Protein in Rice
Rice is the most popular grain in the world. Among other things it is also one of the oldest. Wheat in particular plays a greater role in Western Society where bread is a staple of the diet, but in Eastern cultures, it fills the role of bread in the diet. Or at least that is what I can gather from the few meals at Chinese restaurants I have eaten. (Please forgive me if my personal preference is for Pennsylvania Dutch cuisine, when you taste it you will understand why.)
Even though rice is one of the most popular grains, to paraphrase a quote from the Bible, a man does not live by rice alone. (Okay, those familiar with the quote will know that the actual word used is bread, which is also true.) The reason for this is simple. Even though rice and bread contain a small amount of protein, they contain a very small amount of protein and it is a low quality protein. In order for a person to get the amount of protein he needs from rice in particular he must eat a lot of rice, probably far more than the caloric intake he would need.
Now not only is this bad for the waistline, it is also unnecessary. Rice is not a very flavorful food to begin with, and like another popular food plant, the potato; it is a food that is high in carbohydrates. Now if you need to eat rice, it is a very good idea to get your protein from another source. (This is why beans and rice are a popular dish in many places in the world. Well, at least it is one reason; the other is that both rice and beans are cheap and easily affordable to the widest range of people.)
If you do not want to eat beans or do not want to supplement the rice with animal proteins or other vegetables, although the reasons for this may personally be beyond this author, diet supplements can supply the additional protein that you are required. Now if you want to know the kind of proteins in rice, they are the low quality proteins that are found in many plants.
If you want to get protein from rice solely, that is your option, but it is not the best one unless you really enjoy eating rice. It is better to mix the rice in with other foods or serve it as a side dish to a larger meal. If you plan on supplementing a largely rice diet (perhaps undertaken for weight loss reasons), be sure to do some research as many supplements make outrageous claims that are not backed by actual science. But if you want to waste your money on these products, I will not stop you or the entrepreneurial spirit under which these people offer these products. I will however, tell you that such products are a waste of money in most cases, but you already knew that if you read this far.
