Lotus Foods Bulk Organic Forbidden Rice, Non GMO - 15 Oz Bags (Pack of 6)

I have loved black rice since the first time I tried it in a Thai forbidden rice dessert with a scoop of vanilla ice cream on top. Now that my inflammatory PCOS has been acting up, I need to take my health seriously and treat myself like a prediabetic. I found out that with inflammatory PCOS many people have a histamine intolerance to foods. So basically I'm very limited on the foods I eat because even healthy foods can cause weight gain or chronic inflammation on top of make PCOS symptoms much worse. Black rice is lower on the glycemic index and is low histamine. Which is great for inflammatory PCOS management. I eat about 1/2 - 1 cup per meal daily, and it never spikes my blood sugar above 135. I also make it in batches, mix in a bit cold pressed virgin coconut oil, and then freeze it. (You can't have left overs with a histamine intolerance. Everything needs frozen as soon as you cook it if there's left overs.) It microwaves or thaws out in a pan well. It doesn't get a nasty texture or even loose flavor. I think the coconut oil preserves the texture and flavor best. With a tiny amount of Celtic salt. I've been eating a lot of boiled chicken, black rice, kale, beets, onions, ginger, garlic, turmeric, and tahini bowls. Sometimes throw in some cilantro, chia, flax and pumpkin seeds. I've lost about 30 lbs so far and feel satisfied with every meal. Especially adding in black rice. If I don't eat any black rice I feel starved. So this is a great whole grain to have if you can't have many of the others. Black rice is nutty, so you can make it savory or sweet. Sometimes I heat up the black rice with a little coconut milk and blueberries. No sugar or substitutes, but it has a semi sweet profile and that way doesn't spike blood sugar for me also. It is worth buying in bulk. I'll go through this bag in 2 months, or maybe 3. First time buying this so I'm not sure. You get way more value buying in bulk.

We purchased a few of these bags when the price was a little cheaper and with the help of some promos/gift cards. Always consistent quality and taste, even after months of being stored in less than ideal conditions. I recommend giving one of the 1lb packs a try if you've never tried any forbidden/black rice before. Much tastier than brown rice and much healthier than white rice.

My whole family loves this rice and for whatever reason, it is hard to find in store. Thank goodness for Amazon.

Forbidden rice doesn’t really sit in the body like a grain, but rather moves through and energizes a bit like a seed might? It has a lovely texture which is like a seed when cooked as directed, but if you use a pressure cooker with natural release or even just use extra water and cook longer, it gets soft and almost glutinous like a sushi rice might. There’s a place for both methodologies, but they’re very different and distinct from one another. It depends mostly if your cooking style has gotten the rice to the point where the cell wall of the grain has broken. You can also cook it as directed, lightly, and serve or mix it with a dish, and then use some of it the following day whilst cooking it longer to create a different texture. It also lasts a very long time in the fridge, perhaps two weeks. It doesn’t dip my energy as many grains do. It has a wonderful earthy flavor - subtle sweetness, and is healthy. I and my brother mix it into lots of different dishes with different herbs and spices, veggies and legumes. It tastes and feels nourishing. We’re really into food as medicine. A little goes a long way, I usually don’t put very much into any dish.

I appreciate how healthy this black rice is. I had never eaten black rice before but have now learned that it looks like bugs (big ants or small beetles) before, during, and after cooking. This has nothing to do with the quality of the product, it is just the way it is! Some people might be entertained by this, but personally, I can't get past the look of it so I won't be purchasing the black rice again. But I probably will purchase a different variety because Lotus has great products! The black rice had a flavorful nutty taste and it cooked up nicely in my Instant Pot with a 1:1 water/rice ratio. I also mixed some cheese into it before eating, which was a nice treat.

I previously tried RiceSelect 22 oz Black Rice and it was good. It was my first time cooking and eating black rice. But then I switched to Lotus Foods 11 lb bag of Black Rice because it costs nearly the same (a bit more expensive though) and I get 11 lbs of rice instead of 22 oz of rice. Black rice in general is fantastic. It feels a lot more nutritious and healthier eating it than the normal white jasmine that I have been buying. It is a nice treat. When I first cooked the RIceSelect brand rice in a rice pot, the water boiled over and made a mess. So I later used my Instant Pot to cook it instead, and there was no mess. I'm doing the same with this Lotus Foods rice, just out of habit. I am still using the Instant Pot to cook it. I use a minimum of two cups of water for every cup of dry black rice.

Delicious

In order to ensure that this rice is genuine black rice, I checked online with a vinegar test. The rice passed the test, as seen in the photographs. The black rice was placed in a bowl with white vinegar and soaked for approximately 15 minutes. The water then became a light pink color, indicating anthocyanins are present in the rice. Furthermore, I soaked the rice for some time to determine if the inner part of the rice is light color and the outer part is black, and the test was successful. After that, I prepared rice for lunch, which turned out to be a beautiful color and fluffy. Black rice has a deep black color and usually turns deep purple when cooked. Its dark purple color is primarily due to its anthocyanin content. This rice has a wonderful flavor and delicious.