4 Reasons Why Rice is Way More than An Empty Carb

What do Buddha bowls, California rolls and burritos have in common? Rice. It’s a kitchen staple for adding substance to veggie-focused meals, and now there are even more reasons to love it:

  1. This tiny but mighty grain is nutrient-rich, supplying energy, complex carbohydrates, protein, fiber, beneficial antioxidants and more than 15 vitamins and minerals. As such, it is the most popular grain globally and a dietary staple for more than half of the population.Ricebowl
  2. It’s likely American-grown. Nearly 85 percent of the rice we eat in the U.S. is grown by American farmers. Each year, 18 billion pounds of rice is grown and harvested by local farmers in Arkansas, California, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri and Texas. The U.S. rice industry is unique in its ability to produce all types of rice. American farmers produce rice with different grain sizes and in many specialty varieties.
  3. Farming advances are making it more sustainable. Thanks to American rice farmers’ longstanding commitment to protect and preserve natural resources, they’ve increased rice yields by more than 50 percent while decreasing the amount of land, energy and water used to grow the crop over the last 20 years. Farmers are using the latest technology to control weeds, insects and disease pests. Check out thinkrice.com and ducks.org/ricestewardship to learn more.
  4. It’s budget-friendly. Did you know the cost per serving is just about $0.10?

So go ahead and dish-up that second helping of rice noodles, steamed rice in a bowl of gumbo and, of course, my favorite, Rice Krispies.
