For centuries, the devastating effects of the disease beriberi were known in Asian countries where white rice was the main (or staple) food. White rice is milled and therefore no longer contains the nutrient-rich germ. In the late 1800s, beriberi became even more common and one of the leading causes of death. This occurred because rice milling technology introduced at that time completely removed the bran and the germ, resulting in highly polished rice but also stripping the rice grains of their thiamin content. However,…
