The process of parboiling is from south India where steam was passed through the grains with the husks on. Steaming drives some of the nutrients from the bran into the grain making it more nutritious than white. The nutrients are then embedded into the grain by this procedure. The rice is polished after this teaming is done.

This results in more nutritious rice than white rice and more digestible rice than brown rice. For this reason other Asian countries that depended on rice as their staple sometimes had survey, but the Indians avoided it due to the process of parboiling. Also, This procedure gelatinizes the starch in the grain, and ensures a firmer, more separate grain. Consumers and chefs who desire extra fluffy and separate cooked rice favor parboiled rice.  It however takes longer to cook than ordinary white rice.

This process, first developed in South India has been patented by Uncle Ben's Inc. and is called Converted(r) brand rice. Many Asian countries developed scurvy due to polished while rice. Ancient South India was able to avert such a disease due to passing hot steam over the grain with the husks on driving the nutrients into the grain and then polishing the rice. It is said that 80% of these nutrients in the bran are conserved which would otherwise be lost during conventional milling.