Long-Term Storage – Brown Rice vs. White Rice

Long-Term Storage – Brown Rice vs. White Rice

Have you ever wondered what type of rice to store? Do you want to store brown rice because of it’s nutritional value, but you’re hesitant because it doesn’t store as long? We have you long term storage knacks here.

Brown Rice Cons
 
Yes, the biggest drawback to storing brown rice is that after about 6 months it goes rancid.  However, the rancid oils are only on the surface of the rice.  Do you know what that means?  Give it a quick rinse in warm water before you cook it and all those rancid oils wash off.  Cook it up and you’d never know it was rancid.

Yes, you can store brown rice for 15+ years!  We can attest to this because we’ve done it.

It also uses more water and takes a lot longer to cook than white rice.  For you this may be a drawback or it may not matter much.

Brown Rice Pros

The biggest factor in choosing brown rice over white rice for long-term storage is the nutritional value.  Brown rice is rice in its un-tampered-with form.

Brown rice:

• Still has the bran in tact (fiber)
• Has 2.5 times the amount of iron
• 3 times the vitamin B3
• 4 times the vitamin B1
• 10 times the vitamin B6

White Rice Cons

The drawback to storing white rice is that it’s less nutritious and the vitamins and minerals that it has are mostly sprayed on and man-made.  This is really the only drawback.  White rice is such a common staple in many diets that it would be wise to store some.

Suddenly transitioning from white rice to brown in times of need could be a shock to your system and could cause stomach discomfort.  We recommend adding brown rice to your diet slowly if you’re not used to it.

White Rice Pros

White rice will last as long as brown rice without the need to rinse it before cooking.

White rice takes much less time to cook and uses less water.  It’s also a great filler for times when you just need a little extra something to fill you up and don’t necessarily need the nutrients.

Now that you’ve decided which rice to store, put it in air and water-tight plastic buckets.  Since rice is very susceptible to weevils, be sure to put oxygen absorbing packets or CO2 in the bucket before sealing it.

You could also freeze it for 3 weeks if you have the space.  This will eliminate the need for oxygen absorbers or CO2.

Do you have any questions that didn’t get answered?  Ask in the comments section below.

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