What color are blueberries
Forbidden rice is the what color are blueberries purple-hued rice once reserved only for Chinese royalty. Now everyone can benefit from this nutrition powerhouse. Registered dietician, teacher, and award-winning cookbook author who has been exploring Jewish cuisine for almost 20 years.
Forbidden rice earned its name because it was once reserved for the Chinese emperor to ensure his health and longevity, and forbidden to anyone else. Forbidden rice is a medium-grain, non-glutinous heirloom rice with a deep purple hue and a nutty, slightly sweet flavor. This whole-grain rice is rich in anthocyanins, which are antioxidant pigments that give the rice its unusual color. One crop of rice created in China about 10,000 years ago is the ancestor of hundreds of types of modern rice. Most cultivated rice produces white grains, but the color of black rice is caused by a gene mutation. Since then, the rice has been replicated and transferred to other rice species through cross-breeding. Black rice is not as easy to grow as other rice varieties because it only yields about 10 percent of the harvest that other rice varieties do.
That makes the rice very expensive, which is why it was initially reserved only for the richest of the rich—which meant Chinese royalty at the time it was first discovered. The grain is cultivated in Southeast Asian countries such as India, Indonesia, Thailand, and China. In comparison to other varieties, black rice has more fiber and protein than red, brown, or white rice. This, combined with its high level of anthocyanins, makes it a nutrition powerhouse.
Black rice previously was only available in gourmet grocery stores and Asian specialty markets. But now, with its increased popularity, you can find it at Whole Foods, Target, and Walmart, as well as on online at Amazon and other retailers. It is also worth checking to see if your neighborhood grocery store carries it. Cooking black rice is similar to cooking other kinds of rice. You will use a 2 to 1 ratio of water to rice, and after the water comes to a boil, add the rice and simmer, covered, until the rice is tender and the water has been absorbed.
One difference with black rice is that it will take about 10 minutes longer to cook than other types of rice. You can simply replace white rice in recipes and dishes with black rice for a more interesting presentation as well as a nutrition boost. The Spruce Eats uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read our editorial process to learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.
