If you are diabetic or otherwise trying to eat low glycemic foods and manage your blood sugar levels, and are missing eating rice, the good folks at the LSU AgCenter Rice Research Station in Crowley, Louisiana have some great news for you! They've developed a low-glycemic rice that's also higher in protein than most rice.
LSU AgCenter has more details:
AgCenter area nutrition agent Mandy Armentor said Frontiére is a low glycemic rice variety developed by LSU AgCenter scientists that went to market under the Parish Rice label late in 2021.
Armentor said in addition to being non-GMO, Frontiére also has 5 grams of protein. Other rice varieties have only 1 to 2 grams of protein per one-half cup serving when cooked.
There are three groups of glycemic ratings for food: low with a glycemic index of 55 or less, medium with a glycemic index of 56 to 69 and high with a glycemic index of 70 to 100.
Frontiére has an average rating of 41, which is 14 points lower than other varieties of rice and is classified in a low-glycemic group. It has the lowest glycemic index ever reported in commercially viable rice, she said.
Frontiére rice is sold under the brand "Parish Rice" and is available at Rouses markets all over Louisiana, Mississippi, and Alabama, but you can also buy it online on the Parish Rice website. There, you can also read more about the science behind the rice and find stores that carry it.
And I know you want to know, "but does it taste good?" I have friends and family in Louisiana that have bought, cooked, and eaten Parish Rice and given it glowing reviews. One of my friends, who lives in south Louisiana and is a connoisseur of Louisiana food, said, "When word got to us about this stuff, we mail-ordered two 5-lb bags. They got to us on Thursday, and we've already used it in a jambalaya and a stir-fry. Highly recommended to rice lovers with carb concerns. No, it's not as cheap as your standard Mahatma, but it's a good bit healthier and tastes great! Also, it's grown out of Eunice, LA, which is pretty awesome. And it's about to be in our local Rouses!"
