Kinmemai Japanese Rice: the healthy and tasty grains you should be eating

Before the rise of health consciousness, most rice grains sold in Singapore were highly polished, stripping away much of the nutritional benefit. Then came a series of public education awareness campaigns on eating brown rice, which has not fully taken off here, as some consumers cite the tougher texture as the key reason. For those who simply must have rice but want to refrain consuming too much refined carbohydrates, the options are limited.

Enter Kinmemai, a rice polishing process from Toyo Rice Corporation. Using its patented buffing machinery, the process only removes the indigestible wax layer of the rice grains. This produces Kinmemai Better Brown, which retains the bran, sub-aleurone and rice germ layers. While visually indistinguishable from other brands of brown rice, the Kinmemai grains absorb more water during cooking. This leaves a fluffier and more digestible product than conventional brown rice.

Kinmemai Better Brown also boasts up to seven times the amount of vitamin B, two times more dietary fibre and less calories and sugar than regular white rice.

For purists who still prefer their white rice, Kinmemai’s Better White is an ideal option. It consists of Better Brown grains that have undergone the same patented process to remove the bran and wax layers while retaining the germ and sub-aleurone layers. As such, Better White boasts a superior nutritional profile while exuding an improved buttery and nutty taste. Each batch of Kinmemai rice is tested for sweetness and umami content, ensuring that only the best tasting grains are sold to customers worldwide.

Toyo Rice Corporation has gone one step further to partner with Thomson Medical Centre to showcase the superior nutritional benefits of their rice. By incorporating both Better White and Brown grains into the menus, Thomson Medical Centre can increase the nutritional intake of mothers who are recovering from child birth. The increased vitamins and minerals in Kinmemai rice will also aid in improving the patients’ quality of breast milk.

Kinmemai rice is available for purchase at Fairprice, Cold Storage, RedMart and more. For full listings, visit their website.