Podcast

Transcript

Joshua Miller  0:00  

All right welcome, everyone and thank you for tuning in for another episode. Today I'm gonna start the episode off asking you to audience one question. And that is, when's the last time you knew where the rice you were eating was grown? And if that question intrigues you, then you're in for a great episode. Today I have Jason Holman from Cahokia rice, and he's here to speak with us not only about where the rice is grown, but also some great sustainable practices they follow along with health benefits you're not going to find with any other rice out there. So Jason, before we get started into this episode, I want you to tell us what is your go to comfort food or guilty pleasure snack is an icebreaker. 

Jason Holman  0:57  

All right, that is, that is, that is a great one. Good icebreaker. And thank you for having me. Depending on the amount of comfort that I'm looking for, if it's a lot, I think my go to would be a Ben and Jerry's pint of ice cream. And I have a number of different options that I can go to. But not only is it not only is it the Ben and Jerry's, I also love peanut butter. So I'm a bit so what I'll do is I'll combine a little bit of the peanut butter in the pint of Ben and Jerry's now, that's if I'm looking to get real comfortable. That would, that would be my go to comfort combo right there.

Joshua Miller  1:44  

Nice. That's a Yeah, we definitely have some similarities there. The peanut butter cup, Ben and Jerry's is one of my favorites, for sure.

Jason Holman  1:52  

Sometimes there's just not enough peanut butter in there. So you got to add a little bit.

Joshua Miller  1:59  

Nice. So thank you again for joining us. So let's start off with just telling us what is Cahokia rice and how is it healthier?

Jason Holman  2:10  

Sure. So Cahokia rice is a one of a kind variety of rice. It is not like any other rice that's that's grown in the world. So Cahokia rice has 53% more protein content per serving than other rice. We are certified non GMO. We're also arsenic and heavy metal free. So we are free from cadmium, mercury, lead and arsenic. We regularly have our rice tested for heavy metals. We have an extremely low glycemic index of 41. Making our white rice a diabetic friendly white rice, so it does not create the same blood sugar spike that is typically associated with white rice. So our higher protein content and our very low glycemic index makes us a healthier rice for you.

Joshua Miller  3:14  

That's amazing. And I gotta say, That's what intrigued me about that rice for the first time I came across it in Chicago at the National Restaurant Association show and I've definitely bought some myself, I'm guilty of it, and I'm recommending it to my family. I've diabetics in my family. I think it's very awesome, that aspect of it. And so why don't you tell us? How was this rice developed?

Jason Holman  3:38  

So Cahokia Rice was developed by rice researchers at Louisiana State University, Ag Center, Rice Research Station, and it was developed over a period of 10 years. And it started with a with a question of you know, are there varieties or cultivars of rice that naturally have higher protein content with so much of the world's population dependent upon rice for their daily caloric intake, you know, when a staple food item in their diet, these rice researchers were trying to make an impact in global malnutrition and hunger, you know, and if they could find a variety of rice that had higher protein they could make an impact. So they discovered a variety that had about 53% more protein. And that variety was bred using traditional breeding techniques. So there's no foreign DNA inserted. So we are a certified non GMO rice, but it was bred with a cypress rice that is renowned for its milling quality, cooking characteristics, taste and texture and the resulting variety We have the exclusive rights to grow, and market as Cahokia rice on our farm in Southern Illinois.

Joshua Miller  5:09  

Wow, that's powerful, it's always cool to understand like the benefits behind something, but to understand the why behind it, I feel like it's more powerful than anything else. So that's definitely a powerful story on the why it was brought together. And it's, it's great to see that it is an option out there for for people and I have to ask, why does a healthier rice matter? And that's something I'm sure some of our audience members may be thinking themselves.

Jason Holman  5:37  

Yeah, yeah, it's, it's a great, it's a great question. And, you know, of course, you know, there is a, an overall movement towards healthier eating, knowing where your food is coming from who's growing it, you know, more protein. But on a, I think, more importantly, over the last couple of decades, we've seen globally and on the North American continent, steadily increasing rates of diabetes, diabetes is now one of the top 10 leading causes of death around the world, and by 2045. In North America 15% of the population is expected to to have diabetes. It's a major problem. And do we think that Cahokia rice is the cure for diabetes? No. Is it a very, can it be a very important tool in the toolkit of a healthier lifestyle and healthy eating for people who love and enjoy rice and wants to eat it every day that may be diabetic or at risk for developing diabetes? Absolutely. So it does, it does matter. And there is a need for, you know, a healthier rice for those that love and enjoy it.

Joshua Miller  7:18  

Yeah, I couldn't agree more why everyone would love for there to be a cure for diabetes. At the same time, we need to focus on management tools that we have for it as well. And obviously food, the source of food and the nutritional values behind it is definitely going to make a big impact on that part of it.

Jason Holman  7:36  

Yeah, and we're gonna regularly hear, we regularly hear, you know, reviews and customers contact us and they report that Cahokia rice does not create the same, you know, blood sugar spike when they test their blood sugar. So, and we love hearing reports that were previously, someone who loves rice may not be able to have white rice, because of the blood sugar spike. When they try Cahokia rice. Not only do they love the way it tastes, but it doesn't produce that the same blood sugar spikes. So they're, they're free to eat delicious white rice again. Yeah,

Joshua Miller 8:14  

yeah. And speaking of reviews, I'm a huge fan. And I told you about that. And I found you guys on Google. And it was like, I can't remember a couple hundred or a few hundred reviews and like five stars. I'm like, who gets that on rice? This must be something amazing. Very cool. So Are there benefits of low GI diet foods in academic food service settings? Because most of our audience are in that setting? Maybe more specifically colleges & universities. So Are there benefits to that?

Jason Holman  8:47  

You know, that's, that is that is a great, great question. And we, we have, we've read a number of, of studies where that have been done in an academic setting on how a low GI diet can affect things like executive functioning, self regulation, memory, impulsivity, and you know, focus and a low glycemic diet. You know, a low glycemic meal, a meal with a low glycemic load has been has been shown to create a feeling of of fullness but not overly full. So, students are able to focus longer it has shown that meals with a low glycemic load can lead to increased attention span and in younger children, you know, reduced impulsivity and you know, higher rates of self regulation, all which can translate into because the food that students eat has an effect on their bodies and on their minds. You know, and, and, you know, a lot of what we have found is that it can lead to some, you know, higher functioning in a in an academic setting, you know, in a learning environment. So again, is it is it, you know, you know, low glycemic food is going to, you know, be a silver bullet, no, is it another tool in the toolkit? in an academic setting? Absolutely. You know, to stave off a sudden blood sugar spike and a crash and energy and people are tired, they can't focus is not not beneficial.

Joshua Miller  10:44  

Yeah, I couldn't agree more. So, usually, when kids are running around like crazy, we say like, you know, stop giving them candy or soda, that sugar rush that they're getting? And, yeah, you're absolutely right, that low GI absolutely can can help contribute to offsetting that a little bit. So I want to sneak in another question here. So sustainability, I think that what you guys are doing is very cool. It's not just on as you, you've mentioned before, just sustaining what's there, and it's making things better. So can you speak a little bit on that here?

Jason Holman  11:24  

Yeah, absolutely. And Blake Gerard is the, the owner of Cahokia rice, and he's also the farmer. He's a fourth generation farmer, and it's a family owned, farm and business. And Blake is actually, you know, out there, planting the seed and doing the harvest right in the combine. So he's, he's doing it and farming is in his DNA, he lives it, eats it, and breathes it. He's passionate about what he does. And he has placed very heavy emphasis on water conservation, he's engineered a water management system on the farm, that is amazing. Soil preservation, erosion prevention, you know, making sure that the soil is nutritious because everything is you know, it comes from the soil. Not only that, but protecting the biodiversity, the wildlife that rice fields can promote, you know, Blake is even, you know, he's working on setting up a monarch butterfly, you know, habitat, you know, on on this farm, which is, which is awesome. So he, he really cares, and he wants to, to not only preserve what's there, like you said, but leave it better for generations to come. As time goes on, we're going to have to do, we're gonna have to feed more people, we're going to have to do more with less, we're have to do more with less water, we're gonna have to do more with less land. So leaving it better than we found it is very important for the generations to come. And that's what that's what Blake is all about.

Joshua Miller  13:18  

Nice. And so speaking of all that, what is the Cahokia rice mission?

Jason Holman  13:27  

Yeah, so Blake, his vision for Cahokia rice is to bring a delicious, healthier, locally and sustainably grown rice to consumers and institutions. Of course, in Illinois and in the Midwest, but far beyond. Beyond that, and to leave the soil land and wildlife that inhabit the land much better than when we found it. And to have a, you know, a positive impact in the health of his of as many, as many people as we can. And, you know, there is another aspect of you know, we can grow rice right here in Illinois, and a lot of rice is and to create a more sustainable regional supply chain for something like rice. There's no need for it to come from anywhere else. But Illinois, if you're in the Upper Midwest, you know, we can grow it right here.

Joshua Miller  14:34  

Nice. Yeah. And I have to say I went on the website and I watched the virtual farm and mill tour that is on the website. Very cool, very powerful. I do highly suggest that for any of the audience members that are interested in learning a little bit more behind the scenes of what's happening in the rice field here. So can you let our listeners know how they can reach out to you if they want to connect with you or learn more about the Cahokia rice.

Jason Holman  15:05  

Sure, absolutely. Our website is Cahokia rice, all one word, so C, A, H, O, C, I, A rice.com. And all the way at the bottom is my email address and cell phone number. And also, if you click, there's a tab for wholesale, you can click that and it'll take you to a wholesale page where you can request product samples, and we'd be happy to ship them out if anyone's interested in trying it or have any additional questions. I'm always, always happy to talk.

Joshua Miller  15:43  

Nice. Absolutely. And to my audience members, I know some of you may be thinking like, what is this guy doing? He's trying to up-end our rice procurement in one day, that's not my goal here. It is to educate on the possibilities that are out there and the great resources that are available to you. So you know, it doesn't have to be an overnight, you know, changing all your rice, if that's what everyone wants, start it off slowly, you know, feature something new and different. Maybe it could be a meal, maybe it could only be one concept. You know, start off rolling low and slow is how I like to see change happen. And definitely open up your mind to that, first and foremost before going thinking that we're too crazy guys on here telling you about changing the rice you order. Other than that, Jason, if you don't have anything else for us, I can take us up. Sure. All right. So listeners, thank you again, I address all of you as RAF Nation, you're all Remarkable Academic Food ambassadors, and I thank you for all you do and thank Jason for coming on and all that he does and what Cahokia rice is doing to contribute to RAF nation. So until next time, everyone, this is Joshua Miller, your host, and Jason Holman our guest, signing off