RICE FACTS

Interesting Rice Facts:

• Size of rice depends on the variety. It usually grows from 3.3 to 5.9 inches in height.
• Rice has elongated, slender leaves that can reach 20 to 39 inches in length.
• Rice develops small flowers collected in pendulous inflorescence. Flowers are pollinated by wind.
• Seed of rice is edible part of the plant that is widely used in human diet.
• Rice can be white, yellow, golden, brown, purple, red or black in color. All varieties of rice are divided in three major categories based on the size of grain: long, medium and short. Medium and short types are sticky due to high content of starch.
• Rice is staple food in most countries in the world. 90% of global rice is produced and consumed in Asia.
• Most rice is consumed in Burma: 500 pounds of rice per person each year. Americans consume 20 pounds of rice per person per year.
• Rice is rich source of sugars, proteins and vitamins of the B group.
• Rice need to be cooked before consumption. Grains of rice swell and become three times bigger during cooking. Rice can be consumed as a part of numerous sweet and salty dishes.
• Depending on the culture, rice can be consumed with fork (western societies), chopsticks (China, Korea and Japan) or with hands (India).
• Raw rice is used in the production of alcoholic beverages such as rice wine and sake, or in the production of rice milk.
• Scientists created genetically altered type of rice that contains beta-carotene. This type of rice is golden in color. Goal of this project is to prevent vitamin deficiency in areas with low level of vitamin A in diet.
• Rice symbolizes life and fertility. It is often thrown above the heads of newlyweds after wedding ceremony to ensure happy life filled with children.
• Rice can be used as a piece of jewelry. Even though small in size, grain of rice can be personalized with individual's name. That grain can be worn on a necklace after it is placed in the glass tube.
• Most types of rice are annual plants (live only one year). Several types of rice can survive and produce grains for up to 30 years.