Rice is a basic food for more than half the world’s population. It’s so abundant that we take it for granted. Can you imagine Chinese-style food without rice? Or Mexican-style food without Spanish rice?

Rice is a complex carbohydrate — meaning it provides more vitamins, minerals and fiber than simple carbohydrates like sugar. There are more than 7,000 types of rice, but they all share the same nutritional benefits:

• Low in calories
• Cholesterol-free
• Fat-free
• Sodium-free
• Easy to digest

Rice is classified by size:

• Long-grain rice’s length is four to five times that of its width. When cooked, its grains are light and dry; they separate easily.
• Short-grain rice’s fat, round grains are very starchy. When cooked, they are moist and stick together.
• Medium-grain rice’s shorter and moister than long-grain, but not as starchy as short-grain.

The rice on supermarket shelves comes in many different forms, and it’s helpful to know how to cook each type:

Brown rice: This is the whole grain with only the outer husk removed. Its high-fiber bran coating gives it a nutty flavor and chewy texture. Brown rice takes longer to cook than white long-grain rice — but the newer quick-cooking brown rice is done in about 15 minutes. Brown rice is the most nutritious in terms of fiber content.

White rice: The hull and bran have been removed. Converted white rice has been parboiled in a steam-pressure process that results in fluffy, separated grains. It takes a bit longer to cook than regular white rice.

Instant or quick-cooking rice: Rice that has been fully or partially cooked and then dehydrated; it takes only a few minutes to cook.

Aromatic rice: This type of rice has a fragrant, nutty flavor. Some of the most popular types are:

• Basmati rice — a non-sticky, long-grain, scented rice that has a nutty flavor
• Jasmine rice — has a Jasmine tea aroma, cooks nice and firm, and is slightly stickier than basmati rice.

Arborio rice: This Italian rice has grains that are starchier, shorter and fatter than any other short-grain rice. It’s traditionally used for risotto — a creamy dish that includes butter and broth.

Wild rice: This isn’t really rice at all — it’s a long-grain marsh grass known for its nutty flavor and chewy texture.

With this many varieties of rice, the possibilities for meals are endless. Try a new type of rice, and a new rice recipe, each week for a change of pace and flavor.