Rice is good for years — unless it’s brown. Uncooked white rice will stay fresh and edible for anywhere between 10 and 30 years (depending on how it is stored). But uncooked brown rice has a shelf life of just three to six months because the bran coating will oxidize.

1. 1. Wild rice isn’t rice. Wild rice is a distant relative to all of the other rice commonly eaten today, most of which are in the Oryza sativa family. Instead, wild rice is part of the Zizania genus. It’s a grain harvested from marsh grasses grown in North America and China.
   2. All white rice starts brown. OK, you might know this one, but it’s important. White rice is just brown rice that’s been rid of its outer bran layer and polished.

Rice is grown on every continent except Antarctica. Rice is adaptable, easy to grow, and it has a very high yield, making it a terrific crop to grow anywhere and feed a large population. Just one seed of rice will result in over 3,000 grains.

Rice is an excellent source of carbohydrates, an important macronutrient that plays a key role in providing energy to the body, while also improving brain function, and reducing the risk of heart disease. However, not all types of rice are equal regarding their nutrient content; for example, brown rice is higher in fiber and nutrients than white rice.

Refinement is the key difference between white and brown rice.

When refined, the white rice removes all the parts of the seed except for the endosperm. On the other hand, brown rice removes only the external layer of the seed leaving the endosperm, awn, germ, and bran behind. This is why brown rice is believed to be healthier, although it costs more.