Fun Rice Facts

Rice is the oldest known food that is still widely consumed today. Archaeologists can date its consumption back to 5000 BC.
There are three types of rice grain: short, medium and long.
April 19th is National Rice Ball Day.1
There are over 40,000 varieties of rice the three favorite are Basmati, Thai Jasmine and Italian Arborio.
Asia alone both produces and consumes 90% of the world’s rice.
September is National Rice Month.
Besides rice wine, vinegar and beer, the distilled plant can produce excellent grappa, and sake.
When leaving the wedding ceremony, and after the blessing of the bride and groom, it is traditional in all cultures to throw grains of rice over the heads of the newlyweds in order to wish them prosperity and fertility in the future.
One of the secrets to Chinese architecture under the Chinese Ming dynasty (1300-1600) can be found hidden in limestone. Rice, which adds strength and stability, was used in the walls of the city of Nanjing.