Whenever you’re eating a wholesome meal, it’s essential that you include a side dish to spur on your appetite. What better way to achieve that goal than to have some rice on the side?

For centuries this food has been a staple for Asian cuisines, using many different types of rice as their ingredients.

It goes well with practically any meal and fulfills the essential role of filling up your stomach. You can eat it with tacos, fish, chicken, salads, and more. Since November is a short distance away, Thanksgiving meals would be demanding this great food!

Its mild taste allows rice to be paired up with most foods as people can enjoy the taste of the main course while feeling full in the end.

But what makes rice so filling?

Rice happens to be an excellent source of energy as it rice is made up of mostly carbs. Carbohydrates happen to be one of our body’s primary sources of energy and eating rice is a great way to provide the energy you need to get through the day.  Some types of whole rice are also rich in vitamins and minerals, making it a great choice to top off any good meal.

Let’s go over different types of rice.

White Rice – The ideal rice that goes along with any meal. This type of rice doesn’t have a husk, bran, or germ resulting in a shiny white appearance. It goes great with most meals as its taste is mild, making a great compliment to most strong tastes. Beware though, as this rice is only a good filler where it lacks fibers and vitamins.

Brown Rice – Whole grain rice with a more pronounced taste. A much healthier alternative to white rice, brown rice provides essential vitamins and minerals like magnesium and calcium. Having a more content inside it, foods that go well with brown rice will usually use brown rice as an ingredient.

Wild Rice – If brown rice or white rice isn’t the one for you, maybe it’s wild rice. Containing no gluten and no sodium, it’s a guilt-free tasty choice for everyone to eat. On top of that, it contains proteins, fiber, and very rich in antioxidants, helping our bodies stay healthy.

Those aren’t all the types of rice out there, as there are much more types of rice with different shapes and colors. Overall, rice is a simple but flexible side dish.