Shedding pounds

It's just like whole wheat vs. white bread. Brown rice is a whole grain. White's not. So brown's got more fiber, vitamins, and other goodies. Its nutty taste and chewy texture make for a hearty meal. Strip out the bran and germ, and you get white rice. Fewer nutrients, but it's easier to cook and won't steal the taste spotlight from other foods. White rice also comes from other whole-grain types, like black, red, and purple rice.

Rice is grown on every continent except Antarctica (sorry, penguins). It's easily the world's most popular grain. The Mandarin Chinese and Korean words for rice are the same as for food or meal. There are more than 40,000 varieties. Supermarkets have finally taken notice. So you'll find a wide world of rice to explore.