CROWLEY, La. (BRPROUD) - A Baton Rouge Honduran family is attempting to help communities in Louisiana through a healthy rice alternative, Blanca Isabel Purple Rice.  Rush Rice Products is the company that produces Blanca Isabel Purple Rice. The company is kept up and running by mother, Blanca Isabel Rush, and daughter, Claudia Rush after the late Dr. Milton C. Rush, who created the purple rice. “My dad was a scientist, but my mom is the business,” said the manager of Rush Rice Products, Claudia Rush.  Milton Rush was a well-known LSU plant pathologist and created purple rice after he crossed long-grain rice with black rice from Sri Lanka.  “The majority of his job was developing new varieties of rice for Louisiana rice farmers,” Claudia said about her late father.  Fast forward to his passing, Blanca Isabel stepped up and continued the family business, something she said was asked of by her husband.  “He said I know it's hard, expensive," she said. "But I tell him, 'I don't know anything of rice. I'm not a businesswoman, I'm a teacher.' He tells me, 'I know you are a strong woman, a woman that's going to move it forward, do not let it die.' He said do not let it die, continue it,” she said.  Milton considered Blanca Isabel a strong woman from Honduras, capable of tackling anything she set her mind to. She recalls several obstacles such as financial struggles. “It hasn't been easy, it's been difficult,” said Blanca Isabel. “I found myself in very serious economic situations that I didn't know how to pay for the rice after they farmed it and I had to mortgage my house. I needed to buy a building like this and well we did it. We are here and happy because now we can do the rice directly, with a lot of love and care.” Baton Rouge foundation’s annual event raises money to help children with cancer Another obstacle she emphasizes is the language barrier, especially when it comes to marketing her product.  “I have an accent, a very strong accent and I think people don't understand what I'm saying,” she said.   Blanca Isabel said becoming a businesswoman hasn’t been easy and recalls an instance of a restaurant chef denying her rice due to the name, causing her to be confused about the future of the product.  “I had the bag of rice here and he said because of this. And he pointed at my name. And I said what is wrong with that? This is a foreign name, that's the reason your rice is not popular,” she said.  Years later, the product is sold in 40 stores around Louisiana including Baton Rouge and even online at Amazon. Blanca Isabel said she is grateful and considers it a testimony of the resilience and strength of their family's Hispanic Heritage.  “Until now, the people of this country have received more influences from immigrant people like us. I think this is an opportunity for people to realize, the native people of this country, that immigrants help in different forms. We also work in important careers that are important for the community,” Blanca Isabel said.  As to why you should try the purple rice? Simple - health benefits. Claudia said the rice is high in antioxidants, high in resveratrol which is good for your heart and has proven to be good for diabetics due to it being sodium-free.  For those wondering how the rice tastes, the Rush family describes it as similar to white rice.  Now as people across the region hear of Rush Rice Products, the Rush family hopes people are open-minded enough to try the rice, especially their community.  “I really would like the Hispanic community to get into this because it's going to be good for them,” said Blanca Isabel.  For those interested in seeing what store locations sell Blanca Isabel Purple Rice or finding out more information on the product, visit the Purple Rice website. Latest News What's a National Blue Ribbon School? These 7 Louisiana schools just won the honor Rare artifacts and ancient texts showcased at Tulane’s Latin American Library Honduran family brings healthy rice alternative to Louisiana residents Report: New Orleans Saints center Erik McCoy out for 6-8 weeks Driver escapes from sunroof after truck ends up in middle of Louisiana lake