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RICE
Rice
is a staple of the Caribbean diet. It is eaten at many
meals, and is prepared in a variety of ways; as a "one-pot
meal" in some islands - a pelau, for instance in
Trinidad where it is complemented with chutney; or as
an "ital peas and rice" cooked with coconut milk
in Jamaica.
Whatever
the island, rice is commonly used as a standard dish
with the main meal of the day, side by side with meats, root
crops and salads. Islanders do not generally use
rice in desserts, but on some Spanish-speaking islands, such
as Margarita, a delicious drink called "chica" is
made, sold by vendors on bicycles with brightly painted carts.
Rice
is cultivated on islands with warm temperatures and abundant
annual rainfall such as Puerto Rico, Cuba, Trinidad, and the
Dominican Republic. Rice paddies look like vast, grass-filled
swamps in valleys flatlands or lowlands. Yields in these
islands are high and used mostly for local consumption.
Rice
is also eaten in many other countries throughout the world.
It’s an excellent source of starchy carbohydrate, which we
need to give us energy. Rice also contains some protein, which
the body needs to grow and repair itself, and some fibre that
can help the body get rid of waste products.
Rice
is very low in fat and it’s also a good source of B vitamins,
which release the energy from the food we eat and help the
body to work properly.
We
should eat starchy foods, such as bread, potatoes and cereals
including rice, every day as part of a healthy, balanced diet.
Source:
Food Standards Agency
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