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Short Grain Brown Rice

Category: Grains - Whole

Superb Unrefined Goodness. Use as a side dish, as a cereal, for rice fritters, rice pudding or in stuffed peppers.

Brown Rice is a good source of Vitamin A, B1 and B2. White Rice contains none of these nutrients. Brown Rice is rich in Calcium, Phosphorous and Iron. White Rice contains only traces of these elements. Brown Rice contains twice as much Protein as White Rice. Brown Rice makes fantastic good sense.

PREPARATION:  Bring 3 cups water to boil.  Add 1.5 tsp salt and one cup rice.  Simmer for 1 hour.

More Info

One of the most ancient of foods, a staple in virtually every country of the world, available in thousands of varieties, the base of many dishes, both modern and traditional, a main dish in its own right, a popular ingredient in dishes, desserts, baked goods, salads and snacks, brown rice is a versatile and economical food that is also an essential part of a healthy diet.

Brown rice contains a large variety of vitamins and minerals, including lots of manganese, selenium, magnesium and carbohydrates, a fair amount of phosphorus, niacin, vitamin B6, vitamin E and some good-quality protein, including amino acids lysine and tryptophan. It is low in sodium and saturated fat and high in fibre, with zero cholesterol.

The benefits that result from these nutrients (and from the fact that they are available to the metabolic system within their natural state) are numerous. They include a healthy metabolism, supplies of energy, a nervous system that works efficiently, a strong immune system, strong, healthy bones and teeth, and defenses against such diseases and health threats as asthma, high cholesterol, high blood pressure, obesity, diabetes, heart disease, cancer, migraine headaches, depression and digestive tract disorders.

In addition to these nutrients, brown rice is also rich in powerful phytonutrients, nature’s own remedies, which act as antioxidants in helping even further to prevent and heal an array of diseases. Plus, brown rice is known as a safe alternative to several allergenic foods.

Description and Origin

Rice (oryza sativa) is one of the most ancient of foods, having been cultivated originally in Asian countries probably since the beginning of human history. At first it was a staple only in Asia. Then Arab travelers introduced the grain into ancient Greece, Alexander the Great introduced it to India, the Moors introduced it to Spain during their conquests in the 8th century, the Crusaders introduced it to France, and the Spanish introduced it to South America in the 17th century. Today, the majority of the world’s rice is still grown in Asia, with Thailand, Vietnam and China being the three largest exporters. However, it has become a dietary staple around the world, even though it is in Asian countries, such as China, Japan, India, Korea and the Philippines where it is most important and where we find the most variety and the most varied types of usage.

How many varieties there are worldwide is a matter of some debate. Some estimate more than 7,000 varieties, others say 40,000. The most familiar types, especially in Western countries, are of course long-grain white and whole-grain brown rice. Let’s start with the basics. There are three main categories of rice, ranging from the most nutritious (whole-grain), to unpolished, to the least nutritious (polished rice). In each of these categories we find such colours as white, brown, red, black, sticky, long-grain, medium-grain and short-grain, and aromatic varieties such as basmati and jasmine.

Whole-grain rice, such as brown rice, is the whole grain with only the inedible outer hull removed – it still has its nutrient-rich bran and germ intact. Unpolished rice, whether it’s white, red or black, has been further milled to remove the bran and most of the germ layer. It is a whiter rice, but not as white as the polished rice Western countries are used to, having lost some but not all of its nutritional value. Polished rice has been both milled and polished, so it no longer has the bran and germ.

Using Brown Rice

Most of us know rice largely as the base on which we pile the “regular” food, or as the main ingredient in rice pudding, or the increasingly popular but almost tasteless crunchy rice cakes. However, you can also get a tastier, softer rice cake, rice bread, confectionery, sweet or savoury snacks, puffed or shredded rice cereals, and rice beverages such as milk which make a tasty, healthier and non-allergenic alternative to dairy milk.

Nutritional Content

Brown rice contains a large variety of vitamins and minerals. It is an excellent source of manganese (88% of the recommended daily allowance in one cup) and a good source of selenium (27.3% of the RDA) and magnesium (21%). It also contains some phosphorus along with vitamins niacin, vitamin B6 and even a little vitamin E. Although rice is best known for its carbohydrates and has only a small amount of protein, the protein in brown rice is of a good quality thanks to the relatively high level of the amino acid lysine found in it. It also supplies nearly 20% of the recommended daily allowance of tryptophan. It is low in sodium and saturated fat and high in fibre, with zero cholesterol. The following is a partial analysis of the nutritional content of brown rice:

Brown vs. White Rice

Brown rice is not only more nutritious than polished white rice; it also tastes better with its nutty flavour and chewy texture. It takes a little longer to cook than white rice, but this is hardly an inconvenience considering the pay-off.

The process that converts brown rice into polished white rice destroys nearly 70% of the vitamin B3 (niacin), 80% of the vitamin B1, 90% of the vitamin B6, 50% of both the manganese and the phosphorus, 60% of the iron and all of the dietary fibre and essential fatty acids. Polishing removes the aleurone layer of the grain. Aleurone is filled with health-supportive, essential fats – fats that have been shown, among other things, to lower cholesterol. Once these fats are exposed to air by the refining process, they are highly susceptible to oxidation. This layer is therefore removed to extend the shelf life of the product. The resulting white rice is simply a refined starch that contains few if any of its original nutrients. That is why polished white rice (the one most of us are used to buying) is required by law to be enriched. However, these “restored” nutrients don’t work anywhere as well as those found in the whole grain.

Health Benefits

Manganese is a trace mineral (that means you don’t need a whole lot of it) that helps to produce energy from protein and carbohydrates. It is also involved in the synthesis of fatty acids, which are essential for a healthy nervous system, and in the production of cholesterol (which the body does need in limited quantities). Manganese is also an important component of an enzyme that provides antioxidant protection inside the mitochondria of every living cell in the body.

Magnesium, another major nutrient in brown rice, has been shown to help reduce the severity of asthma, lower high blood pressure, reduce the frequency of migraine headaches, and reduce the risk of heart attack and stroke. It is also essential, along with calcium, for healthy bones.

Phosphorus works together with calcium and is important for building healthy bones and teeth.

Selenium is another trace mineral, and a very important one at that. First, it is an antioxidant, which means it helps destroy free radicals. It is therefore a valuable ally in the fight against all diseases, including cancer. Smokers’ bodies are filled with free radicals, so they can also benefit from an increased intake of selenium (especially if they kick the smoking habit first!). Second, the body uses selenium to make vitamins C and E (which are also antioxidants) work more effectively. Third, studies have found that selenium can dramatically reduce the risk of developing asthma. Fourth, selenium has been shown to relieve depression. And fifth, it may help prevent damage to hemoglobin.

How selenium helps prevent cancer has been the subject of considerable research, and several explanations have surfaced. One is that selenium has been shown to induce DNA repair and DNA synthesis in damaged cells. Another explanation is that selenium inhibits the proliferation of cancer calls. Third, selenium induces apoptosis in cancer cells (apoptosis is the mechanism the body uses to eliminate worn-out or abnormal cells). And fourth, selenium works with antioxidant vitamins C and E, making them that much more effective in the fight against cancer. As a matter of fact, selenium’s antioxidant powers are good not only against cancer, but also against other diseases and health threats, like heart disease, arthritis and the conditions listed earlier.

Brown rice fights cancer in yet another way – through its large stores of fibre. Fibre reduces to the minimum the amount of time cancer-causing substances remain in contact with colon cells. Fibre has been shown to reduce high cholesterol levels. It also keeps blood sugar levels under control and protects against colon cancer. It is also beneficial for less severe conditions, like difficulties in bowel function, constipation and diarrhea, and it may even help prevent gallstones.

Studies have also shown that the higher the intake of fibre, the lower the risk of gaining unnecessary weight. In fact, people who consistently eat diets high in fibre and low in refined foods are about 50% less likely to gain weight and suffer from obesity.

The fatty acids in brown rice are important too. A study done at Louisiana State University and published in the January 2005 issue of the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, showed that rice bran oil lowered LDL (bad) cholesterol by as much as 7% in about 10 weeks. While researchers believe this was mainly due to a certain compound in the oil, it is generally acknowledged that we can derive the greatest benefit from eating the whole food, incorporating all the heart-healthy oils, fibre, magnesium and B vitamins.

Research indicates that eating one serving of whole grains, such as brown rice, at least six times a week may be beneficial for people with high cholesterol, high blood pressure and other signs of cardiovascular disease.

Whole grains, such as brown rice, also contain powerful phytonutrients, released during digestion, that act as antioxidants in helping to prevent diseases such as cancer. So say researchers from Cornell University. One major group of these phytochemicals is phenols – antioxidant compounds that include quercetin, curcumin, ellagic acid and catechins. These researchers have found that the phytonutrients in brown rice have antioxidant activity comparable to that of fruits and vegetables. Other whole grains, such as corn, even exceed fruits and vegetables in terms of antioxidant power.

This does not suggest you should store your carrots and bananas, but that a balanced diet incorporating fruits, vegetables and whole grains is the ideal way of reducing the risk of developing a host of diseases, including serious ones like colon cancer, cardiovascular disease, obesity, and type-2 diabetes.

Compounds in whole grains that can lower cholesterol include poly-unsaturated fatty acids, oligosaccharides, plant sterols, plant sterols and saponins. The list of antioxidants in whole grains is long and includes vitamin E, tocotrienols, selenium, phenolic acids and phytic acid. Plant lignans are another type of phytochemical particularly abundant in whole grains such as brown rice. Plant lignans are converted into mammalian lignans in the intestines, and these lignans are believed to provide protection against breast and other hormone-dependent cancers as well as heart disease.

Brown Rice and Food Safety

There is no evidence that brown rice is an allergenic food and it does not appear to contain measurable amounts of goitrogens, oxalates, or purines. Caution should be exercised, however, when it comes to non-organic brown rice. One research study found that non-organic rice may contain traces of harmful substances such as arsenic. Besides, studies have shown that organically grown food is generally more advisable if you want to avoid toxins and other harmful substances often associated with fertilisers, pesticides and agricultural methods used in non-organic farming.

General Hints and Cautions

1. Because brown rice and rice bran contain natural oils, both can turn rancid on the shelf. Check for “Sell by” and “Use by” dates on packages. When buying in bulk, buy from a store that has a high turnover – you don’t want to buy a product that has been standing on a shelf for months.
2. Oil-rich brown rice will turn rancid at room temperature. If stored in a properly sealed container in the refrigerator or freezer, it will stay fresh for up to a year.
3. Packaged rice is generally clean and needs no rinsing before cooking. However, rice sold in bulk should be rinsed to rid it of dust or dirt. (A brief rinsing will not affect the nutrients in brown rice.)
4. Brown rice should be cooked in an amount of liquid small enough to be completely absorbed during the cooking time. If it is cooked in excess liquid and then drained, valuable nutrients are lost with the cooking water.
5. Soaking brown rice overnight cuts the cooking time dramatically. Soak the rice in the measured amount of water you’ll need to cook it, and cook it in the same water, adding more if necessary. If you drain the rice after soaking and cook it in fresh water, nutrients will be lost.
6. Select organically grown rice whenever possible.

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Sources Consulted

http://www.liferesearchuniversal.com/minerals.html

http://www.vitacost.com/science/hn/Food_Guide/Rice.htm

http://www.whfoods.com/genpage.php?tname=foodspice&dbid=128

http://www.wholehealthmd.com/refshelf/foods_view/1,1523,103,00.html

The Doctor’s Book of Food Remedies, by Selene Yeager and the Editors of Prevention Health BooksTM, 1998, Rodale Inc.

The Doctor’s Book of Home Remedies, by the Editors of Prevention Health BooksTM, 2002, Rodale Inc.

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