You have most likely not given rice considerable thought. Isn’t it merely a kitchen staple with a dedicated space in your pantry? Wrong: Rice has a very extensive history, with evidence of people consuming it as early as 2500 BCE. Some of its features are rather intriguing. Here are 40 delicious rice facts for kids that you probably didn’t know.
Rice Facts 1-10
1. Rice is a cereal grain, which is edible grass.
2. Before processing, rice might be brown, white, black, or purple.
3. Rice is the seed of one of two grass species: African rice or Asian rice.
4. There are around 40,000 subspecies of Asian or African rice that have been classified as rice varieties.
5. The origin of domesticated rice is the subject of intense dispute, and the available evidence suggests that it was initially domesticated in either China or India.
6. Over fifty percent of the global population considers rice to be a staple grain.
7. In 2011, rice was projected to have contributed 20% of the world’s dietary energy supply.
8. FAOSTAT reports that global rice production exceeded 862 million tons in 2018.
9. A cup of cooked white rice contains 2 mg of sodium and 55 mg of potassium.
10. A cup of cooked white rice contains 45 grams of carbohydrates, less than one percent of fat, and 0% cholesterol.
Rice Facts 11-20
11. According to FAOSTAT, China was the greatest rice producer in 2018 with over 233 million tons.
12. Rice is composed of 68 percent water, 28 percent carbs, 3 percent protein, and trace quantities of fat.
13. One cup (158 grams) of cooked white rice provides 206 calories.
14. The biggest sack of rice, as per Guinness World Records, weighs 1,227 pounds. This record was held by KRBL Limited on February 22, 2016, in Dubai, UAE.
15. The most expensive kilo of rice cost $109, according to Guinness World Records. This record was established by Toyo Rice Corporation in Japan on June 30, 2016.
16. The biggest rice cake, according to Guinness World Records, weighs 8,113 pounds. This record was set on October 7, 2007, in South Korea by Kwak Sungho.
17. During the 15th and 16th centuries, during the Ming dynasty, workmen employed a porridge made with rice and calcium carbonate as mortar to keep the stones of the Great Wall together.
18. White uncooked rice may be kept fresh and edible for ten to thirty years (depends on the way rice is stored). However, raw brown rice has a storage life of just three to six months due to the oxidation of the bran covering.
19. Wild rice is a distant cousin of all other regularly consumed kinds of rice, the majority of which are members of the Oryza sativa family. Instead, wild rice belongs to the genus Zizania. It is a grain obtained from North American and Chinese marsh grasses.
20. Rice is versatile, simple to cultivate, and produces a high yield, making it an ideal crop for growing everywhere and feeding a big population. One rice seed will produce more than 3,000 grains.
Rice Facts 21-30
21. As per the US Rice Producers Association, Asians consume up to 300 pounds of rice per year, whereas U.A.E. citizens consume 450 pounds. Each year, Americans consume well over 27 pounds of rice. The French consume a mere 10 pounds of rice annually.
22. Annually, the United States rice sector produces 20 billion pounds of rice.
23. There are 5,563 rice farmers in the United States who cultivate rice on a total of 2,800,000 acres.
24. Each rice field generates an average of $1 million for the local economy.
25. The U.S. rice sector yearly contributes more than $34 billion to the U.S. economy and employs more than 125,000 Americans.
26. The United States is the largest rice exporter outside of Asia and the fifth largest in the world.
27. To fight food poverty, the U.S. rice sector donates 40 million pounds of rice annually.
28. 95 percent of all sushi consumed in the United States is produced from rice cultivated in the United States.
29. 80 percent of the rice consumed in the United States is produced domestically.
30. Rice cultivated in the United States is naturally gluten-free and the least allergic grain available.
Rice Facts 31-40
31. All rice farmed in the United States is cholesterol-free, sodium-free, and GMO-free.
32. A plate of rice grown in the United States contains over 15 vitamins and minerals.
33. In 1991, September was declared National Rice Month by presidential proclamation.
34. Rice is the oldest known food still consumed worldwide today. Archaeologists trace its ingestion to 5,000 BCE.
35. There are three sorts of rice grains, including short, medium, and long varieties.
36. The 19th of April is National Rice Ball Day.
37. There are about 40,000 types of rice, with Basmati, Thai Jasmine, and Italian Arborio being the three most popular.
38. Asia produces and consumes 90 percent of the global rice supply.
39. In addition to rice wine, vinegar, and beer, the plant may also create exceptional grappa and sake.
40. When exiting the wedding ceremony and after the bride and groom have been blessed, it is customary in all cultures to toss grains of rice over the newlyweds’ heads to wish them future success and fertility.