Brown rice is unpolished whole grain rice that is produced by removing only the hull or husk. It had been popular among Filipinos until the early 1950's. Brown rice then was in the form of partially polished rice produced by hand pounding using mortar and pestle or stone grinder. With the introduction of milling machines that produce the white polished rice, consumers' tastes and preferences started to shift in favor of white rice. The Asia Rice Foundation launched the promotion of brown rice as health food in the Los Banos science community on August 11, 2000 at University of the Philippines at Los Banos. It aimed to rekindle the interest in and initiate with its partners a nationwide campaign to promote the consumption of brown rice in the Philippines. The brown rice promotion has resulted in a noticeable increase in demands for brown rice, both in the Los Banos area and in the Metro Manila. Brown rice can now be found in some major supermarkets in Metro Manila.

A 4-page brochure on Brown Rice: Beyond the Color has been produced as a public educational material. Its topics include Reviving a Lost Health Food, What is Brown Rice, Why is Brown Rice better than White Rice, Production, Processing, Grading, Packaging, Availability and Cooking of Brown Rice, and Sample Recipes.

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