Rice: The Long and Short of It

When you throw rice on the side of your plate or under a stir-fry, you may have no other intention for it than to restock your depleted glycogen stores. But as a fuel, you should consider what this little grain has to offer runners. Whether you serve it with protein post-run, or salt it and keep in a baggie to eat on a long run, rice can be a runner’s close friend. Much like friendship, however, there are some types that might just be fluff.

When only the husk, rice’s outermost layer, is removed, brown rice remains nutritionally intact – unlike white rice. Though some rice varieties are naturally white, most white rice is processed from brown rice, which removes the bran and the germ. In fluffy white rice, you’re left with the micronutrient-poor endosperm, which is simply a source of protein and carbohydrate. One cup of either brown or white rice, cooked, gives you 5 g of protein and 45 g of carbs – enough to fuel a couple of kilometres. Not bad, but there is better rice available.

Micronutrients like thiamine, riboflavin and iron are discarded when white rice is created. Enrichment, adding nutrients where processing has removed them, replaces only three of several stripped vitamins and minerals. And since rice enrichment is voluntary in Canada’s food industry, be aware of whether your white rice package notes the word “enriched.” If it doesn’t, you’re missing critical energy-converting B vitamins and oxygen-transporting iron, among many other nutrients.

White rice production also strips out several minerals, fat and fibre. Processing casualties include free-radical-fighting vitamin E, along with nearly 2 g of heart-healthy poly- and monounsaturated fats. Ten per cent of your daily fibre intake – 2.5 g per cup – is also stricken from the grain. Antioxidants selenium and manganese are destroyed and not replaced, as are magnesium and zinc, which play key roles in preventing muscle cramping and helping insulin action and immune function.

Considering brown rice’s super nutrient powers, white rice seems pretty simple. While nearly all rice types – brown, white, red, purple, and black – have similar carbohydrate and protein levels, a rice’s colour belies its quality. Just switching to brown from white rice will up your performance potential and help your metabolism hum, but exotic colours like red, purple and black indicate supreme nutritional punch. Coloured varieties boast anthocyanins, pigments that give fruits and vegetables their rich colours. Beyond looking great, anthocyanins are respected antioxidants. While coloured rice has similar macronutrient content to brown rice, black rice has twice the fibre (5 g per cup) as other varieties, and red rice has twice the iron (5.5 mg per cup) and zinc (3 mg).

If you’ve been eating a lot of white rice, it might be time to add some colour to your rice palette.

RECIPE:

Rice Salad for the Trail

By Chef Stefan Czapalay

Dedicated trail runner and executive chef Stefan Czapalay is a member of the Research Chefs Association, the Canadian Culinary Federation, La Chaîne de Rôtisseurs, and a charter member of Cuisine Canada. He works for Jazz Fine Foods. He is currently training for the Sulphur Springs 100-mile trail race in Ancaster, Ont., on May 28, and The North Face Canadian Death Race in Grande Cache, Alta., on July 29.

Ingredients:   4 portions

Salad

1 cup                            cooked red or brown rice

¼ cup                           chopped dried apricots

¼ cup                           dried cranberries

¼ cup                           almonds (lightly crushed)

¼ cup                           walnuts (broken)

1                                  green onion sliced

1 tsp                             fresh chopped garlic

½ tsp                            finely minced ginger

1                                  orange juice and zest only

½                                 lime juice and zest only

1 tsp                             honey

1 tsp                             fresh chopped mint

¼ cup                           diced chayote squash (or jicama or celery root)

¼ cup                           diced yellow or red sweet pepper

1                                  tbsp olive oil

Pinch                            sea salt

Pinch                            fresh cracked pepper

Dressing

¼ cup                           orange juice

¼ cup                           pomegranate or blueberry or cranberry juice

1 tbsp                           fresh squeezed lemon juice

1 tbsp                           fresh squeezed lime juice

1 tbsp                           honey

3 tbsp                           olive oil

Nutritional Information (per serving)

Calories 347

Fat 22.7 g

Protein 4.5g

Carbohydrates 35.1 g

Fibre 3.9 g

Sodium 43 mg

Method

Mix together all ingredients for the salad and refrigerate in an airtight container. Mix well to protect the rice from drying and becoming grainy.

Mix together ingredients for dressing very well and freeze in ice cube trays.  When leaving for a run, pack a portion of rice salad (1/2 cup) in a small Tupperware container and make a small well in the centre. Place 1 cube of the frozen salad dressing in the centre of the rice salad.  Wrap the container in a layer of newspaper and then in a tightly wrapped bag.  Place in knapsack.  The ice will melt slowly over the period of about 3 hours (on a normal summer day (21 C or so) and keep the rice salad cool. Dried fruit will absorb excess moisture.

Key Ingredients:

Almonds: Chosen for their high caloric value in a small quantity at 575 calories per 100 g (50 nuts), almonds contain manganese, magnesium and copper to help combat cramping.  They also have large amounts of vitamin E, as well as selenium, which may help eliminate mental fatigue and anxiety.

Walnuts are my favourite nuts with an even higher calorie count then the almond (620 calories per 100 g). They contain loads of healthy fats in the form of omega-3 and 6.  They have good levels of zinc, iron calcium and iodine as well as vitamin B6. They help to control blood sugar and improve cardiovascular functions.

Ginger even in a small amount stimulates circulation, boosts energy levels and relieves gastrointestinal distress. I also carry a bit of ginger candy in my pack to help prevent nausea on the long runs.

Pomegranate juice contains tons of antioxidants assisting in cleaning up the free radicals produced during an endurance run. The juice also contains good sugars, plenty of vitamin C and potassium, which may also assist in the prevention of muscle cramping.

Lime juice is very high in vitamin C and boosts circulation.

Honey is a great fuel source as it has an almost equal proportion of fructose to glucose. The fructose basically unlocks the enzymes in the liver to allow the glucose to convert into glycogen for muscle fuel.

Dried apricots and cranberries are high in antioxidants and fructose for quick energy and cell repair.

Red rice is rich in B vitamins, iron and calcium, and high in an antioxidant called anthocyanin.