RD43 Rice: The New & Healthier Choice

Rice is the primary carb source in all Asian cultures for thousands of years. No meal is truly complete without a good serving of steamy, tummy-filling rice. For good reasons, too: rice consists almost entirely of carbs, with trace amounts of protein and practically no fat. Besides that, rice is also delicious and compliments pretty much any dish.

In Thailand, rice is highly valued and deeply ingrained in the people’s everyday meals. The word ‘Kao’ or ‘rice’ is synonymous with food, and a family meal gathering is ‘eating rice’ or ‘Tarn Kao’. Besides that, Thailand is also a leading rice exporter and innovator that few countries might rival; producing more than 6,000 varieties to the world each year, including the wholegrain Riceberry, widely considered as a super grain with better benefits than regular brown rice.

Generally, brown rice is healthier than white rice – the latter having the bran and germ removed, which are the most fibrous and nutritious part of the grain. But white rice is usually more tender, fragrant and flavoursome.

According to the Office of Agricultural Affairs – Royal Thai Embassy, Canberra, RD43 is one of Thailand’s recent achievements for white rice.

RD43 white rice gives you more health benefits with all the tastiness. A combination of Khao Hom Suphanburi Rice and Suphanburi 1 rice, it has a soft texture of the finest quality; while the medium to low glycaemic index value (or GI), means it allows your body to slowly digest, absorb and metabolize it into the optimal blood glucose level – may help in controlling blood sugar level.

All foods have a GI value which indicates the amount and quality of carbs contained, as well as their glucose conversion ratios in your body. Carbs are broken down in the digestive process into glucose, a simple sugar for your cells. The higher the GI, the quicker and greater amount of glucose is absorbed into your bloodstream, which carries energy to all parts of your body. However, too much glucose can overload your body, causing light-headedness, fatigue, headache, nausea, frequent urination, increased thirst, etc. Over time, the high blood glucose build-up affects the nerves, kidneys, retina and other organs; as well as leading to diabetes and heart failure.

So, consuming less carb-concentrated food is crucial to stay healthy; and RD43 white rice may just be one of the best choices for your body and blood sugar level.

Every grain of RD43 white rice goes through a stringent production. Rice seeds are certified, farmed and harvested in accordance with Good Agricultural Practices (GAP) standards; processed in Good Manufacturing Practices (GMP)-certified rice mills. The result is pristine white rice that cooks easily and tastes amazing, tender and slightly chewy with an aromatic flavour.

Want to try it? RD43 white rice is available in selected Asian grocers. Standard and quality approved by the Thai government – marked with a green-and-white diamond suit.

Savour RD43 in this special Khao Tom Goong treat by Chef Sujet of Spice I Am.

*This article is written in collaboration with the Office of Agricultural Affairs, Royal Thai Embassy Canberra.