Eat Brown (Rice), Stay Healthy!

Five health benefits of brown rice:

• Filled with nutritious elements that can fight cancer
• Help reduce risk of diabetes
• Lose weight the healthy way
• Help reduce cholesterol
• Natural digestibility

Rice, as we all know, is the staple food in most parts of the world. What many of us may not even be aware of is the number of varieties it has. While the commonly consumed variety is the white rice, the long grain Basmati rice, sticky white rice, brown rice and even black rice is available. Among these, brown rice is considered healthiest.

Brown rice – the Healthy Way to Eat

What is brown rice? It is in fact the unrefined version of the white rice. To process the rice into the variety we buy in stores, it is stripped of its outside hull and bran. That makes it lighter and faster to cook. Brown rice, on the other hand has only the hull removed. It retains the bran and therefore its natural wholeness. This makes it a rich source of proteins, calcium, magnesium, potassium and fibre.

Health Benefits of Brown Rice

Although packaged white rice carries an ‘enriched’ label with it, it is fortified with synthetic vitamins and iron. Despite this, a single serving doesn’t qualify for minimal nutritional requirements as specified by various food control authorities. Therefore, for those looking for healthy alternatives, we bring some benefits of brown rice that clearly makes it the winner.

---

1. Brown Rice is Highly Nutritious.
It is considered as one of the most nutritious food around that is easily available and is found to be rich in:

• Selenium that reduces the risk of cancer, heart diseases, and arthritis.
  
• Manganese that helps synthesize fats and beneficial to our nervous and reproductive systems.
• Naturally occurring oils that normalizing cholesterol levels.
• Antioxidants that are anti-inflammatory and prevent asthma especially in children.
• Fibre that prevents colon and breast cancer and gallstones.
  

2. Reduced Risk of Diabetes
As compared to white rice, its brown counterpart cannot be consumed in large quantities because of the large size of its grains. Moreover, it gets digested slowly due to its fibrous content and therefore glucose is released slowly into the bloodstream. This in turn lowers the risk of metabolic syndrome, which leads to cardiovascular complications and Type 2 diabetes. Studies have shown that one cup of brown rice daily can reduce the risk of developing diabetes by almost 60 percent.

3. Fibre is the Way to Lose Weight
The fibre content of brown rice keeps bowel functioning at its highest and eases digestion. Its high fibre and lecithin doesn’t easily convert to carbohydrates. In means, that it is an excellent nutritive alternative for those looking to lose weight and stay healthy at the same time.

4. Bone up and Reduce Cholesterol
It is rich in magnesium content which helps in optimal absorption of calcium, and hence ideal for bone health. Brown rice helps reduce cholesterol which is (although now debated) still considered a hazard for cardiovascular health.

5. Natural Digestibility that Fights Candidiasis
For those suffering from Candida Yeast infections, brown rice is the perfect supplement. Its natural digestibility and high fibre content can prevent overgrowth of Candida organisms in sensitive digestive systems. Moreover, it is a perfect choice for babies to induce faster growth.

In our upcoming articles, discover interesting ways to include brown rice in your daily menu and get ready to be bowled over by its awesomeness.