Bhutanese red rice

Bhutanese red rice is a medium-grain rice grown in the Kingdom of Bhutan in the eastern Himalayas.^[1] It is the staple rice of the Bhutanese people.

Chicken, spinach and Bhutanese red rice

Bhutanese red rice is a red japonica rice. It is semi-milled—some of the reddish bran is left on the rice. Because of this, it cooks somewhat faster than an unmilled brown rice. When cooked, the rice is pale pink, soft and slightly sticky.

This rice became available in the United States in the mid-1990s when Lotus Foods began importing it, and it is currently the only agricultural product imported from Bhutan.

Health and nutrient facts

As a whole grain, Bhutanese red rice lowers blood pressure, improves cholesterol, lowers heart disease, lowers the risk of type 2 diabetes, and even lowers the risk of several types of cancer. Regular eating also helps maintain a healthy weight.^[2] In addition to being free of gluten, Bhutanese red rice is a great source of protein, potassium, manganese, selenium, calcium, magnesium, iron, zinc, and B vitamins. It is also known to have higher levels of iron and zinc than rice that is white, black, or brown.^[3]

See also

• Red rice