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Rice is Prominently Positioned in New USDA Food Guidance System

Whole Grain Brown and Enriched White Rice Can Help Americans Follow MyPyramid Guide with Ease

Arlington, VA, April 19, 2005 — Rice can help consumers attain a healthy weight, be well nourished and physically active as recommended by the updated Food Guidance System, MyPyramid, “Steps to a Healthier You,” released today by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA). The new educational tool incorporates recommendations from the 2005 Dietary Guidelines for Americans and emphasizes a customized approach based on individual needs. Rice is a nutrient-dense food providing complex carbohydrates and over 15 essential nutrients to the diet in just over 100 calories per half cup serving. It is prominently positioned as an important part of the diet, represented in the orange-colored grains food group, which is the largest of the five recommended food groups depicted in the new pyramid. Rice fits well within the MyPyramid focus of getting the most nutrition from your food choices in all five groups each day. Rice and other grain-based foods should comprise the most servings of all the food groups, consistent with the 2005 Dietary Guidelines and the Institute of Medicine’s recommendation that 45-65 percent of calories should be from carbohydrate foods.

Rice Fits New MyPyramid

MyPyramid encourages consumers to take “steps to a healthier you” by making healthier food choices and being active every day. Rice fits the key tenets to help Americans accomplish these goals, including:

Nutrient Density – Get the Most Nutrition from Your Calories:

Rice is a great tasting, nutrient-rich, complex carbohydrate that contributes over 15 essential nutrients to the diet. With just over 100 calories per half cup serving, rice is low-calorie, sodium- and cholesterol-free and has only a trace of fat and no trans fats.

Variety and Moderation:

According to research presented at a meeting of dietitians earlier this month, rice eaters consume more vegetables and fruits, less added fats and sugars, and fewer calories each day. In fact, the data showed that rice eaters’ diets are more consistent with the 2005 Dietary Guidelines for Americans.

Due to its versatility, both brown and white rice can complement and partner with other nutritious foods, like vegetables, beans, fish, lean meat and poultry.

Proportionality –MyPyramid Widths Suggest How Much Food to Choose from Each Group:

MyPyramid and 2005 U.S. Dietary Guidelines recommend six grain servings each day (based on 2,000 calories), with half of daily grain choices coming from whole grain products, and the balance from enriched or whole-grain products. One cup of whole grain brown rice provides two of the three recommended daily servings of whole grains, while enriched white rice is a good source of many important vitamins and minerals like folic acid and iron that are lacking in the typical American diet.

Physical Activity:

Rice contributes complex carbohydrates to the diet, which fuel the body. Carbohydrates, the body’s preferred energy source for muscles, are critical to an active lifestyle emphasized in the new MyPyramid Food Guide.

Steps to a Healthier You: Healthy Rice Bowls

A simple-to-build Healthy Rice Bowl developed by USA Rice Federation shows consumers how to get started on implementing new MyPyramid recommendations. Rice bowls are an easy, inexpensive and delicious way to combine rice with other healthy foods such as vegetables and lean proteins and turn the guidance in MyPyramid into practical, customized meals. To demonstrate how it works, USA Rice has created a three-step Healthy Rice Bowl graphic image and accompanying tips. The Healthy Rice Bowl includes two servings of wholesome grains (either enriched white rice or whole grain brown rice or a blend of both), a cup or more of nutrient-packed vegetables and 2-3 ounces of lean proteins, while being low in sodium and fat, which is consistent with the new healthy eating advice click here.

The USA Rice Federation is the national advocate for all segments of the rice industry, conducting programs to build awareness of the many attributes of rice and increasing worldwide demand for U.S. rice. Arkansas, California, Louisiana, Texas, Mississippi, and Missouri produce high-quality varieties of short, medium and long grain rice, as well as specialty rices including jasmine, basmati, Arborio, red aromatic and black japonica, among others. For more information, visit www.usarice.com.

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