What is Converted Rice?

It's rumored that "converted rice” always comes out perfect and is healthier than white rice. Is this true?

Converted rice is either boiled or steamed and then dehydrated before packaging. The advantages of this extra processing are that converted rice not only cooks faster than regular rice, it also holds its shape better. And, because it has less surface starch, there is less chance that it will stick to the bottom of pots.

As for the second question—is it healthier?—our digestive enzymes can’t break down converted rice easily because (in simple terms) its starches have been hardened through the dehydration process. So converted rice causes a slower rise in blood sugar than regular rice does. These hardened starches also reach the large intestine intact, fueling beneficial bacteria, whereas other starches are broken down before they get that far.

However, these benefits still didn’t convince us to switch from regular long-grain rice. When we cooked a batch of converted rice side by side with regular long-grain white rice, our tasters had no trouble telling the difference, and all preferred the regular rice. The converted rice turned yellowish brown, and tasters described its aftertaste as “sharp” or “sour.” And while the converted rice sample had perfectly distinct, less sticky grains, tasters also found them “heavier” and “less fluffy.”

THE BOTTOM LINE:  Converted rice holds its shape well, cooks quickly, and has a few health benefits, but its flavor and texture don’t measure up to traditional rice. If you’re concerned about rice sticking to the pot, rinse the rice and use a nonstick pot.