When we talk about rice we usually think of white rice but if you've ever heard of black rice we bet you don't even know it's forbidden rice. This dark beauty is a unique trifecta of healthy appetizers and is aesthetically pleasing, a cereal that tops other types of rice with its nutritious, nutty flavor and beauty. So, can you replace white rice with it, if you include black rice in your daily diet, keep to the end of the article to get your answers and know everything about the health benefits of black rice.
what is black rice
In ancient times Chinese people consider dark rice as royal
rice because it is very nutritious and they believe that black rice will give
them more life because it is delicious.
black rice became a special treat for rich or you can say elite class.
It is also known as forbidden rice because only the noble and royal groups were
allowed to have black rice.
it was forbidden for the rest of them due to its superior quality but that isn't the case anymore. you can have black rice in china whenever you crave for it. rice has been a part of Asian culinary culture for a very long time. According to the history books they were first cultivated in china thousands of years ago. later on it spread to the rest of the regions. the cultivation of rice came in a wide range of colors including black, white, brown, and red. it gets their color due to the changes occurring naturally in their outer layer.
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If you think that black rice is produced only in China, you may be
wrong, besides China, different types of black rice are grown in India, Indonesia,
Japan, Philippines, Thailand and some other countries. Black
rice was first introduced to United States markets in the 90s although it has
been around for many years in other parts of the world, the two main types of
black rice commonly found in the market are Thai jasmine black rice and
Indonesian black rice. Some varieties are long seeded and some are short. The
long grain variety is some of the healthiest because it is low in starch, which
we will discuss in this article on its health benefits.
what nutrients the Black rice contains
black rice is also an amazing source of tons of nutrients essential for
your body including phosphorus, iron, zeaxanthin, calcium, manganese,
riboflavin (B2), niacin (b3), potassium, zinc, copper, magnesium, vitamin E, beta
carotene, lutein and chromium. as far as nutrients per serving are concerned one quarter cup
of black rice which is about half a cup when cooked contains 173 calories 5
grams of protein, 2 grams of fat, 38 grams of carbohydrate, 3 grams of fiber, 1
gram of sugar, 4 milligrams of sodium, 1 milligram of iron, and zero milligrams
of cholesterol. black rice has no cholesterol in
it. black rice has more protein as compared to white and brown rice. this makes
black rice an ideal choice for those looking to build muscle. one serving of
black rice also fulfills 6% of our daily needs of iron, a mineral our body
needs to maintain the blood in good shape and provide oxygen to the cells. lack
of iron may also cause anemia a common condition among young children older
adults and women. not only that but black rice also provides fiber.
one serving delivers 4% of our daily fiber requirements knocking the socks
off of white colored rice and unhealthy grain with zero fiber to speak off. as
you may already be aware of the fact that usually people don't in take the
recommended amount of fiber. So consuming some from whole grains is crucial
it's recommended men should get 38 grams and women 25 grams of fiber every day.
fiber keeps you fit and active. but it has the capability of doing much more than
that. some searches showed that the fiber present in whole grains including black
rice can assist you to decrease the risk of heart diseases, diabetes, reduce
fat and some forms of cancer such as cancers of the ovaries, stomach ,colon
and rectum. the richness of nutrients is not the only reason you should eat
black rice frequently theirs is much more.
These are the 8 health benefits of black rice
No 1. source
of many antioxidants.
once you enrich yourself with this information you'll come to realize
how good black rice is. It's full of antioxidant content. infact no other rice
has many antioxidants as this variety of rice has. The bran the outermost layer
of the grain is filled with the highest level of anthocyanins. The anthocyanins
have the potential to treat diarrhea or microbial infections counter free
radical damage and prevent cardiovascular disease.
No 2. naturally gluten-free.
while most whole grains such as
rice, wheat and barley contain gluten. black rice is a naturally gluten-free
nutritious option. people who are on a gluten-free diet can enjoy a daily
intake of black rice. gluten is a kind of protein that individuals with celiac
acid should avoid because it triggers an instant immune response that harms the
small intestine. in addition to that it causes negative gastrointestinal side
effects including abdominal pain and bloating in people with gluten sensitivity.
No 3. improved eye health
other than antioxidant black rice
also contains excessive amounts of zeaxanthin and lutein. these are two
carotenoids mainly known for their role in improving eye health. they help to
reduce the effects of harmful ultraviolet radiation or uv radiation on the
retina and thus protect the cells in the eyes.
No 4. fights cancer
black rice is a must-have food option for individuals suffering from
cancer. the anthocyanins possess potentanti-cancer characteristics. recent
studies have proved that ananthocyanin rich extract of black rice successfully
suppressed the spread of breast cancer cells and decreased tumor growth in mice.
research also showed that a higher intake of foods rich in anthocyanins was
associated with a reduced risk of colorectal cancer.
No 5. diabetes management.
blackrice also contains an
enormous quantity of flavonoids and phytochemicals. flavonoids positively
affect diabetes management and blood sugar levels whereas phytochemicals
positively improve insulin sensitivity of your body and hence enable your body
to use glucose in a much better way. they also decrease the digestion of sugar
in the small intestine which helps to reduce sugar levels in the blood.
No 6. reduces inflammation.
black rice works wonders in
fighting against inflammation. researchers have found that it can help in
reducing edema and considerably suppressing allergic contact dermatitis on the
skin of mice. this is a major sign of the ability of black rice to treat diseases
that are linked with long term inflammation though this research has been done on
animals it's safe to assume that black rice will also provide the same effects
on human beings.
No 7. good for reducing fat.
health enthusiasts would love
black rice for its properties vital for reducing fat and size management. the
food has a good quantity of dietary fiber and is low in calories and
carbohydrates. hence this rice variant makes you feel full and keeps your
hunger packs at bay. to prove it research was conducted to analyze the differences
in reducing fat due to white rice and a mixture of black and brown rice and 40
obese women in a time period of six weeks. the results of the study showed that
the black and brown rice group experienced much lower body fat percentage and
body mass index as well as higher reducing fat than the other group that took
white rice. thus it's clear that both black and brown rice can perform
particularly well in diet therapy for women.
No 8. protects heart health.
making black rice a part of your everyday diet will protect the health
of your heart. we all know about the dangers of high cholesterol and the cardiovascular
diseases. multiple research studies have concluded that the anthocyanin pigment
of black rice can considerably reduce the cholesterol level in rats. another
research on rabbits showed that black rice can decrease a therosclerotic plaque
buildup by 50%. this is excellent news for people suffering from
atherosclerosis.
what is atherosclerosis?
it's a cardiovascular disease in which the buildup of plaque clogs the arteries. this may lead to various other serious diseases such as peripheral artery disease, stroke, kidney problems. things to watch out for similar to other types of rice black rice may have some amounts of arsenic absorbed from the soil. rinse the black rice before cooking it to ensure there's no arsenic left on it. In this way you consume arsenic is less chance. you also have the option of cooking the rice in plenty of water and draining off the unabsorbed water by the time it's fully cooked. those who want to store uncooked black rice can do so by storing it in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 months.