Rice 101: Different Types of Rice and Healthy Rice Alternatives

Most Filipinos would instantly picture a bowl of steaming white rice when we talk about a full meal. It is a daily staple for over half the world, feeding millions across Asia, Africa, and Latin America, and now also making its way into Western diets. But how well do you actually know your rice? Dig in with our beginner-friendly introduction to rice and learn about the different types of rice, popular rice alternatives, and the best rice for your lifestyle.

Different types of rice

Rice varieties are commonly characterized according to grain size and color. They’re fairly straightforward distinctions at a glance, but a closer look reveals more nuanced yet consistent differences between these categories—texture, flavor, starch content, natural dyes, and even the degree of processing, including the removal of the hull (protective shell), bran (outer layer), and germ (core).

There’s definitely a bigger world beyond that simple bowl of white rice, and even that has plenty of varieties. See for yourself and explore these common types of rice:

Rice types by grain size

• Long-grain

Long and slender, with a length that’s roughly 3 to 4 times its width. When cooked, the result is a light, firm, and fluffy rice. The cooked grains also remain separate since the high amylose content—a “fluffy” starch that doesn’t gelatinize easily—in long-grain rice prevents them from becoming sticky.

• • Examples: Basmati, Jasmine, Sinandomeng
    
  • Meals to try: Stir-fry, curry, biryani

• Medium-grain

About 2 to 3 times longer than it is wide, making it shorter and wider than long-grain rice. Cooked medium-grain rice is moist and tender, with a slightly chewy, sticky texture. 

• • Examples: Arborio, Bomba, Dinorado
    
  • Meals to try: Risotto, paella, arroz con pollo
    

• Short-grain

Short, plump, and almost round. These grains are higher in amylopectin, a “sticky” starch that behaves like glue when heated with water. This gives cooked short-grain rice a soft, very sticky texture that’s ideal for clumping.

• • Examples: Glutinous rice, Koshihikari, Calmochi
    
  • Meals to try: Sushi, bibimbap, mango sticky rice
    

Rice types by color

• White rice 

The most consumed variety of rice worldwide. White rice is milled to remove the hull, bran, and germ, leaving a polished endosperm—the clean white grains we commonly see. Almost any rice can be white rice if processed to this level. However, removing the bran and germ also strips rice of the fiber and nutrients they contain. All the same, white rice isn’t inherently bad and still has a place in a balanced diet.

• • Flavor profile: Mild, neutral flavor with a soft texture that can vary from fluffy to creamy depending on type
    
  • Health benefits: Easily digestible due to its low fiber content
    

• Brown rice

Brown rice is produced from the same grain as white rice, with the key difference of retaining its bran and germ. Keeping these nutrient-rich layers makes brown rice a whole grain and naturally healthier than white rice. This, together with its accessibility and affordability, makes brown rice the most popular rice alternative to white rice.

• • Flavor profile: Slightly earthy, nutty taste with a firm, chewy texture that’s less sticky than white rice
    
  • Health benefits: Higher in fiber and nutrients than white rice
    

• Black rice

Also known as forbidden rice, black rice is a whole grain rich in anthocyanins—the same powerful antioxidants in superfoods like blueberries and blackberries—which give them their distinct deep color. Black rice then turns purple when cooked.

• • Flavor profile: Robust, slightly sweet, nutty flavor with complex earthy notes, and a dense, chewy texture
    
  • Health benefits: Exceptionally high antioxidant levels
    

• Red rice

Like black rice, red rice is an exceptionally nutritious whole grain, also rich in anthocyanins that give it its reddish-brown color. While it can’t outshine black rice in its anthocyanin levels—which are still quite high—it does have superior iron and zinc content.

• • Flavor profile: Distinct earthy, nutty flavor that’s pleasant and wholesome, with a firm, chewy exterior and soft interior
    
  • Health benefits: Rich in iron and zinc
    

Healthy rice alternatives

Rice—even white rice—isn’t inherently unhealthy. However, one must acknowledge that there are different reasons to seek out a rice substitute. Whether it's dietary restrictions and lifestyle changes or a simple change of pace, explore these popular rice alternatives to shed light on the best option for your diet and lifestyle: 

• Adlai

Also known as Job’s Tears, adlai is a nutrient-dense heirloom grain native to tropical Asia and widely grown in the Philippines—often in the highlands—as a resilient, low-maintenance crop. It’s a low-glycemic, high-fiber substitute for rice, and a local alternative to quinoa with a similar texture. It works well as a direct rice substitute and easily absorbs the flavors of spices and sauces.

• • Flavor profile: Mild, earthy, and slightly nutty, with a satisfyingly chewy texture
    
  • Health benefits: Gluten-free and high in fiber, protein, and nutrients, with a low glycemic index of 35
    

• Quinoa

A naturally gluten-free seed that can be cooked and eaten like a grain, despite not being a true cereal grain. Quinoa is excellent for vegetarian and vegan diets as a complete protein that contains all nine essential amino acids. It comes in three varieties: white, ideal for everyday meals; red for hearty salads; and black for robust, textured dishes.

• • Flavor profile: Varies between white (mild and fluffy), red (nutty and hearty), and black (earthy, sweet, and firm)
    
  • Health benefits: Gluten-free, complete protein packed with antioxidants, fiber, and essential minerals
    

• Cauliflower rice

A rice alternative that contains only a fraction of the calories and carbs in rice, plus it’s packed with nutrients and fiber. It’s an excellent choice for keto and paleo diets, vegans and vegetarians, and simply for overall health. Cauliflower rice is easy to make by grating or finely chopping it in a food processor, and it easily absorbs the flavors in any richly seasoned or saucy dish.

• • Flavor profile: Mild, slightly nutty, vegetal flavor with a similar, if less bouncy, texture than rice
    
  • Health benefits: Nutrient-dense, rich in fiber, low calories, and low carbs
    

• Shirataki rice

This keto-friendly rice substitute is processed from the Konjac plant, a root vegetable native to Southeast Asia and Japan. It’s primarily composed of water and glucomannan, a soluble fiber, making it a great low-carb, low-calorie option for managing diabetes and weight loss. Shirataki rice offers a neutral base that soaks up flavor, perfect for rich, savory dishes like stir-fry and curry.

• • Flavor profile: Mostly flavorless with a chewy, gelatinous texture
    
  • Health benefits: High in fiber, low calories, and low carbs
    

• Couscous

Traditionally made from small pearls of semolina flour, couscous is actually a type of pasta widely used in Mediterranean and Middle Eastern cuisines. Thanks to the durum wheat from which its flour is made, couscous is packed with protein and fiber, with the whole-wheat variety offering the highest levels.

• • Flavor profile: Mild, nutty flavor and light, fluffy texture
    
  • Health benefits: Rich in protein and fiber
    

Must-try Joel’s Place grain bowls

As rice is a major staple food in the Philippines, switching it out of your diet can be a shocking change and a big commitment. Ease your palate into the new flavors by trying out the grain bowls at Joel’s Place. Our delicious grain bowls will show you the flavorful possibilities of a healthy lifestyle:

• Adlai Seafood Paella - An adlai-based paella simmered in tomato sauce and layered with mussels, clams, shrimp, and salmon.
• Chorizo and Sausage Paella - A Spanish-inspired meal made with adlai, pork chorizo, Hungarian sausage, and capsicums, simmered in tomato sauce.
  
• Adlai Mushroom Risotto - A vegetarian twist on the Italian classic risotto featuring adlai cooked in creamy mushroom sauce.
• Roasted Pumpkin and Quinoa Salad - A vibrant salad of roasted pumpkin quinoa, fresh mint, arugula, sunflower and pumpkin seeds, and cranberries, served with passion fruit vinaigrette.
• Lemongrass Chicken Grain Bowl - A quinoa and brown rice bowl topped with lemongrass chicken, garlic bok choy, and red cabbage slaw, with calamansi gravy.
• Salmon Miso Grain Bowl - A quinoa and brown rice bowl topped with salmon miso, garlic bok choy, and red cabbage slaw.
• Brown Steak Rice - Fried rice made with steak bits and brown rice, tossed in a savory soy-based sauce.

These grain-based meals are available for order online through Click and Collect and GrabFood. You can also visit our stores for a fresh bowl made by our expert chefs at The Deli.

Whether you remain loyal to rice, move on to a rice substitute, or treat your palate to new dishes, Joel’s Place is happy to assist you on your food journey. After all, our goal isn’t just to bring you exciting culinary discoveries, but to also enlighten you with a deeper understanding of the food we all love—in this case, the humble yet exceptional rice.

Photography by Hermes Singson. In-article illustrations by Venice Fernandez.