Wild rice is one of our fantastic Future 50 Foods! Find out how this tasty seed is cultivated and prepared as well as all the nutritional goodness it holds.
Origins
You might be surprised to learn that this so-called “rice” isn’t a rice at all. It’s actually the seed of a semi-aquatic grass that grows in North American lakes and rivers.
Description
The seeds are long, thin and covered by green, brown or black husks. After harvesting, the husk is dried, hulled and mixed in with brown or white rice to be sold. Wild rice is grown wild and is not commercially cultivated, so often the supply can be scarce in many parts of the world.
Preparation
Deliciously nutty, toasty and earthy with a chewy texture, wild rice is easy to digest and a source of various valuable minerals. Wild rice is prepared in the same manner as brown or white rice but it can also be popped like corn for a more colourful and nutritious version of popcorn. It can also be incorporated into salads, soups or veggie burger patties.
Nutritional value
Wild rice is a naturally gluten free and Low GI food containing 5x more iron, 15x more zinc and 6x the folate than common white rice. A serving of wild rice also provides up to a third of an adult’s daily needs for zinc, magnesium, niacin, phosphorus, manganese. These nutrients can help to boost your immune system and energise your body. As one of our Future 50s Foods, you can trust that wild rice is good for you and better for the planet.
In partnership with Knorr.