Forbidden rice

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Forbidden rice is a short-grained, heirloom rice. It is black when raw and dark purple when cooked.

One theory as to the name is that it was reserved for emperors in ancient China because of its nutritiousness and rarity. Another theory is that when the Greeks took over the Middle East, they had it banned due to the belief that it was being used by their enemies to aid them in battle. However, the most likely theory is that the name is simply a marketing ploy.

Forbidden rice has recently appeared on the shelves of health food stores in the western United States along with other heirloom rices such as Bhutanese red rice and wild rice, particularly in California; desire for non-genetically modified foods has also contributed to demand for this rice. It is popular with vegetarians and vegans because it has a favorable nutrition profile being high in fiber and mineral content (such as iron). Like most rice, it supplies several important amino acids; additionally, the deep color of black forbidden rice suggests the presence of phytonutrients.

When cooked, forbidden rice has the smell of freshly-popped popcorn and turns the water that it is boiling in a brilliant purple color. It has a deep, nutty taste.