BLACK RICE BENEFITS: Black rice is even better than brown rice Black rice offers all of the same health benefits of brown rice but it also packs some serious antioxidants. Because of its dark color, black rice bran contains the same anthocyanin antioxidants found in blueberries or blackberries. According to research from the Department of Food Science at Louisiana State University, a spoonful of black rice bran contains more health promoting anthocyanin antioxidants than a spoonful of blueberries, but with less sugar and more fiber and vitamin E antioxidants. Found in dark blue, red and purple foods, anthocyanin antioxidants show promise for fighting heart disease, cancer, and other diseases. Black rice is often referred to as purple rice, since when its soaked or cooked it changes from black to a deep purple or burgundy color. Grown primarily in Asia, black rice is an heirloom or heritage variety. It is also known as Forbidden Rice, since in ancient China it was reserved for the emperor and nobles, and commoners were prohibited from eating it. The bran or hard outer shell of the black rice is the part with all the great benefits but it also makes the rice a little tricky to cook. Like brown rice, it will take close to an hour although the actual cooking time can be shortened by soaking the rice for an hour, or even overnight, to speed the process. Black rice can be used in place of brown or white rice and is often featured in dessert recipes, particularly rice puddings, because its natural flavor is rich and sweet.
Posted on: Sun, 07 Sep 2014 11:36:00 +0000