Is Rice a Grain?

Rice is one of the most popular foods in the world, but how is it classified? Is it considered a grain?

The Short Answer:

Yes, rice is one of the main pillars of the grain food group.

The Long Answer:

Rice is enjoyed all over the world. Asian countries, European countries, South American countries, all of them have cuisine that is largely based around rice. That’s likely because rise is one of the most versatile foods on the planet and can be prepared in many different ways.

Rice, first and foremost, is a grain. It’s not just a grain, it’s one of the grains.

Yes, rice, along with wheat, oats, cornmeal, and barley make up the entire grain food group. But that being said, rice is a lot different from most other cereal grains.

When dealing with grains, you’re typically looking at two groups. There are whole grains and refined grains.

Whole grains are made up of the entire kernel of grain, including germ, bran, and endosperm. Brown rice would be a great example of a whole grain, along with whole-wheat flour, oatmeal, and whole cornmeal.

Refined grains are put through a process called milling, which removes the bran and germ from the grain kernel. The end result has a finer texture and a longer shelf life from its whole counterparts. This also removes iron, many B vitamins, and dietary fiber, taking out a lot of the nutritional content naturally occurring within grains. White rice would be an example of this, along with white flour, degermed cornmeal, and white bread.

White rice and brown rice both have a huge carbohydrate content. A 100g serving of raw brown rice contains 77 grams of carbs. White rice is slightly higher, with a carb count of 80 grams. This means that people practicing low carb diets should stay away, but rice is not immediately banned from all lifestyle diets.

Paleo, for instance, actually allows you to have white rice, because the kernel is mostly pure starch, and contains no toxins or nutrients.

What’s your favorite rice dish? How often does your family eat rice? Do you prefer white rice or brown? Sound off in the comment section below and let us know!