i usually buy my brown rice in this big plastic tub. it is organic and it costs a bit more than the usual suspects but i've always enjoyed the taste, texture and flavor.

well... the other day i was at the grocery and, since i'm trying SO hard to stick to a budget (as well as my diet!), i bought the uncle ben's brown rice. rice is rice, right?

NOPE!

i have to say that i was shocked and amazed (and not in a good way!) at the difference a couple of bucks can make. who knew that two products called the exact thing could be so different?

well, i just wanted to share that with my fellow fat smashers, especially those who aren't a fan of the brown rice.

and, for what its worth, i cook mine with chicken bouillon and basil and sprinkle it with some lemon juice before serving. mmmm mmmm good!!!

I've never been a huge fan of brown rice but I've tried the uncle ben instant brown, I thought it was pretty good.

I tried cooking it from scratch- BIG mistake.

I use Carolina brown rice (I make it on my rice cooker) and I LOVE it!!

It's not the same because Uncle Ben's is partially or completely cooked and then dried (so that it cooks quickly).

Also rice is definitely not rice. Just like a vegetable isn't a vegetable. Celery is very different from beets.

Rice trivia: There are thousands of varieites of rice. The International Rice Research Institute's Genetic Resources Center contains aproximately 80,000 samples of distinct rice varieties. The collection is kept in a special earthquake-proof and fireproof facility that must be maintained at temperatures as low as - 19 degrees Celsius.

"Brown rices" aren't always brown, and white rice isn't always white. Brown rice refers to rice that still has the bran coating being left on the grain. More accurate terms would be polished rice for white rice and unpolished rice for brown rice.

Rices do have very distinct flavors and textures.

dang! i had no idea!

first off... 80000? wow! and... an international rice research institute? wow again. i guess we take for granted all of the variety that we are fortunate enough to have.