If you’re looking for an alternative to your usual type of rice, consider jasmine rice. Native to Thailand, jasmine rice is a long grain rice a bit rounder and starchier, which makes it stickier, than other types of rice. Its popcorn flavor and jasmine aroma pairs well with seafood and dishes made with coconut. Like other types of rice, jasmine rice is low in fat, a good source of energy and can help you meet your daily iron needs. Jasmine rice has a very high glycemic index of 109, which is more than pure glucose. This attribute of Jasmine rice has been known to help people with sleep disorders when eaten in dinner.
A 1/4-cup serving of uncooked jasmine rice, which makes 3/4-cups cooked, has 160 calories. Most of those calories come from its carbohydrate content, which is 35 grams per 1/4-cup serving. Carbohydrates supply your body with energy, and not just your muscles, but your brain, nervous system and kidneys too. Forty-five to 65 percent of your daily calorie intake should come from carbohydrates.
Jasmine rice contains some protein and very little fat. A 1/4-cup uncooked serving of jasmine rice contains 3 grams of protein. As a plant source of protein, jasmine rice does not contain all of the essential amino acids. There is a slight difference in fat content between the white and brown jasmine rice. The white rice is fat-free, while the brown rice has 1 gram of fat. As an intact grain, the brown rice retains its germ, which provides vitamins, minerals and unsaturated fat.
To up the nutrition in your diet, replace white jasmine rice with brown jasmine rice. Both white and brown jasmine rice contain fiber, but the brown variety contains much more. One serving provides about 8 percent of the recommended daily intake. Most people don’t meet the daily requirements of fiber. Adult women need 25 grams a day and men need 38 grams a day; the average intake is just 15 grams. Fiber in food not only promotes bowel function, but it also improves blood lipid profiles and aids in blood sugar control.
Jasmine rice doesn’t naturally contain a significant amount of iron, but some brands are fortified with iron to help you meet your needs. Unfortified jasmine rice meets 2 percent of the daily value, while fortified jasmine rice meets 8 percent.
It contains several vitamins and minerals that your body needs. In particular, the brown variety is very rich in minerals. One serving contains 88 percent of the manganese recommended daily. It also provides 27 percent of the recommended daily supply of selenium. This is an important nutrient that is used by the immune system and also helps prevent colon cancer. Both white and brown varieties also contain calcium, magnesium, and vitamin B6.
Rinse 1 cup of rice and drain well. In a heavy saucepan with a lid, combine rice with 2 cups (500mL) of water and a pinch of salt. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to medium, and simmer, covered, until tender (about 30 minutes for medium- to long-grain white rice, 40 minutes for brown rice.
Check out Laila Jasmine Rice at your nearest store. We source the best grains from Thailand.
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