Pulses and rice form the basis of the diet in India, the country of origin of Ayurveda, an important pillar of nutrition. Here is an extract from a Article about rice, which appeared in the magazine YOGA AKTUELL and many Ayurvedic references include:
Rice – Delicate Grain of Life
A kingdom for a grain of rice – what on lush green Rice fields in countless filigree panicles, is one of the greatest treasures of nature
Like a sparkling shower of countless small pearls, it rains on the newlywed couple – each of the tiny grains of rice is said to promise abundance and fertility to the radiant couple. Rice is has always been a byword for this, even more so than in our latitudes However, in Asian cultures, where it has been the Full of appreciation and With gratitude, people there encounter the rice, which is still is traditionally grown by hand in many places, and every grain that The rice farmers gain in this way becomes like a small treasure And indeed, rice is a treasure, grain for grain.
“Have you had rice today?”... that is the question in Thailand after the well-being. Rice – staple food, symbol of fertility and Sacrificial tribute to the gods, a gift of nature that for millions of essential meaning for people. This divine gift in filigree grain shape is at the same time simple and yet of tremendous Diversity.
Tens of thousands of different varieties of the food-giving rice plant thrive on earth, but more precise information on this varies. 90 percent of the world's yield is produced in Asian countries where rice originated. China alone produces about 145 million tons of rice per year, and in some In countries such as Myanmar, the average annual consumption is of a single person almost 200 kg.
In the effort to improve the global food situation, Rice plays a significant role, which will only grow in the future. And Even in ancient times, the nourishing qualities of rice grain, the cultivation of which later spread in many parts of Asia virtually determined the rhythm of life. In India, for example, Rice played a role as a collective plant already in the Mesolithic period, and Archaeological finds show that he lived in the famous Harappa culture of the Indus Valley possibly as early as the sixth, but at the latest in the second millennium BC.
None other than God Vishnu caused the earth to produce rice and God Indra taught people how to produce it cultivated, at least that is what the Indians and the Balinese believe. On In Bali you can also find the worship of a special rice deity, the Old Javanese Hindu goddess Devi-Shri: She is the owner of all important Ceremonies that mark rice cultivation from sowing to harvest accompanied by offerings of rice in various forms become.
Another ritual is, for example, edging the fields with rice grains, which is supposed to keep evil spirits away. The Burmese give rice a special appreciation – after all, it is not only their nutritional basis, but also plays an important role in their creation myth plays an important role. And according to Japanese legends It is literally a gift from heaven, from where the birds The wealth of myths and Customs in which rice is the focus.
How much rice has influenced the lives of people in many countries of the East is also reflected in the fact that in some Asian languages only have a single, common word for “Rice” and “food” exist or the term for rice at the same time which means "agriculture".
A small grain of rice is full of vital substances: For example, it contains various trace elements, especially Phosphorus, but also iron and magnesium. Especially the upper layer of the Rice grains also contain vitamins B1 and B2 as well as another B vitamin, the so-called niacin, which has important functions for the Energy metabolism is fulfilled and for regeneration and needed for the skin to produce moisture. Biotin, Potassium and zinc meet.
Depending on the variety, rice consists of about 75% starch and about 7-8% from protein, but contains only about 0.5% fat. With its complex Carbohydrates, which keep the blood sugar level constant for a long time, it is an ideal filling meal, but does not sit heavily on the stomach. Low sodium content, rice is very good for dehydrating the body, such as those advisable for obesity and high blood pressure can.
Since the shell of the rice grains in particular has a remarkable Contains a large amount of valuable nutrients, it is particularly unpolished state a true source of vitality. Before the When the processing process raises the question of polishing, the rice is However, after harvesting, the grain is first dried and threshed, which gives the called paddy rice. Then the rice is milled and husks are removed, leaving only the brownish covered with silver skin and provided with a tiny germ grains remain behind.
This brown rice, also called natural rice, is still with all the valuable nutrients. However, if it is now replaced by comprehensive mechanical polishing of silver skin and germ separated and thus processed into white rice, a considerable part of it was lost. To prevent this, the parboiled process was developed in which the nutrients are injected into the grains under high steam pressure before the rice is polished. An alternative to However, the advantage of rice treated with this method is that unpolished brown rice, which is better than white rice Rice has a slightly higher fat content (around two percent), but at the same time not only provides more protein and vitamins, but also provides you with additional fiber, which polished counterpart – including parboiled rice. Thanks to the fiber, brown rice promotes digestion and keeps particularly long-lasting. Regardless of the variety, it usually has a nutty aftertaste, which is why it is particularly popular with lovers of this taste nuance is recommended.
Parboiled rice, on the other hand, is particularly popular with those with large Popularity who do not like sticky rice, because the starch in the Rice grain changes during the parboiled process, it occurs during Cooking is no longer so intense, which makes the rice extraordinarily fluffy As an alternative to white parboiled rice, mixtures which still contain germs and bran and thus also fiber contain.
Cholesterol-free, gluten-free and non-allergenic – healthy is the Rice is always the best option, no matter which option you choose. This saves Ayurvedic cuisine is also not lacking in this food, which is considered Valued for its prana content and also for its tissue-building The nutritional theory of Ayurveda states attributes the taste of “sweet” to the rice and considers it particularly for the constitutional types Vata and Pitta as a very suitable Foods to add this flavor component to the menu While Kapha types do not consume it in excess rice is given a high nutritional value in terms of the doshas Vata and Pitta. regulating effect. People with pronounced Pitta However, you should prefer white rice because the fiber-rich Brown rice would unnecessarily fuel their strong digestive fire.
In polished form, however, rice is considered to be very digestible for a irritated digestive system, and with dominant Pitta, the cooling effects of rice. As for the variety, Ayurveda clearly favors Basmati rice, the world-famous long-grained representative of the rice genus, whose sonorous name “the This aromatic variety is considered to be part of the ancient Indian Science of life as sattvic king of all rice.
Rice is also characterized as a food by the fact that It can be combined in an extremely diverse way. Rice tastes actually everything and everything with rice.
