White rice is the name given to milled rice that has the husk, bran, and germ removed. This processing strips the rice of many nutrients compared to unprocessed brown rice. The germ for instance is a good source of: magnesium which is needed for energy production and muscle contraction, phosphorus which is needed for bone health, and zinc needed for energy production and reproductive health, vitamin E which is an antioxidant, and all the B vitamins our bodies need. White rice is typically enriched to give back what was lost during the processing and U.S. law requires white rice to be enriched with thiamin, niacin, and iron for white rice sold in the United States. Thiamin and Niacin are B-vitamins needed for energy metabolism and iron is needed for energy metabolism as well as for immune function. When choosing rice for sushi, it should be Japonica rice from Japan, California, or Italy. Rice is a type of starch that is composed of two types of molecules: amylose and amylopectin. When making sushi short-grain rice is preferred due to its low amylose/high amylopectin composition, making it stickier than medium- or long-grain rice, thus allowing for it to hold shape.
