One of the essential ingredients in any self-respecting pantry is rice. It is versatile, easy to cook, nutritious, perfect as an accompaniment to meat and fish, but also as the main ingredient in a more elaborate recipe. In our country we can find a multitude of varieties, either due to their botanical form or their processing method. Thus we can find round rice, long rice, white rice, whole grain rice, bomba rice, wild rice, basmati rice, jasmine rice… and also, steamed rice.
We are going to discuss the latter with Beatriz Beltrán, professor in the Department of Nutrition and Food Science of the Faculty of Pharmacy of the Complutense University and honorary member of the Spanish Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics.
What is parboiled rice?
Parboiled rice or parboiled ricealso known as converted rice and minimarket, It owes its name to its peculiar way of processing. Unlike conventional rice, parboiled rice is lightly and partially steamed inside its husk. This process goes through three phases: soaking, cooking and drying. The husk is then removed.
“It is not a specific type of rice, but rather a way of processing it. In other words, we can find different varieties of parboiled rice on the market (long grain, medium grain or short grain). In turn, each of these varieties has specific characteristics that determine differences in cooking behaviour and in some sensory attributes,” explains Beltrán.
Differences between parboiled rice and regular rice
Glycemic index
The first thing that the honorary member of the Spanish Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics makes clear is that “the glycemic index of a food depends not only on its nutritional composition, but also on how it is cooked or what other ingredients it is accompanied with.”
The glycemic index of brown rice and that of parboiled rice “are inferior to white rice. For this reason, it could be an aid to improve glycemic control, especially in people with type II diabetes.”
Cooking time
The cooking time for parboiled rice is less than that for white or brown rice, since it is pre-cooked. While white rice takes about 18 minutes to cook, parboiled rice only requires about 12-15 minutes of cooking.
Uses and applications of parboiled rice in the kitchen
Although widely used in other culinary cultures such as India, it is, however, a food that is not common in our pantries. It is logical that many readers wonder what is the use of parboiled rice. Beltrán emphasizes that parboiled rice “can have the same uses as other rices.”
Is it necessary to wash it?
“Parboiled rice is washed as the first step in the industrial or manual parboiling process (this is what the production process of this variety is called) to which it is subjected to give it parboiled characteristics,” explains Beatriz Beltrán.
Regarding whether rice should be washed at home after industrial cooking, the expert points out that, although it is sometimes done to make it looser, “some of the nutrients in the rice pass into the cooking water. If it is washed after this cooking technique, it would lose even more nutrients.”
Organoleptic characteristics of parboiled rice.
Slightly yellowish or even golden in color, parboiled rice has a slightly nutty flavor, unlike brown rice, which has a more intense nutty flavor. In terms of texture, parboiled rice is somewhere between white and brown. Although each consumer’s taste will dictate, parboiled rice can be a good way to switch from white to brown.
Nutritional value of parboiled rice
Beatriz Beltrán points out some of the nutritional characteristics of this type of rice:
- Nutrient ConservationThe expert says that some studies indicate that parboiled rice suffers less loss of nutrients than other rices during the domestic cooking process.
- Vitamins and minerals“Some minerals and vitamins from the rice husk diffuse into the endosperm during the partial cooking process before removing the husk, i.e. during the steaming process. This makes it nutritionally richer in B vitamins, fibre and minerals than white rice.”
- Rich versionsIn some countries, it is customary to industrially enrich this product with minerals, such as iron and zinc. This adds greater nutritional density to this food. “Some research suggests the additional fortification of this type of rice as a potentially useful tool in improving the nutritional quality of especially vulnerable populations.”
- Prebiotic“The starches in parboiled rice gelatinize and retrograde after cooling. This process increases the proportion of resistant starch, which can function as a prebiotic.”
- FiberThe nutritional composition of parboiled rice, in terms of fibre and micronutrient content, is intermediate between that of brown rice and white rice.
- Bioactive componentsIn addition, parboiled rice has bioactive components, antioxidants from the phenol group, acid such as phenolic, ferulic acid, flavonoids and anthocyanin, which are important antioxidants.
Advantages of this type of rice
At the cooking level, it has an advantage: the partial cooking process that steaming undergoes supports the grain and prevents it from breaking when cooking. This is an advantage for those consumers who want light rice, that is, rice that Don’t overdo it or hit it.
In addition, the presence of resistant starch makes Absorbs less fat than regular rice.This way the dishes are lighter.
Disadvantages of parboiled rice
Apart from the price, which is somewhat higher – says the expert – there are no other drawbacks worth mentioning.
Is it healthier to eat parboiled rice than white or brown rice?
The expert is emphatic about the concept of ‘healthy’ that is sometimes lightly attributed to certain foods.All packaged foods legally sold in Spain are healthy, meaning they are safe for consumption.. They are simply different options. Consumers can choose based on their tastes and preferences, as well as the need to increase the content of a certain nutrient in their diet,” concludes Beatriz Beltrán. In this case, both white and parboiled rice are safe and healthy foods.
The Academy reminds us that, although at a colloquial level the adjectives ‘healthy’, ‘healthy’ and ‘safe’ are sometimes used as synonyms when referring to a food, being rigorous there are nuances that we should not overlook. Indeed, all foods that are sold are safe for human health. This means that they are not toxic, poisonous, contaminated or capable of causing an infection. The EFSA and AESAN are responsible for ensuring that this is the case. When a batch of food is no longer safe – for example, due to contamination with salmonella – it is automatically ordered to be withdrawn from all points of sale.
But Not all safe foods are healthy. Food is healthy when it promotes good health. Fruit is healthy, legumes are healthy, rice is healthy and a plate of anchovies is healthy. Fried snacks are not healthy because they provide too much salt, saturated fats and few quality nutrients. But both are safe, as they will not cause food poisoning.
The term healthy is associated with healthy, although it has connotations that could imply that it has curative or ‘healing’ properties typical of a superfood, which we already know do not exist. Therefore, despite being semantically correct, the term healthy is preferred.
The ALDI Council
Alternate brown rice, white rice, and parboiled rice in your dishes and you’ll have a greater variety of flavors and textures. Looking for even more flavor? Play with spices and herbs. The possibilities are endless!
Beatriz Beltran. Member of the Academic Body of the Spanish Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. Associate Professor, Doctor of the Department of Nutrition and Food Science of the Faculty of Pharmacy at the Complutense University of Madrid. PhD in Pharmacy from the Complutense University of Madrid (UCM), he is currently an associate professor of the Department of Nutrition and Food Science (Faculty of Pharmacy, UCM). He is a member of the recognized group of the UCM – Gastrointestinal Health. With more than 20 years of teaching and research experience, his research work focuses on the evaluation of the nutritional status of groups. Collaborator of Innovadieta. www.ucm.es/innovadieta/ Instagram @bbeabel
