Worldwide there are more than 40,000 different varieties of rice, though a small number offer the high quality acceptable to be grown commercially in the United States . In the U.S. , these varieties can be divided into long, medium, and short grain. Specialty varieties such as arborio and waxy or sweet rice, and aromatic varieties like della, basmati and jasmine, are also produced the U.S. (see Specialty Varieties) The primary differences among various rice types are their cooking characteristics, texture and subtle flavor differences. The following descriptions compare varieties of white rice. From a nutritional standpoint they are equal, and while each has its own unique characteristics, they can often be used interchangeably, depending on the recipe.

• Long
• Medium
• Short
• Sweet
• Aromatic
• U.S. arborio