Saturday, February 12, 2011

Forbidden Food - Black Rice

Brad and I have made a big effort to change our eating habits, especially in regard to the consumption of refined foods.  We've made the switch to whole grain, seed-filled breads, whole wheat pasta, high fibre cereals, but the one thing I cannot stand is brown rice.  In an attempt to compromise, I tried a mixture of white and black rice.

I cooked it the same way I would with white rice.

As it comes to a boil, the water actually turns to an opaque purple.

Fun Fact: Black rice is also known as "forbidden rice" because originally in China only the emperor was permitted to eat it. 

I liked the taste a lot, and the texture was good.  I even enjoyed the novelty of eating purple coloured rice.  Once I knew it was something I would make again, I looked into it's nutritional information.  Turns out black rice has a comparable amount of fibre to brown rice.  What I found most interesting though is that it contains more antioxidants than the same quantity of blueberries.  Now my only problem is that I was given the black rice mixture, and I have yet to find it in a grocery store.  Does anyone know where I can buy black rice?
Posted by at 9:42 AM
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13 comments:

  1. SheilaFebruary 12, 2011 at 10:04 AM

    Cool...I am going to look for black rice too!!! Also another excellent alternative I have just recently found is Quinoa. It is high in protein which is great for me as I eat very little meat, and am lacking in protein. It is a very healthy option...look it up! :)

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  2. Shawna WhitingFebruary 12, 2011 at 11:36 AM

    I haven't seen it anywhere in Kelowna but maybe you could order it online... if you find some please let me know where you got it :)
    Ps I just stumbled upon your blog recently and have really enjoyed reading the posts! We too eat natural foods and enjoy healthy living! :)

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  3. Greg and AmyFebruary 12, 2011 at 12:36 PM

    very cool. You could probably get it at a asian store. (I'm guessing I don't really know!). My Korean friends have it here and I could ask them. I know Khaya likes brown rice as well as white rice, maybe I will try this for him. Who knows maybe Kenya would try it!!

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  4. Becky WolfeFebruary 12, 2011 at 1:35 PM

    I was going to guess an ethnic or asian type food store too. I never have success cooking brown rice but I know that white rice (though I love it) is quite useless as far as nutrients go. I love the idea of eating purple rice... I doubt its anywhere up north here but I'm heading out for groceries this aft so I'll have a look :)

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  5. AnonymousNovember 17, 2011 at 10:28 PM

    Have you tried long grain brown rice?
    That made the diffence for me.

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  6. AnonymousNovember 22, 2011 at 11:41 AM

    http://www.lundberg.com/products/rice/gourmet_rice_blends/Lundberg_Black_Japonica%E2%84%A2.aspx

    I've been using Lundberg rice for many years --- usually your regular grocer can order it for you.

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  7. AnonymousNovember 26, 2011 at 7:39 PM

    I've bought it at Whole Foods if you have one nearby

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  8. AnonymousDecember 8, 2011 at 8:19 PM

    Costco sells black rice.

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  9. AnonymousJanuary 12, 2012 at 9:06 AM

    I too love black rice. My kids thought the purple color was pretty cool. We bought ours at Safeway.

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  10. AnonymousApril 7, 2012 at 6:00 PM

    I seen it at Costco today! Funny I just read this post because I had no idea what the Black Rice was when I noticed it on the shelf.. good information!

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  11. AnonymousSeptember 22, 2012 at 1:11 PM

    I've seen black rice in the health food section at Kroger

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  12. AnonymousApril 4, 2014 at 2:46 AM

    You can buy black rice in the B
    ulk foods section at Whole Foods!

    ReplyDelete
  13. UnknownSeptember 17, 2015 at 12:54 PM

    Most any Asian market......I've bought it....its has a nutty texture

    ReplyDelete

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