Not just carbs: Research reveals rice is packed with potent antioxidants (recipe included)
11/03/2020 / By Leslie Locklear / Comments
Not just carbs: Research reveals rice is packed with potent antioxidants (recipe included)

Rice is one of the most widely-consumed grains on the planet, with about 486.62 million metric tons of rice consumed worldwide in 2018 alone.

Despite being known primarily for its carbohydrate content, rice is actually packed with proteins, vitamins, minerals and dietary fibers, as well as phytonutrients such as phenols and flavonoids that act as antioxidants.

This is according to an international team of researchers from Korea and India who analyzed the presence of phenolic compounds in three variants of rice that can be found in most markets, namely organic, pesticide-free, and conventional.

Of the three variants, the pesticide-free variant had the highest amount of phenolic compounds, followed by conventional and organic rice. These phenolic compounds are capable of preventing various illnesses as well as other health problems.

Which antioxidants can be found in rice?

In addition, the red, dark purple, and black pigmented rice species are rich in tannins, flavones, and amino acids, with anthocyanins such as cyanidin, malvidin, and pelargonidin being the major pigments.

Antioxidants are highly valued for their ability to scavenge free radicals — unstable atoms that can damage cells and cause illness and aging — from the body. This makes them valuable when it comes to preventing the development of chronic health problems such as cardiovascular and inflammatory diseases, cataracts and even cancer.

With that said, here are some of the antioxidants found in rice and their health benefits:

Ferulic acid – Best known for its skin-protective properties, ferulic acid is usually applied topically in order to treat sun damage as well as some of the signs of aging such as fine lines and wrinkles. When taken orally, it is said to help enhance athletic performance.

Salicylic acid – Salicylic acid belongs to a class of compounds known as salicylates. Just like ferulic acid, salicylic acid is usually applied topically in order to help the skin shed dead cells. This mechanism combats acne formation and speeds up their healing.

Caffeic acid – A type of polyphenol, caffeic acid is said to have many health benefits, such as reducing inflammation and fatigue, as well as help prevent neurodegenerative diseases like Parkinson’s. It is also said to be effective against the toxic side effects of chemotherapy.

Gallic acid – A potent antioxidant, gallic acid is reported to possess several therapeutic abilities and is said to be effective when it comes to treating gastrointestinal, neuropsychological, metabolic and cardiovascular disorders.

Protocatechuic acid – A widely-distributed phenolic acid, protocatechuic acid is well-regarded for its antioxidant and antibacterial properties. Aside from that, it is also said to possess abilities that can help protect the body against cancer, diabetes, and premature aging.

Anthocyanins – Potent bio-flavonoids, anthocyanins are known for their array of health benefits, such as their ability to lower blood pressure, improve visual acuity and inhibit cancer cell growth. They are also known for their ability to inhibit tumor formation and prevent diabetes.

What is the best kind of rice?

A staple food in more than 100 countries worldwide, rice comes in many, different forms, some of which are more nutritious than the others.

Here are some of the rice varieties you might see at your local grocery or health food shop:

White rice – White rice, as its name suggests, is rice that has had its husk, bran, and germ removed. This means that it contains less fiber, protein, antioxidants, and certain vitamins and minerals than other, less-refined variants.

Brown rice – A whole-grain grain variant, this rice still contains the bran layer and the germ. This means that it’s still packed with a significant amount of nutrients such as protein, minerals and vitamins compared to white rice.

Black rice – Commonly found and grown in Indonesia and Thailand, black rice has a deep black color that turns to purple when cooked. Once reserved for royalty, black rice has the highest antioxidant activity of all the varieties, making it the most nutritious.

Red rice – Red rice varieties, such as Himalayan red rice and Thai red cargo rice, are known for containing high amounts of protein, as well as an impressive array of beneficial plant compounds such as anthocyanins apigenin, myricetin and quercetin.

Wild rice – The seeds of certain aquatic grasses, wild rice contains about three times more fiber, protein, vitamins and minerals than well-milled white rice.

Cooking healthy organic rice pilaf

Nothing is more comforting than a warm and filling plate of rice pilaf – just like this recipe from Whole Lifestyle Nutrition! Not only is this recipe incredibly tasty, but it’s also very easy to cook. Try cooking this for your next Sunday dinner with the family.

Ingredients:

  • 2 cups organic and pesticide-free basmati rice or jasmine rice
  • 4 cups homemade chicken or vegetable stock
  • 4 tablespoons grass-fed butter OR organic, extra virgin coconut oil
  • 2 small organic sweet onions, finely chopped
  • 2 cups thinly sliced organic carrot
  • 1 teaspoon unrefined sea salt
  • ¾ cup chopped organic celery leaves
  • 2 teaspoons dried thyme

Preparation:

  1. Preheat a large skillet over medium heat.
  2. Add butter, onions, carrots and celery leaves and sauté for 4 minutes or until the onions start to get soft and become transparent.
  3. Push the onion mixture to the side of the pan and add rice. Stir the rice frequently until it starts to turn a little brown. This will take about 3 minutes.
  4. Add stock, salt and thyme to the hot pan, stir and bring to a boil.
  5. Once you have reached a boil, turn the heat down and let the mixture simmer for 15 to 20 minutes, covered.
  6. Once done, remove rice from heat and let sit for 10 more minutes.
  7. Remove the lid and fluff the pilaf with a fork. Serve immediately.

Whatever rice you choose, however, make sure that what you’re getting is the pesticide-free and organic variants, as these are infinitely more nutritious, not to mention safer and better for the body.

Sources:

Statista.com

MDPI.com

VeryWellHealth.com

TandFOnline.com

HealthLine.com

NCBI.NLM.NIH.gov

Hindawi.com

Longdom.com

HSPH.Harvard.edu

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