A number of different rices are referred to as “red rice.” In most cases, people mean an unhulled or partially hulled rice which has a red husk, rather than the much more common brown. Like other unhulled rices, red rice has a nutty flavor, and a high nutritional value, thanks to the fact that the germ of the rice is left intact. Some specialty stores carry red rice, often labeled as “Bhutanese red rice” or “cargo rice,” and it can also be purchased through companies which specialize in rice.
However, “red rice” can also refer to a wild variety of rice which has a very low grain yield, leading many rice farmers in its native Asia to regard it as a weed. This type of red rice can become a real nuisance next to rice plantations, because it can cross-breed, producing inferior rice plants, and it can take over. Several attempts have been made to genetically modify this rice varietal to make it more useful.
The term “red rice” is also sometimes used to refer to red yeast rice, a specialized product made in China and Japan. To make red yeast rice, manufacturers hull and polish rice grains and then cultivate a mold which creates a crusty red coating. This rice can be eaten like regular rice, but it is also used in Traditional Chinese Medicine to treat a variety of conditions. Studies on red yeast rice also seem to suggest that it may help fight harmful cholesterol.
