Zizania palustris
2 associations assessed — none with dependable human evidence behind them yet. Strongest first.
The seed of an aquatic grass native to the Great Lakes region, not a rice at all and historically hand-harvested from canoes by Anishinaabe communities. The USDA reference entry is for the raw dry grain, which takes up around three times its weight in water.
Also known as Manoomin, Canada rice, Water oats
What each association actually rests on, and the papers behind it. A rating describes the state of the research, not how impressive the food is. How we rate evidence.
Evidence is limited and mostly from animal work, where wild rice compared with refined grain lowered cholesterol in rodents. The small number of human studies is not sufficient to carry the finding across.
Insufficient evidence. Not enough human research to say anything useful yet.
There is not enough human research to say that wild rice changes oxidative-stress markers. Its phenolic content is genuinely higher than white rice, but that is a compositional fact rather than a measured outcome in people.
Insufficient evidence. Not enough human research to say anything useful yet.
Answers are written only from the entries on this page — the same nutrients, compounds, claims and citations you can read above. Nothing is added from outside the database, and every answer lists what it was built from.
AI explanations are not switched on for this site, so there is nothing to ask here. Everything above is read straight from the database and does not need them.
| Nutrient | Amount | % DV |
|---|---|---|
| Macronutrients | ||
| Calories | 357 kcal | 18% |
| Protein | 14.7 g | 29% |
| Total fat | 1.08 g | 1% |
| Carbohydrate | 74.9 g | 27% |
| Fibre | 6.2 g | 22% |
| Total sugars | 2.5 g | — |
| Water | 7.76 g | — |
| Fats | ||
| Saturated fat | 0.156 g | 1% |
| Monounsaturated fat | 0.159 g | — |
| Polyunsaturated fat | 0.676 g | — |
| Cholesterol | 0 mg | 0% |
| EPA (omega-3) | 0 g | — |
| DHA (omega-3) | 0 g | — |
| DPA (omega-3) | 0 g | — |
| Linoleic acid (omega-6) | 0.377 g | — |
| Vitamins | ||
| Vitamin A | 1 µg | 0% |
| Vitamin C | 0 mg | 0% |
| Vitamin D | 0 µg | 0% |
| Vitamin E | 0.82 mg | 5% |
| Vitamin K | 1.9 µg | 2% |
| Thiamin (B1) | 0.115 mg | 10% |
| Riboflavin (B2) | 0.262 mg | 20% |
| Niacin (B3) | 6.73 mg | 42% |
| Pantothenic acid (B5) | 1.07 mg | 21% |
| Vitamin B6 | 0.391 mg | 23% |
| Folate | 95 µg | 24% |
| Vitamin B12 | 0 µg | 0% |
| Choline | 35 mg | 6% |
| Minerals | ||
| Calcium | 21 mg | 2% |
| Iron | 1.96 mg | 11% |
| Magnesium | 177 mg | 42% |
| Phosphorus | 433 mg | 35% |
| Potassium | 427 mg | 9% |
| Sodium | 7 mg | 0% |
| Zinc | 5.96 mg | 54% |
| Copper | 0.524 mg | 58% |
| Manganese | 1.33 mg | 58% |
| Selenium | 2.8 µg | 5% |
| Other measured compounds | ||
| Beta-carotene | 11 µg | — |
| Alpha-carotene | 0 µg | — |
| Lycopene | 0 µg | — |
| Lutein + zeaxanthin | 220 µg | — |
| Caffeine | 0 mg | — |
| Ash | 1.53 g | — |
Nutrient values are per 100 g of the USDA reference entry named on this page and vary with variety, growing conditions, storage and preparation.
Source record: Wild rice, raw (USDA FoodData Central, FDC ID 169726).
% DV uses the FDA Daily Values for adults and children aged 4 and over. A dash means no Daily Value has been established for that nutrient.
Compounds present in meaningful amounts. Presence is banded rather than quantified, because whole-food levels vary enormously with variety, growing conditions, storage and preparation.
Flavonoid pigment
The water-soluble pigments behind red, purple and blue plant colour. Poorly absorbed intact; much of their measurable activity comes from microbial…
Polyphenol (class)
An umbrella term for thousands of plant phenolic compounds. Useful as a category, but a "high polyphenol" figure says nothing about which compounds…
The dark pericarp carries considerably more phenolic compounds than white rice does.
Fermentable carbohydrate
Starch that escapes digestion in the small intestine and is fermented in the colon. Cooking and cooling starchy foods increases the amount present.
Phosphate ester
The main phosphorus store in seeds. Reduces absorption of iron and zinc from the same meal; soaking, sprouting and fermentation lower it.
Only effects with real support are listed. If a preparation method is missing, it is because nothing dependable is documented — not because it makes no difference.
Soaking the tough grains before cooking shortens the long simmer they otherwise need and modestly lowers phytate.
Allergies, interactions and intake concerns. Every food gets this section — a reference where everything is uniformly good is not a reference.
Worth knowing
Wild-harvested Zizania is susceptible to ergot infection, visible as dark curved bodies among the grains. Commercial lots are cleaned and inspected; hand-gathered grain from unmanaged stands warrants sorting.
Worth knowing
The majority sold is paddy-grown in California and Minnesota rather than lake-harvested. The two differ in cooking behaviour and price, and the distinction matters to the Indigenous communities for whom manoomin is a cultural food.
Worth knowing
The intact bran layer carries phytate, which reduces iron and zinc absorption from the meal.