Nutritional profile of rice congee

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Discussion Overview

The discussion focuses on the nutritional profile of rice congee, exploring its macro and micronutrient content, the effects of cooking on these nutrients, and the differences between the rice and the water produced during the cooking process. Participants express interest in both the theoretical and practical aspects of rice congee as a food source.

Discussion Character

  • Exploratory, Technical explanation, Debate/contested

Main Points Raised

  • Some participants note that rice congee is traditionally made by boiling rice with plenty of water, resulting in a porridge-like consistency.
  • One participant questions whether the nutritional content of the rice and the water differs significantly, suggesting that some nutrients may be lost or transferred during cooking.
  • Another participant mentions that prolonged cooking can destroy certain micronutrients, such as Niacin and Vitamin C, leading to lower nutrient levels in both the rice paste and the water compared to uncooked rice.
  • There is a suggestion that the consistency of the congee may depend on the type of rice used, particularly its amylose and amylopectin content.
  • One participant expresses frustration at the lack of reliable information on the specific macro and micronutrients transferred to the water from the rice during cooking.
  • Another participant highlights the hydrolysis of complex starches and proteins into simpler molecules as a result of boiling rice, which may affect the nutritional profile.
  • Discussion includes references to the nutritional differences in rice grown in different regions, particularly in relation to iodine and lysine content.
  • Participants share links to external resources for further reading on rice nutrition and cooking methods.

Areas of Agreement / Disagreement

Participants generally agree that the nutritional profile of rice congee is complex and that cooking affects nutrient availability. However, there is no consensus on the specific nutrients transferred to the water or the exact proportions of macro and micronutrients present in either component.

Contextual Notes

Participants note limitations in available data on the nutritional content of rice congee, including the variability based on rice type, cooking methods, and regional agricultural practices.

Who May Find This Useful

This discussion may be useful for individuals interested in nutrition, culinary practices, and the health implications of traditional rice-based foods.

mktsgm
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The Asians generally love rice based food. One of the traditional food made out of rice, is rice congee. A kind of porridge. Rice is allowed to boil with plenty of water. The rice is cooked well for longer duration, well beyond the normal cooked rice range.

Finally the rice becomes very sticky and the (white) water and the rice is separated. People would consume either of both. Usually not both.

In southern part of India people prefer only the water part as food. It is considered a light food but very nutritious. Easy to digest. Some people like it for its taste also. It is given to young children as nutritional supplement instead of milk.

I want to know the nutritious status of, thus separated rice and its (rice) water part? Will it be same in its contents but differ only in quantity? Or can some of the contents (like starch and other micronutrients) be absent in one of these two?

I have seen the watery part of the congee is thin some times and very thick in some other times. May be it depends on the rice. Or perhaps the amylose and amylopectin content in rice, decides the consistency and the contents.

I want to know the nutritious profile of such rice congee.

Thanks in advance,
 
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I cannot find reliable information on rice congee.

This page shows long grain white rice nutrition. The cooking method consumes all of the water - depending on how long ago the rice was harvested it is cooked with water, varying from 1:1 (rice:water) to 1:2. Making congee creates lower levels of nutrition in the rice paste, and adds some nutritive value to the water.

But nothing in preparing rice congee actually creates any more nutrients. To the contrary: some micronutrients like Niacin (a B vitamin) or Vitamin C can be destroyed during prolonged cooking. The micronutrient levels in either of the two final products have to be lower than the parent product, uncooked rice.

You cannot create micronutrients by cooking, often times you can increase the bioavailability of them by cooking

Cooked white rice:
https://nutritiondata.self.com/facts/cereal-grains-and-pasta/5712/2

Frankly, cooked white rice (and to a large extent cooked brown rice is similar, minus some extra fiber) are good carbohydrate sources. The protein quality is minimal and limited by a single amino acid, Lysine:
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/23325920
Background on protein scores:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Protein_Digestibility_Corrected_Amino_Acid_Score

Really important:
Assuming you are interested in rice local to India, note that soils in large parts of India are depleted in Iodine, and some other trace minerals like Selenium. Also note that rice in some Western countries is being replaced higher lysine (GMO) varieties. Increasing lysine even a small amount, effectively increases the protein "score" for rice. So this means that tests performed on the nutrient content of foods the US, for example, do not correctly reflect what is available in Indian grown rice. Because of local conditions and varietal differences.

GMO lysine in rice:
https://atlasofscience.org/transgen...ay-offer-a-truthful-solution-to-malnutrition/
 
Thanks Jim. Your post and the links were useful for me.

However, I would like to know what are the macro and micronutrients that will be passed on to the water from rice and in what proportion.
 
However, I would like to know what are the macro and micronutrients that will be passed on to the water from rice and in what proportion.
This is what I was trying to answer. There is no good answer that I can find. I could take a wild guess. The congee I've had is a porridge - the liquid and "solid" parts are served in a bowl. Together.

The main result of boiling rice overnight is the hydrolysis of complex starches and proteins into simpler more water soluble molecules. You already know this.
My suggestion:
Use the bibliography in this article:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Congee

The search term in English is 'rice porridge', and there are as many different names as there are languages.

Most of what I found is not a published scientific result (in a refereed journal), so you can choose what helps you. But take it with the assumption that the data you find is not necessarily the best. In all honesty, given how many people have congee/porridge as part of their diet, you would think there should be good reference. But if there is one, I certainly missed it.

This is the standard reference for most people doing research on nutrition in foods:
https://ndb.nal.usda.gov/ndb/search/list

The liquid fraction is served as a drink where I live: horchata, which has sugar and cinnamon added. My kids loved it.
 
Boiled rice - not that uncommon, with added ingredients for flavour and sweetness.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rice_pudding
It's been a while since I have had rice pudding, with added cinnamon and sugar.
 
This is interesting about rice.
Apparently, rice that is parboiled, which a lot of it is ( converted rice ), transfers the nutrients from the husk to the endosperm, about 80%, and gelatinizes the starch.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Parboiled_rice
 

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