ABSTRACT
Rice is one of the most nutritious staple foods, especially for people in Asia and its composition varies greatly from one region to another region. It is the rich source of carbohydrates and moderate source of proteins and fats. It also contains fair amount of B complex vitamins along with minerals such as Ca, P, Mg, Fe, Cu, etc. However, some cultivars of rice are low in nutrients while others are rich of valuable nutrients. Rice is considered as the queen among cereals due to its nutritional quality and higher digestibility. Several factors such as soil fertility, fertilizer application, environmental conditions, etc. affect the nutritional values of rice among which most important is the variation in cultivar. This chapter covers the recent research information on different rice varieties, their composition, and difference in their nutritional aspects due to the cultivar variation.
