Rice is a vital staple in many parts of the world, making up half the calories consumed each day for about half the world’s population. Brown rice is a good source of several minerals, including manganese, selenium, copper, phosphorus, and magnesium, along with several B vitamins. One of the surprising rice nutrition facts, however, is that the white rice that many of us eat has had nearly all of the nutrients destroyed, and had iron along with vitamins B1 and B3 added back in. A grain of rice starts out with several layers, each of which contains a significant amount of the nutrients in rice. During processing to make white rice, the outer layers, along with their nutrients, are removed, leaving little more than refined starch.
Studies show that those who avoid refined grains, such as white rice, in favor of whole grains, such as minimally processed brown rice, gained significantly less weight than those who preferred refined grains.
Brown rice is an excellent source of fiber to help keep the digestive tract functioning at its peak , and manganese, which is vital to helping the body extract energy from the food we eat.
Brown rice is also an excellent source of selenium, which is vital to health metabolism. Selenium is essential for metabolising hormones produced by the thyroid. A number of studies have shown selenium can stimulate DNA repair in damaged cells and block cancer cells from growing. It also works alongside vitamin E to help reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease and easing symptoms of both asthma and rheumatoid arthritis.
The body is a unit of individual systems that function together, that when in balance, help the body function well. These systems respond to different situations such as metabolism, cell repair, and inflammation in a response known as the neuroendocrine metabolic response. Brown rice is a food that supports, rather than aggravates the NEM response. It does this because of the nutrients discussed, such as selenium, Vitamin E, and magnesium. When the NEM response is out of balance, it affects our hormone levels, cellular structure and function, digestion, and immune response just to name a few. Phytonutrients help to support the NEM response and normal funtions of the body.
If you’re familiar with phytonutrients, the term probably conjures up thoughts of fruits, vegetables, and spices, not rice. This is because much of the phytonutrient content of rice is bound to the cell walls and is does not enter the bloodstream as quickly, but has to be released by bacteria in the intestines. Studies of the bound forms of these compounds are fairly recent, but have found that whole grains are comparable to many fruits and vegetables in phytonutrient content.
Diet gurus these days emphasize either fat or carbohydrates for weight loss, but the reality is more complicated than consuming one primarily while avoiding the other. Just as there are several different types of fats, some healthy and beneficial, others unhealthy and even harmful, there are different types of carbohydrates. Some carbs, such as those found in whole grains, are healthy, while carbs like those found in refined grains, are unhealthy and can lead to a variety of problems. A recent study of more than 2,800 participants found that those who consumed the most whole grains had significantly lower insulin resistance and markers of metabolic syndrome nearly 40% lower than their cohorts.
Brown rice is also a great source of magnesium, a mineral in which many Americans are deficient, due to consuming food grown in magnesium-poor soil. Getting sufficient magnesium can help reduce asthma symptoms, reduce frequency of migraines, reduce heart attack and stroke risk, and ease muscle spasms and symptoms of restless leg syndrome. It does this by relaxing nerves and the muscles they control. Magnesium, along with calcium, is also crucial to healthy bones. Approximately ? of the magnesium in your body is found in your bones.
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Serves 4-6
