Wild rice: the Indian's staple and the white man's delicacy

Wild rice (Zizania aquatica) is an annual aquatic grass which grows in shallow lakes, marshes and in sluggish streams in various parts of the world. The grain of wild rice has been harvested by the Indians of the United States and Canada for many centuries. Explorers entering the territories of the Northern Lake States of America a few centuries ago described wild rice as a spontaneous crop which does not require plowing or sowing providing an abundant harvest of palatable and nourishing grain. Natural propagation assured the Indians of a yearly crop. As time passed, wild rice lost its importance as a staple for the Indian population, but it became a white man's delicacy because of its unique color and flavor characteristics. In the U.S. a commercial wild rice industry developed. The grain is now found on supermarket shelves, but at a rather high price compared to prices for other cereal grains. Today, most of the wild rice in the world is harvested as a cultivated crop from paddies in the state of Minnesota. Smaller amounts are produced in Wisconsin and in southern Canada. Wild rice has some desirable nutritional attributes. Its protein content is relatively high compared to other cereal grains. Wild rice is a good source of the B vitamins, thiamin, riboflavin and niacin and contains common mineral elements in amounts comparable to those in oats, wheat and corn. Wild rice is used as a main meal ingredient in regular or quick cooked form and has numerous possible secondary usages. Because of its good nutritional balance wild rice could help to provide another source of energy and quality protein for the diet of man.