Changing your diet can mean eliminating a lot of the everyday food you love, and this is never truer than when you shift to a vegan lifestyle.
Now that you’re saying goodbye to meat, poultry, seafood, and dairy, do you also have to say goodbye to rice, and what is vegan rice? I looked into it, and here’s what I found!
What Is Vegan Rice?
Generally, all naturally produced rice is vegan. However, the production and distribution of rice can have repercussions on the environment, which is why some vegans remove rice from their diet. Essentially, for rice to be considered vegan, it must be sustainably produced and sold. Additionally, vegan rice must not be treated with animal by-products.
In case you’re interested to learn more about what makes rice vegan and how vegans can incorporate rice into their diet, keep reading!
Can Vegans Eat Any Rice?
Vegans can eat any plain rice, may it be white, brown, red, or black because rice is plant-based. Similarly, vegans can consume rice alternatives like wild rice.
However, vegans that are more conscious about carbon footprints will limit themselves to sustainably produced rice.
Additionally, there are rice-based dishes that do not contain meat, poultry, or dairy but have been cooked in broth. As such, these rice-based dishes cannot be considered vegan rice.
What Type Of Rice Is Vegan?
All types of rice are vegan in the sense that they are 100% plant-based and do not hurt animals in the process.
A large number of branded instant rice in the market are also considered vegan. Most of the ingredients listed in their packaging are simply added vitamins and minerals.
Additionally, many fried rice recipes are also vegan.
What Is A Vegan Substitute For Rice?
If you don’t want to eat rice because of the negative impact that rice production has on the environment, there are rice alternatives you can eat instead.
These alternatives include wild rice, which isn’t rice but is the seed of semi-aquatic grass. Additionally, there are several types of vegetables you can rice.
Cauliflower, beet, carrots, daikon, and sweet potatoes are just some of the vegetables you can rice using a food processor. Moreover, you can buy pre-made riced veggies.
Is Goya Spanish Rice Vegan?
Goya’s Yellow Rice mix is suitable for a vegan diet.
What Is Vegan Fried Rice?
Vegan fried rice is simply fried rice that does not use any animal products, such as meat, broth, oil, poultry, or seafood.
Typically, vegan fried rice is cooked using vegetable oil. Additionally, the rice is steamed or boiled in water, not broth.
Vegan fried rice also includes a lot of vegetables. However, you can also use fake meat, vegan butter, and vegan eggs.
What Uncle Ben’s Rice Is Vegan?
Uncle Ben’s Rice products that are vegan include Wild Rice, Oriental Fried Rice, Lemon & Herb Rice, Spanish Rice, Long-Grain Rice, and Mexican Fiesta.
What Is Vegan Rice Pudding?
Vegan rice pudding is a rice dish made with coconut milk instead of dairy milk. To sweeten the vegan rice pudding, maple or rice syrup is typically used.
Vegan rice pudding is the same as non-vegan rice pudding including the cooking process. Only the ingredients vary along with a slight difference in taste.
Is Vegan Rice Gluten-Free?
Rice is naturally vegan and gluten-free. Unless vegan rice is treated with wheat or other gluten-containing products, the vegan rice should automatically be gluten-free.
Is White Rice Vegan?
White rice is vegan. In its natural form, all types of white rice are considered vegan because they are plant-based.
Nevertheless, there may be instant or boxed white rice that contains chicken or beef flavoring. As such, it’s always best to check the ingredients of these instant or boxed white rice.
However, some vegans might not consider white rice to be vegan-friendly because white rice is processed. Consequently, these vegans will prefer brown rice over white rice.
Is Brown Rice Vegan?
Brown rice is vegan. In fact, brown rice is considered more vegan than white rice because brown rice undergoes less processing.
Technically, brown rice is only dehusked and doesn’t go through the long process that white rice is subjected to.
Is Basmati Rice Vegan?
Basmati rice is a long-grain aromatic white rice that is considered vegan.
However, when cooked in traditional Indian and Middle Eastern dishes, Basmati rice can no longer be called vegan.
Is Jasmine Rice Vegan?
Like Basmati rice, Jasmine rice is a naturally grown long-grain aromatic rice that is considered vegan.
Is Fried Rice Vegan?
Traditionally, fried rice is not vegan because fried rice often involves cooking the rice in broth or stock. Additionally, most fried rice recipes include eggs and meat.
Nonetheless, there are vegan fried rice recipes that make use of vegan ingredients like tofu and fake meat for proteins.
Is Chipotle White Rice Vegan?
Chipotle’s white and brown rice are vegan.
Is Chinese White Rice Vegan?
Chinese white rice, when served plain and cooked with water, is considered vegan.
Is Minute White Rice Vegan?
Since Minute rice doesn’t contain any other ingredient but rice, Minute rice is suitable for vegans to eat.
Contrary to popular belief, Minute rice doesn’t use seasonings to preserve rice. Rather, Minute rice is parboiled and dehydrated so that consumers can cook Minute rice faster.
Why Is Pilau Rice Not Vegan?
Pilau rice is not vegan because pilau rice is traditionally made by cooking pilau rice in broth. Additionally, meat is often added to pilau rice either in parts or in chunks.
Is Mexican Rice Vegan?
Traditionally, Mexican rice is not vegan because Mexican rice is cooked with broth, not water. Nonetheless, Mexican rice can easily be turned vegan through a couple of changes.
Check out our related articles to discover what cauliflower rice is, what cream of rice is, and what Calrose rice is.
Conclusion
All-natural forms of rice are vegan and can be called vegan rice. However, some vegans believe rice isn’t vegan at all because rice production harms nature.
Nevertheless, if your vegan diet is focused more on avoiding animal products, then there’s no need to avoid rice, may it be white, red, brown, or black.