Wild Rice Salad

Description

Contrary to popular belief, wild rice is not directly related to traditional rice; its elongated black grains are actually the seeds of the wetland grass Zizania aquatica, which grows in North America. Wild rice has a unique, sweetly exotic flavor with a delicate nutty aroma. When it comes to nutritional value, wild rice easily outperforms other grains! It contains a significant amount of protein (15 g per 100 g, with a very rich amino acid profile), B vitamins, and is particularly valued for its folic acid content (it has five times more than brown rice). One cup of wild rice provides the daily requirement of folic acid for an adult. As for minerals, wild rice contains substantial amounts of magnesium (177 mg), phosphorus (433 mg), zinc (6 mg), and manganese (1.3 mg - this is two-thirds of the daily requirement for an adult). And that’s not all - wild rice has half the sodium of regular rice. It contains no saturated fats or cholesterol at all. With so many benefits, should we even mention that wild rice is also a whole grain? However, wild rice does have its downsides. Firstly, it is quite expensive, as it only grows in a relatively small area on the planet. Secondly, the protein in wild rice is not complete - it contains 18 amino acids but is missing two: asparagine and glutamine. However, this can be easily remedied - simply serve boiled wild rice with legumes (beans, chickpeas, lentils) - they contain the missing amino acids. This way, you will achieve a complete protein, which is particularly valuable for vegetarians and those observing fasts.