Rice is one of my favourite dishes!
Yes, I enjoy eating rice and I can confidently vouch that almost 85 percent of the world’s population is also on my bandwagon. I don’t know about you though, but if rice is part of your bread and butter, then you can equally support me on this note that rice dishes are so delectable and ever tempting to eat.
Being one of the most consumed grains in the world, the burning question is what benefits can we derive from this nature's gift to us?
Another concern is that several studies are clamouring for the consumption of mainly brown rice but most people seems so reluctant to adhere to this clarion call. Despite the increasing awareness to consume more brown rice than its white counterpart, I still cannot get around with eating brown rice. I attribute this to the tastelessness of brown rice after being cooked and the longer duration it takes to be cooked. Well, I hope to improve one day but for now, let me just continue enjoying my assorted tasty rice dishes while they last.
Nevertheless, always bear it in mind that brown rice is more nutritious and highly medicinal than its white counterpart. So the decision is in your hands to choose the specific type of rice to include in your diet. With the aforementioned, let us now go through what this grain is all about as well as what our bodies stand to gain or lose from its consumption.
Rice is an annual or perennial monocotyledonous plant that is botanically known as Oryza. It is the most popular cereal that is originally from Africa and Asia before spreading to other parts of the world. The main species are Oryza glaberrima (African species), Oryza sativa (Asian species) and wild rice (Australia species).
Nutritional Values of Rice
Rice is an excellent source of essential nutrients and vitamins such as carbohydrates, protein, iron, dietary fibre, potassium, zinc, manganese, calcium, phosphorus, magnesium, thiamine (B1), riboflavin (B2), niacin (B3), pantothenic acid (B5) and vitamin B6.
Rice bran is a rich constituent of linolenic acid, palmitic acid, stearic acid, tocotrienol, oleic acid, phytosterols, tocopherol and gamma oryzanol. It also contains anti-nutrients such as phytate, lipase and trypsin inhibitors.
Furthermore, Bhat and Riar (2015) reported that traditional cultivars of rice exhibit higher nutritive value than the hybrid rice cultivars. This is attributed to the fact that traditional cultivars contain a higher amount of oryzanol, which prevents the body from building up the cholesterol levels, unlike the hybrids. Rice is an essential source of energy and fuel for facilitating the body’s vital functionings. Interestingly, rice is gluten-free thus an excellent alternative for individuals suffering from celiac diseases.
14 Outstanding Benefits of Rice (Oryza)
Culinary Purposes
Rice is a popular staple food thus can be used for producing rice starch, rice flour, rice husks, rice vinegar, rice straw, rice bran, rice milk, rice paper, red yeast rice, rice soy milk, rice cakes (mochi), rice pudding and rice glue. Rice can be cooked plain and eaten together with stew, vegetables or sauces or it can be cooked as fried rice.
Rice can also be served as dessert when paired with sugar/milk or can be eaten together with dishes such as fish, soups, chicken, eggs and desserts. It can be stuffed or wrapped in grape leaves (dolma) and can also be used for preparing congee (rice porridge), beetroot fried rice, Italian risotto, shrimp rice, Spanish arròs negre or zongzi or zong (rice dumpling). Rice flour can be used for baking bread, noodles, cookies, cakes, snacks and croquant rice.
Medicinal Uses of Traditional Rice
According to Bhat and Riar (2015), traditional rice cultivars are used in Ayurveda for treating several types of diseases such as; skin blemishes, body inflammation, swellings, boils, wounds, voice hoarseness and hot body temperature.
Sticky glutinous rice is effective for treating indigestion, stomach upsets, heartburn and nausea. Brown rice extracts can be used for treating jaundice, warts, chronic gastritis, dysentery, malnutrition, stomach cancer and poor lactation. The extract can also be consumed as an energy drink.
Reduction of Cardiovascular Risk Factors
Kazemzadeh et al., (2014) compared the effects of white rice (WR) and brown rice (BR) on inflammatory marker high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP) and cardiovascular risk factors among non-menopausal overweight or obese female. In this randomized cross-over clinical trial, they randomly allocated 40 overweight or obese (body mass index (BMI) >25) women to group 1 (made up of 20 women). These women were treated with brown rice diet. Group 2 also consisted of 20 women that were treated with white rice diet for a period of 6 weeks (first intervention period).
At the end of the trial, the cardiovascular risk factors including body mass index (BMI), blood pressure, fasting blood glucose (FBG), waist and hip circumference, hs-CRP and serum lipid profiles were measured four times. The results showed that brown rice diet in comparison with white rice diet can significantly reduce weight, BMI, diastolic blood pressure, hs-CRP and waist and hip circumference. However, there were no significant differences recorded between the two diets as per the fasting blood glucose and lipid profiles. Therefore brown rice diet is recommended for reduction of inflammatory marker level and several cardiovascular risk factors especially among non-menopausal overweight or obese women.
Treatment of Skin Inflammation
According to Umadevi et al., (2012), rice can be blended into a poultice for external application on the skin. Rice flour can be dusted on the skin surface to initiate a cooling and soothing effect in cases of skin inflammation, rashes, smallpox, burns, measles, scalds and prickly heat. Rice powder reduces skin irritation, inflammation and heat thus should be thickly applied on any affected part of the skin for optimum results.
Reduces the Cholesterol Level
Most et al., (2005) examined the effects of defatted rice bran and rice bran oil in an average American diet on blood lipids in moderately hypercholesterolemic persons.
The results of the experiment showed that rice bran oil and not the fibre, reduces cholesterol level in healthy, moderately hypercholesterolemic adults.
Anti-diarrheal Properties
Messaï et al., (2014) evaluated the anti-diarrheal properties of rice water as an adjuvant treatment in experimental infection with Eimeria tenella. The results from the experiment showed that within the infected groups, only the experimental animals treated with rice water showed a better weight gain and quick recovery. These researchers recommended that if affected animals are treated with rice water and anticoccidial drugs, then the coccidial infestation can be stopped with further animal losses stopped.
Sun Protection
Rice contains oryzanol that can act as a protective agent against ultraviolet light caused by lipid peroxidation. Rice is a powerful ingredient for producing sunscreen agent and it can offer protection against skin aging.
Beer Production
Brewer’s rice, which is made up of rice germ, rice bran and broken rice are mostly brewed for beer production.
Hair Treatment
The ferulic acid and its esters found in gamma oryzanol of rice are essential for stimulating hair growth.
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