Athletes in Beijing will consume 134,200 pounds of rice during the course of the 2008 Olympics, according to Aramark, the company catering for the games.

Although rice is an essential part of the Chinese cuisine, its place on the Olympics menu was not determined by the country. Rice is a complex carbohydrate that fuels the body and is vital to the athletes’ diet. Also, rice protein is considered one of the highest-quality proteins when compared to other grains, which makes rice an important ingredient for those trying to build muscles and stay in shape.

Because it is fat-free, sodium free and gluten free, rice plays a big role in the cuisines of many cultures. In fact, rice is the staple food for two-thirds of the world’s population. Vital to good health, rice can benefit you in many ways.

Follow these tips to incorporate the nutrient-rich grains into your diet:

n Don’t rinse enriched rice before cooking. Like other enriched grains, white rice is fortified with folic acid (or folate), a B vitamin that is especially important during times of growth, such as pregnancy and childhood. Since 1998, all white rice in the United States has been fortified with folic acid, and rinsing rice before use would wash away the important nutrient.

n If you don’t have 45 minutes to cook brown rice, use instant brown rice. Instant rice is a good source of whole grains and has more fiber, minerals and antioxidants than refined grains. A diet rich in whole grains has been shown to reduce the risk of heart disease, certain cancers and Type 2 diabetes.

n For special occasions, try parboiled rice, which cooks up fluffy with separate distinct grains. Parboiled rice has been subjected to a steam-pressure process. This process helps retain many of the vitamins found in unprocessed rice through soaking the rice kernels in nutrients before the outer kernel layers are removed. Parboiled white rice is nutritionally similar to brown rice. It is not precooked and is light golden or amber in color.