Tag: Polished rice

In the late 19th century, a mysterious disease plagued populations in the Dutch East Indies, initially thought to be a bacterial infection before an accidental observation with chickens revealed its nutritional cause. This extraordinary turn of events is the strange case of beriberi, and its unraveling fundamentally changed medical science forever.

In the late 19th century, a mysterious and devastating disease called beriberi plagued populations, especially in the Dutch East Indies. At the time, prevailing scientific thought led researchers to hypothesize that beriberi was caused by a bacterial infection, an initial belief that profoundly shaped the direction of their early experiments.

White rice, a global dietary staple, is produced by removing the nutritious bran and germ layers from the whole grain during the milling process. This refining process strips away most of its natural thiamine, or Vitamin B1. To combat the resulting nutrient deficiency, most white rice in countries like the US is now enriched, with minerals and B-vitamins, including B1, added back in.

Historically, populations that adopted a diet consisting predominantly of polished white rice saw a dramatic increase in a previously rare neurological disease called beriberi. This was because the modern milling and polishing process, which removed the outer layers of the rice grain, also stripped away a vital nutrient.

Historically, beriberi was widespread in Southeast Asia among populations consuming diets consisting primarily of polished white rice, according to the medical encyclopedia Britannica. This was due to a severe thiamine deficiency, prompting the critical question: does rice cause beriberi, or is there a more nuanced reason behind this nutritional disease?

Polished rice, the familiar white grain, has a significantly reduced nutritional profile compared to its unpolished counterpart, with up to 65% of its thiamine lost during processing. While appealing for its soft texture and fast cooking time, these benefits come at the cost of essential vitamins, minerals, and fiber.

Historically, beriberi was the "national disease" of Japan in the 19th century due to a diet heavily reliant on polished white rice. So, what food causes beriberi and how does it lead to this potentially fatal thiamine deficiency?

Historically, severe thiamine deficiency was a widespread problem in East Asia, especially in the 19th century, among populations primarily consuming polished white rice. This nutritional disorder, known as beriberi, is the formal medical term for what is colloquially known as a 'rice eater deficiency'. The disease affected millions and paved the way for the discovery of vitamins, fundamentally changing our understanding of nutrition.

According to Japan Guide, the majority of Japanese rice is polished to remove the hard outer skin and consumed as *hakumai* ('white rice'). This fact confirms that, yes, Japanese white rice is processed during a crucial milling phase to achieve its distinct characteristics.

White rice, a staple food for over half the world's population, is a refined grain that has undergone processing to remove its husk, bran, and germ. While this process makes the rice softer and extends its shelf life, it also strips away many naturally occurring nutrients. Consequently, unenriched white rice contains very few vitamins, though many brands are fortified to add back important nutrients, including key B vitamins.