Black Rice
Posted: January 16th, 2011, 11:12 am
Rice is not a recommeded food on LDL but there are manywho are at goal and still use the boards .
If you may be considering adding a little rice as an every-once-in-a-while treat, this article may have some helpful information.
Black Rice Beats Blueberries for an Antioxidant Boost
I love fresh blueberries, in part for their health-enhancing antioxidants -- particularly the anthocyanins -- but I hate paying $5 per half pint during the winter. So I was happy to hear that black rice is another great source of anthocyanins (not to mention being a warm and tasty "comfort food" during the cold months). Black rice not only costs less than blueberries but also has less sugar and more fiber, according to Zhimin Xu, PhD, an associate professor of food science at Louisiana State University.
Benefits: Regular consumption of anthocyanins promotes cardiovascular health by reducing blood levels of LDL (bad) cholesterol... and also may provide some protection against cancer.
White vs. brown vs. black: White rice is made by stripping away the nutrient-rich bran layer from the grains of rice, so most of its health benefits are lost. The brown and black varieties of rice are far more nutritious than white rice, and both provide high levels of fat-soluble antioxidants, such as vitamin E and gamma-oryzanol -- but only black rice also contains the water-soluble, darkly pigmented anthocyanins (which give it its deep color), Dr. Xu said.
Black rice often is described as nutty-tasting and more intensely flavored and chewier than brown rice. Dr. Xu noted that texture and taste vary because black rice comes in several varieties.
In the US, black rice is sold in some Asian markets and gourmet shops, at the supermarket Whole Foods and online. It costs somewhat more than white rice or brown rice -- though at about 50 cents per serving, it is still a deal compared to out-of-season blueberries, as far as I’m concerned.
Source: Zhimin Xu, PhD, is an associate professor of food science at Louisiana State University Agricultural Center in Baton Rouge. He has conducted research on black rice.
If you may be considering adding a little rice as an every-once-in-a-while treat, this article may have some helpful information.
Black Rice Beats Blueberries for an Antioxidant Boost
I love fresh blueberries, in part for their health-enhancing antioxidants -- particularly the anthocyanins -- but I hate paying $5 per half pint during the winter. So I was happy to hear that black rice is another great source of anthocyanins (not to mention being a warm and tasty "comfort food" during the cold months). Black rice not only costs less than blueberries but also has less sugar and more fiber, according to Zhimin Xu, PhD, an associate professor of food science at Louisiana State University.
Benefits: Regular consumption of anthocyanins promotes cardiovascular health by reducing blood levels of LDL (bad) cholesterol... and also may provide some protection against cancer.
White vs. brown vs. black: White rice is made by stripping away the nutrient-rich bran layer from the grains of rice, so most of its health benefits are lost. The brown and black varieties of rice are far more nutritious than white rice, and both provide high levels of fat-soluble antioxidants, such as vitamin E and gamma-oryzanol -- but only black rice also contains the water-soluble, darkly pigmented anthocyanins (which give it its deep color), Dr. Xu said.
Black rice often is described as nutty-tasting and more intensely flavored and chewier than brown rice. Dr. Xu noted that texture and taste vary because black rice comes in several varieties.
In the US, black rice is sold in some Asian markets and gourmet shops, at the supermarket Whole Foods and online. It costs somewhat more than white rice or brown rice -- though at about 50 cents per serving, it is still a deal compared to out-of-season blueberries, as far as I’m concerned.
Source: Zhimin Xu, PhD, is an associate professor of food science at Louisiana State University Agricultural Center in Baton Rouge. He has conducted research on black rice.