Black Rice Could Offer Major Health Boost

Rice remains one of the cheapest foods you can buy, and a great item for any meal and even desserts. Brown rice has traditionally seen as the healthiest form, but a new study suggests black rice may have it beat in one area.

According to a news release by the American Chemical Society, they have been conducting tests on the antioxidant properties of black rice and foods that contain it. Their results have shown that one spoonful equals more antioxidants than a spoonful of berries, with less sugar and more vitamins, such as Vitamin E.

The food also comes in many pigments, beyond just black, spanning the spectrum from pink to deep black. This, the researchers say, make it an ideal way to color or decorate food without using unnatural food additives, such as coloring.

It can also be added to food and beverage without changing the taste, making it more healthy and providing an alternative to some health additions.

“If berries are used to boost health, why not black rice and black rice bran?” Zhimin Xu, the study co-author, asked in the release, pointing out the way it could be used to maintain the taste of the original food, while giving a real boost in nutrients.,

The study will be released fully later this evening at a meeting in Boston for the American Chemical Association, with a recommendation that black rice be incoporated on a manufacturing level.

Filed Under: Cardiology