Athletes Going for Gold Fuel Up on Rice at Winter Games

ARLINGTON, VA, February 1, 2006 — The 2,500 fit and fab athletes at the Torino Games know the difference between winning a Gold Medal and no medal may be less than a hundredth of a second. That’s why athletes pay so much attention to what they eat to compete, and rice is consistently one of the most popular items on the Olympic menu.

Since rice is the grain that nourishes two-thirds of the world’s population, it is anticipated that it will be one of the most consumed foods at the upcoming Winter Games as well. In fact, as a barometer of how much rice will be eaten in Torino, Italy, rice was the most popular menu item of the 2004 Olympic Games. For the Summer Games, 20,000 pounds of dry rice in five different varieties were prepared and served, equaling over 250,000 half-cup servings of cooked rice.

“Athletes are definitely carb-friendly eaters,” explains Nanna Meyer, Ph.D., R.D. a sports dietitian with the U.S. Olympic Speedskating Team and The Orthopedic Specialty Hospital in Salt Lake City, Utah. “Athletes need between 50-60 percent of their total calories from carbohydrates, depending on how hard and how frequently they train. I recommend carbohydrates to athletes to prepare for and recover from intense exercise training,” adds Meyer, “and rice is always on my list because it’s nutritious, easy to digest and athletes like it.”

A diet that is rich in grains, including rice, and fruits and vegetables, is particularly important for active individuals to ensure that they get enough wholesome, complex carbohydrates. Meyer’s Olympic athletes often have a variety of rice dishes from which to choose on their training menu. And, since rice is gluten-free and non-allergenic, it has worked well for one of the speedskating Olympic contenders who relied on rice as a major carbohydrate source in his gluten-free diet during much of his preparatory phase, according to Dr. Meyer.

Rice makes great nutritional sense for sports-minded individuals or anyone seeking a high-octane meal or snack. A half-cup cooked serving of rice has only 103 calories, primarily from complex carbohydrates, the muscles’ and brain’s preferred fuel source. In addition, rice is virtually fat-free, contains iron and zinc and packs in folic acid and other B-vitamins necessary to convert food into energy. Research consistently shows that a high-carbohydrate diet is the winning way for overall health and performance—be it on the mountain or in a meeting. In fact, the 2005 US Dietary Guidelines for Americans recommends that all individuals consume between 45-65 percent of calories from carbohydrate foods. In the U.S., both athletes and others enjoy an abundant supply of U.S.-produced rice as a leading source for the recommended 5-10 grain servings (depending on calorie needs) per day also recommended by the Guidelines.

Even if you aren’t on the fast track to fitness, paying attention to your diet is one of the best ways to improve your health and wellbeing. These healthy eating nutrition tips by Dr. Meyer are recommended for athletes of all levels and ages—from sideline spectators and weekend warriors to World champions.

· To meet the current Dietary Guideline of having at least three servings of whole grains per day, try 100 percent whole grain brown rice instead of potatoes or more processed carbohydrates such as white bread. Each half-cup counts as a serving of whole grain.

· To build a balanced, athletically-sound meal, partner rice with other wholesome foods including vegetables and lean protein like chicken or fish. The more active you are, the greater your serving size of rice can be.

· For a high-energy, fiber-rich breakfast, try a bowl of brown rice with a little low-fat or nonfat milk and cinnamon and freshly grated apple, served hot or cold.

· For a great recovery snack, try a rice pudding, using white rice, skim milk, honey and cinnamon.

· Because athletes get their fair share of sugars from sports drinks, bars and gels before, during and after exercise, they should focus on whole food options such as whole and enriched grains for their carbohydrate sources at breakfast, lunch and dinner.

For additional tips, recipes and other rice nutrition information, visit www.usarice.com.

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, Florida, 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.

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Rice. A World of Great Ideas.

For Brown Rice Country Breakfast, click here.

Contacts: Anne Banville, (703) 236-1465, abanville@usarice.com

Melissa McAllister, Pollock Communications, 212-941-1414, mmcallister@pollock-pr.com