tried only under Peter I. Today, rice is consumed all over the world, and its main producers are Thailand, India, Vietnam, Burma, China, Pakistan, and the USA.

In principle, rice is a fairly unpretentious crop that does not require any fertilizer. It can grow both in mountainous areas and in the tropics. However, growing rice is quite a difficult job; the labor costs for growing this crop are forty times higher than, for example, the labor costs for growing corn and fifty times for growing wheat. All rice needs to grow properly is water. Moreover, in order to grow one kilogram of rice you need about five thousand liters of water. It is noteworthy that rice is the only major crop that grows in water.

Despite the fact that humanity has been growing rice for many thousands of years, the technology itself has remained virtually unchanged since ancient times. First, young seedlings are prepared from rice seeds. Then it is planted in fields that are surrounded by special dams. These fields are flooded with water in such a way that the water level is maintained at just under thirteen centimeters. If weeding is necessary, the water is drained and all weeds are removed manually.

At the moment when there is very little time left for the rice leaves to turn from green to yellow, the fields are drained and harvested. Currently, about one billion people, that is, 1/6 of the planet's population, are employed in the cultivation and processing of rice. Those who work in the rice fields wear special wooden sandals, which allow them not to harm the crops or get their feet dirty. In the countries of Southeast Asia, two to three rice crops are harvested per year, which, in particular, makes it possible to feed the huge population of China or India.

Useful properties of rice

Rice is a unique product that, compared to other grains, contains more potassium and phosphorus. In addition, it is low in fat and cholesterol. At the same time, rice provides the human body with a lot of energy. Rice contains vitamins B, E, PP, carotene and beneficial microelements, including iodine and iron. What is important is that during the cooking and steaming process, a significant part of these beneficial substances remains in the grains. Rice is a source of essential amino acids for humans; it helps maintain immunity and stimulates brain function. Numerous scientific studies have proven that regular consumption of brown rice improves human memory.

Unlike wheat, it does not contain gluten; therefore, rice does not cause allergies. Rice is recommended for consumption by people who suffer from diseases of the gastrointestinal tract, since the starch contained in this product gently coats the gastric mucosa. Of course, rice is an indispensable product for those who try to lead a healthy lifestyle and watch their figure. 100 grams of rice contain only 82 calories, so dishes with rice are an ideal option for those who maintain a healthy figure. However, diet food fans are better off using black or brown rice rather than white. The fact is that white refined rice is characterized by a high glycemic index, which adversely affects the figure.

Varieties of rice

There are more than seven thousand types of rice in the world. Moreover, wild rice, known to many, is not a close relative of rice, but is only an aquatic grass. By the way, some varieties of rice can grow on dry soil. Rice comes in black, red, brown, white and other colors. Russians, like Europeans, prefer white rice. However, black rice, which is popular in Asian countries, is much healthier. After all, it contains more vegetable protein and fiber, which contribute to the normal functioning of the intestines and stomach. In addition, black rice is rich in antioxidants, containing more of them than oranges or grapes.

However, brown rice is considered the healthiest. When processing it, the shell, which contains a significant portion of useful microelements, is practically not removed. In turn, red rice is distinguished by the fact that it is well absorbed by the human body. In ancient times, it was available only to the Chinese emperor and his entourage. It was fed to the best warriors of the imperial army to keep them strong and healthy.

In Russian stores you can buy steamed or polished rice. The latter is a processed product, more than sixty percent of vitamins and minerals are lost in it.

Typically, rice is washed in cold water, poured into a saucepan and water is added so that it slightly covers the rice. After boiling, the rice is left to cook for ten minutes. Then let the rice sit for another five to ten minutes. After cooking, each grain of rice increases in size approximately three times. The result is delicious, fluffy rice that can serve as an excellent side dish in a variety of dishes. Rice is used to make porridge, grain mixtures, butter, and even the popular drink sake.

Rice is extremely popular in Asian countries. In Japan, it is considered a national product, which is consumed three times a day and several hundred thousand dishes are prepared from it. Moreover, in Japanese culture, the patroness of rice is even known - the goddess Inari, who, according to legend, brought this amazing plant to the country. In ancient Japan, it was believed that rice had its own soul, so disrespecting rice would be punished by the gods. In general, in Asian countries, each resident consumes 150 kilograms of rice annually, while a European eats an average of only two kilograms every year.

There are things that are unnecessary to explain - it’s easier to show something. Look at these two characters: 御飯. In the Japanese language they play exactly the same role as in Russian - zhito, which means unground wheat or rye grain and comes from the word “to live”. And "gohan" is boiled rice. Exactly the same hieroglyphs indicate any food. The importance of rice in the life of the Japanese is very clear.

A rice field for a resident of Japan is what a wheat field is for a resident of Russia, Ukraine or Belarus. There is, perhaps, not a single corner of the country where a rice field is not green, giving the landscape a special flavor. And how many poems, songs, paintings and other works of art are dedicated to light green rice sprouts in ankle-deep water!

Until recent decades, the peasant labor of growing rice was hard and unhealthy, but necessary. Currently, only 5% of the country's population is employed in the agricultural sector of Japan's economy. But these five percent, armed with modern technology exclusively produced locally, provide half of all fruits and almost nine-tenths of all vegetables on the Japanese table. And 100% rice!

Rice appeared on the Japanese islands along with settlers moving from Southeast Asia, the Korean Peninsula and Taiwan. Rice culture in Japan is at least three thousand years old. And it was rice that led to the final transition of the then population to a sedentary lifestyle. Moreover, at first the Japanese ate rice unpeeled - they simply fried it over a fire. They did not immediately master the art of peeling rice from the husk...

The rice fields look interesting with the appearance of the first shoots. Continuously moving pinwheels are installed above the sprouts to scare away birds. Often the border of the field is decorated with a special kakashi doll, like our scarecrow; its task is to repel insect pests. A stone statue of the “god” or “spirit” of the field, Hatake no Kamisama, is placed near the field or near the village; it has a distinctive phallic shape and is decorated with fertility symbols.

Japanese rice is special, completely different from Russian or Indian. The snow-white oval grain of rice does not become soft when cooked, but retains its original shape, while simultaneously releasing a sticky substance.

This gluten binds one grain to another. How else do you think it was possible to make both the o-nigiri rice ball and the famous sushi throughout the culinary world?

The cost of the cheapest type of rice in Japan is about ¥500 per kilogram (more than 160 rubles). Expensive to say the least. But the Japanese never save on buying rice, because they consider it the basis of a good table. They try to purchase the highest quality varieties.

A Japanese eats up a standard 2-kilogram package of Japanese rice in less than a week - after all, rice is included in many dishes.

On each package it is written what kind of rice it contains, where and in what month it was grown, what its properties are. The Japanese have their own preferences regarding where to grow rice. Its most popular varieties grow in Niigata Prefecture, which is deservedly called the “rice place” of Japan. Well, among the Niigata varieties, the most favorite is koshihikari.

Rice is grown all over Japan, that's true. But in the country, over three-quarters of the territory is occupied by hills and mountains. Therefore, the area under rice does not exceed 13% of all fertile Japanese land. And when the average annual temperature drops, typhoons hit the islands and the rice harvest is low, a food crisis occurs. In this case, rice is imported into Japan from India and Thailand. Its taste is completely different, and it is completely unsuitable for preparing traditional Japanese dishes.

The Russian will be very surprised to learn that the Japanese who came to his country took a supply of rice with him. After all, you can buy it at any grocery store! But the peculiarity of Japanese rice is that it can be eaten as an independent dish; ours, alas, is only suitable as a side dish. But the attitude of a Japanese towards rice to a Russian, who was brought up on a careful attitude towards bread, is perfectly understandable. The Japanese will definitely eat all the rice to the last grain - so as not to offend either the rice itself or the owner of the table.

About three billion people on the planet consume rice, but not everyone knows that more than one billion are involved in growing rice, which is a sixth of the entire world population, since this process requires a lot of labor. First, rice is planted in specially prepared seed nests, then these seedlings are transplanted into flat fields surrounded by dams, then the fields are flooded with water. In this area, a certain water level should be maintained at all times, which should be at least thirteen centimeters. Weeding involves draining the water, pulling out the weeds by hand, and then when the leaves turn yellow, the fields are drained and the crops are harvested. But it's worth it. Everyone has long known that rice is one of the most nutritious foods, it has very few calories and fat, no cholesterol and sodium, and besides, it provides a lot of energy. For example, half a glass of white rice contains 82 calories, and the same amount of brown rice contains 89. The usefulness of rice has long been confirmed. Back in the late nineteenth century, the Dutch physiologist Eijkman was sent to Indonesia to study a widespread disease from which a large number of people were dying. At some point, the laboratory chickens began to show symptoms of the disease. After analyzing the reasons, the scientist found out that the cook began to buy white rice rather than brown. Aikman started feeding them brown rice again, and within a short period of time the chickens recovered. Other scientists have already proven that rice contains a medicinal component, such as thiamine, and also contains carotene and various vitamins. In addition to vitamins, rice also contains calcium, iron, iodine, amino acids and selenium. It has also been scientifically proven that eating rice increases intelligence and improves memory. An interesting fact is that 50% of the world's rice is eaten within a radius of twelve kilometers from where it is grown. Currently, there are about thirty varieties of rice. It comes in white, red, black and even coffee. The color of the grains depends not only on the variety, but also on the processing. Sushi rice also retains all its beneficial qualities. People who adhere to a healthy diet try to eat exclusively brown rice. The thing is that when processing it, the shell of the grains, which contains the main nutrients, is not removed. Red rice is easily digestible, which is what allows the grains to be partially polished. Black rice contains the most protein, almost twice as much as white rice. And in terms of its antioxidant content, black rice can seriously compete with grapes, blueberries, orange juice and red wine. And in the process of processing grains and creating the so-called steamed rice, about 75% of vitamins and minerals are preserved. Thus, it can be argued that rice is an excellent choice for those who support a healthy diet and an active lifestyle. It is a source of various complex carbohydrates; it contains fiber and minerals in quantities necessary for the human body.

In Ancient China, besides being eaten, rice was used in much the same way as a lie detector is used today. To determine guilt, the suspect was forced to take a handful of raw rice into his mouth and asked about his involvement in the crime. Then they offered to spit out the rice. Dry, non-sticky rice indicated that the defendant was guilty - his mouth was dry from excitement, and the rice remained dry. However, rice has many other, more valuable, of course, from the point of view of our time, qualities.

1. Rice is 98% complex carbohydrates, which can saturate the body with energy for a long time. By eating a cup of rice for breakfast, a person will experience less need for fatty and sweet foods throughout the day. The same property of cereal makes rice diet for weight loss one of the most easily portable.

2. Rice is rich in vitamins. It contains carotene, vitamins B and PP. In addition, rice contains calcium, iodine, iron, and selenium. Rice contains eight amino acids that the body needs to create new cells. Rice goes well with other foods. Along with rice, you can eat meat, fish, vegetables, and seafood.

3. Rice, unlike wheat, does not contain gluten, which often causes allergic reactions. Therefore, rice dishes are ideal for small children and allergy sufferers.

4. Scientists have proven that regular consumption of rice increases intellectual abilities. So following a rice diet for weight loss can have a positive effect not only on your figure, but also on your mental abilities.

5. If you have an upset stomach, rice water helps to stop diarrhea - pour a tablespoon with half a liter of water and cook until tender. The resulting decoction can be given even to infants.

6. For pilaf, it is better to choose long-grain rice - it does not stick together when cooked. Short-grain rice is softer, it boils heavily, and it is better to cook porridge from it.

7. More than thirty varieties of rice are currently cultivated. It can be white, black, red, coffee. The color and benefits of rice differ not only because of the variety, but also because of the processing method. The healthiest rice is unpolished rice.

8. Black rice, also called wild rice, is the healthiest variety of rice. It contains twice as much protein as white, and its antioxidant content puts it on par with blueberries, orange juice, red wine and grapes. The homeland of this rice is America, where it was eaten by Indians for many centuries. By the way, “America” translated from Japanese means “homeland of rice.”

9. Parboiled rice has an amber color and is more expensive than regular rice. The thing is that this rice is exposed to steam before grinding, due to which all the beneficial substances enter the grain core and are not destroyed during processing. This makes it more acceptable for following a rice diet for weight loss than white. This rice takes about ten minutes longer to cook than usual. The beautiful white color returns after the cereal is cooked.

10. Rice is very useful for people with problems of the gastrointestinal tract: gastritis, stomach and duodenal ulcers - starch envelops the mucous membrane and protects it from damage.

In Chinese, the words “breakfast”, “lunch” and “dinner” literally mean “morning rice”, “afternoon rice”, “evening rice”.

Do you often eat rice? What dishes can you cook from it? Share your recipes!