Brown rice vs White rice?

[Long Zhiren]

Does this debate exist outside of the US? (regarding milled process and nutrients or lack of nutrients in the rice?)

Is there a distinction in China? Does 白饭 necessarily imply the variety with less nutrients? What other 米 vocabulary do we have?

[baobei]

This might not be correct but I thought 精米 referred to the refined white rice. The type more likely to be stripped of nutrients. Same with 糯米 but that is usually used on sweets isn't it? Though all white rice is supposed to be more deficient then brown rice. Then there are long grained rice 籼米 like the indian jasmine.

[DrWatson]

Can't speak about China, but the debate exists in Japan. Brown rice, known as genmai (玄米) in Japan, is very popular for dieters and for people trying to eat special diets like macrobiotics and what not. Most Japanese people love 白米 so much that they can't eat only 玄米 -- many will often mix half and half. It is growing in popularity now that Japan is experiencing the beginning of an obeisity prolem.

Note that though the nutrients are removed when producing 白米, nutrients are often added artificially to rice. However, most people in Asia wash rice before eating it and it washes away many of the artifically added nutrients. However, washing the rice also has good reasons. There are tiny bugs and what not that like to live amongst rice and washing rice before cooking helps to clean the rice. Also, some simply don't trust the artificial nutrients added by rice production factories. Mothers in Japan sometimes add vitamin suppliment powder to the rice for their chidlren before cooking it.

Also, I know that in Taiwan, brown rice is commonly consumed by those following strict Buddhist vegetarian diets as well.

[Jialihai Jiejie]

What other 米 vocabulary do we have?

We actually call brown rice, 糙米 (lit coarse rice) in Chinese. 玄米 (lit secret rice) is its Japanese name. Somehow, I prefer the Japanese name - because it implies that the rice has some kind of 'secret ingredients'. What secret ingredients? Ah... of course they refer to those extra vitamins, fibre, minerals found in the brown rice.

You see, the Japanese already knew this 'secret' when they 'created' or 'modified' this pair of Kanji thousand of years ago. No wonder, they can live up to 80s, 90s...

Jialihai Jiejie

[HashiriKata]

We actually call brown rice' date=' 糙米 (lit coarse rice) in Chinese. 玄米 (lit secret rice) is its Japanese name. Somehow, I prefer the Japanese name - because it implies that the rice has some kind of 'secret ingredients'. What secret ingredients? Ah... of course they refer to those extra vitamins, fibre, minerals found in the brown rice.

You see, the Japanese already knew this 'secret' when they 'created' or 'modified' this pair of Kanji thousand of years ago. No wonder, they can live up to 80s, 90s...[/quote']No, it's all not right, Jialihai Jiejie. Let the Japanese expert in residence tell you something simpler: the 玄 in 玄米 refers simply to the darker colour of the rice. Yes, you've got it: 玄米 simply means "black rice", "dark rice".

[Jialihai Jiejie]

Actually, I meant the original meaning of 玄 in Chinese context.

It means 'secret', 'mysterious' as in the 玄 in 玄之又玄 .

この推理は分かりやすいだ。

でも，ハシリカタさんの答えもあたった。

假厉害姐姐

[wushijiao]

In Hong Kong, a lot of vegetarian restaurants will serve a 50/50 mix of white rice and red rice. In theory, this has more nutrients than simply white rice, a lower GI index, more fiber, but is a bit eaasier to digest and tastes a bit better (and more mainstream) than 100% brown or red rice would.

[lioralourie]

White Rice, due to the processing, often has a small amount of aluminum in it.

Something to consider, especially if you are chelating, or metal-toxic, or young.