Planning out a well-balanced diet all by yourself can seem like a minefield. But with careful steps towards incorporating diverse food groups, you can up your nutrition game. Speaking of diverse food groups, how often do you eat black rice? Never heard of it before? You are not alone. In today's post, let's discuss why you should be adding black rice to your regular diet. Can it fight cancer? Does it help to reduce weight and treat asthma? We’re discussing all that and more
#1 Aids Weight Loss
We always hear of new fitness trends and fad diets that weight watchers follow. One popular myth that almost every health freak follows at some point is staying away from white rice. This is where black rice comes in. Black rice also goes by another name, “the forbidden rice”. In ancient times, it was only eaten by Chinese royalty. Black rice has more protein and fiber than the usual white grain. Studies have shown that it promotes weight loss by keeping you full. It can reduce unnecessary junk food cravings and reduce the fat percentage in the body. Black rice miraculously reduces the secretion of the hunger hormone ghrelin. To get the best results, you can alternate between brown and black rice. If you were to compare different rice calorie-wise, one-third cup of black rice contains 200 calories, whereas the same amount of white or brown rice will have 226 calories. This is definitely a healthier counterpart of white rice. What favorite foods have you given up to stay fit? Sound off in the comments below and start a conversation with our ever-growing Bestie community.
#2 Gluten-Free
Gluten sensitivity can be a serious concern as it has the potential to alter your social life. With a sensitive gut, you will be required to stay away from grains like wheat, barley, and rye. People with gluten sensitivity may suffer from celiac disease. Bread, pasta, cakes, and cookies are generally triggers for the small intestine. If you unknowingly consume them, you will have immediate symptoms like diarrhea, bloating, and constipation. It also increases your chances of developing leaky gut syndrome later. If you're falling short of food items to consume, you can definitely add black rice to your list. It's naturally gluten-free and can be enjoyed by everyone. Don't worry about its taste. It's delicious and has a slightly nutty flavor. Just cook it like regular rice and pair it with curries, veggies, or a protein of your choice. It also tastes great in puddings. Soaking rice in water for 1 hour before cooking can lessen the overall cooking time. The extra water left after soaking and cooking can be a nutritious addition to your soups and broths.
#3 Low-Glycemic Index
Glycemic index is the ability to analyze different foods based on their impact on blood sugar levels. It’s also called GI for short. GI rates food from a scale of 0 to 100 depending on how much it spikes blood sugar levels. Foods that have a higher GI are digested in no time. They are quickly taken up by a system and cause large fluctuations in blood sugar levels. On the contrary, foods with lower GI are digested slowly and produce a step-by-step increase in blood sugar. A Glycemic index of 70 or more is considered high. The medium glycemic index foods range from 56 to 69, and anything less than 55 is considered low. Black rice has a glycemic index of 42.3. That means it will hardly give you a sugar rush.
#4 Prevents Diabetes
Our next benefit is similar to the previous one. If you have a pre-diabetic condition or an insatiable appetite, then eating this rice regularly can reduce the risk of type 2 diabetes. People with metabolic syndrome can also benefit from this rice. The whole grain of black rice has its barn intact. That is what actually makes it rich in fiber. Fiber takes a longer time to digest and maintain blood sugar levels. Studies also confirmed that the extract of germinated Thai black rice worked just like a diabetes drug. But before you make life-altering changes in your diet, have a word with your physician.
#5 Packed with Antioxidants
Don't be surprised if you hear people referring to black rice as purple rice. It gets its deep purple color because of certain antioxidants. Similar antioxidants might be present in blueberries, black grapes, purple cauliflower, carrots, sweet potatoes, and eggplant. Black rice has a phenomenally high level of antioxidants. Anthocyanin is a powerful antioxidant that helps in the reduction of long-standing inflammation. Astonishingly, the deeply colored pigment of ground black rice is used to add a natural color to liquor. There's also a good chance that you’ll see purple bread made out of soaked, dried, and powdered black rice.
#6 Gives You Great Vision
How many hours per day do you usually spend in front of a screen? Constantly looking at that blue light can make your eyes tired and fatigued. Apart from this, the internal structure of the eye also undergoes some changes. That is why more and more young people are suffering from eye problems. It's amazing how making one minor adjustment in your daily diet can improve your eye health. Having black rice regularly can give you a blast of anthocyanins that have a protective effect on your eyes. Research has also shown that black rice has two types of carotenoids (karo-tin-oids) called lutein (lu-tin) and zeaxanthin ( zee-a-zan-thin) that enhance eye health. They reduce the potentially damaging effects of free radicals on the retina. They also help to filter the harmful blue light coming from your screen. A study done on rats found that the extract from black rice lowered the risk of retinal damage caused by fluorescent light. If you haven't already gotten your hands on some black rice, then find a packet. This superfood is commonly available at Asian supermarkets and gourmet food chains. It's time to restock your pantry with a refreshing change.
#7 Helps Treat Asthma
Black rice has good starch in it. You can replace your potatoes, bread, and pasta with black rice three to four times a week. It is a superfood that may be effective in treating respiratory conditions like asthma. While we are busy protecting our airways from viruses, pollutants, or other external miscreants, we often fail to strengthen it from within. A diet rich in anthocyanins can reduce inflammation of the airways. A study fed mice with anthocyanins and found a drastic reduction in mucus secretion that is generally associated with lung disease.
#8 Protects Your Heart
Modern-day sedentary lifestyles and food choices are responsible for high cholesterol in most people. Healthy living and healthy food give a healthy body. It is not enough to give up on the Pizza and chips. You need to supply your body with nutrient-dense food, and black rice is definitely a tasty option. This rice can get your heart pumping by improving cardiovascular health. It's kind of like a heart doctor. It not only makes your dish visually stand out and explode with flavor but also reduces arterial stiffness. The high percentage of anthocyanins has been found to significantly reduce the effect of cholesterol in a few animal studies. This flavonoid has also reduced the risk of mortality and heart attacks. It can significantly improve good cholesterol levels and get rid of triglycerides. Folks who have already been diagnosed with plaque buildup in the arteries can make this dietary swap and experience tremendous health benefits. The human studies underlining the heart benefits are limited, but other animal studies have analyzed that adding black rice resulted in 50% less plaque buildup in the blood vessels of the heart of rabbits when compared to those rabbits having white rice.
#9 Helps to Fight Cancer
Black rice has been a top favorite of most nutritionists and health practitioners. It's one of the healing foods that actively reduce the risk of many serious diseases, including cancer. Eating natural food is the golden rule to keep your body disease-free. Colorectal cancer begins as a cancerous polyp at the lower end of your digestive tract. It is often detected only by screening. Doctors always recommend regular screening once you cross 50 years of age. Black rice has incredible anticancer properties that are associated with a lower risk of colorectal cancer. Seems like black rice just keeps getting more magical. Breast cancer is the most common cancer in American women. It affects 1 in 8. It generally occurs in women of middle age. It's the first leading cause of cancer death among women globally. The statistics are so scary that one is diagnosed with breast cancer every 2 minutes in the US alone. Apart from that, a test-tube study also found a marked reduction in the number of breast cancer cells when they were subjected to anthocyanins from black rice.
Did you know that out-of-control thyroid levels can increase the risk of breast diseases? It can also affect other systems. Let's keep the conversation going with a couple of more posts related to foods that help in keeping the thyroid gland healthy, shall we? Read 10 POWERFUL Vitamins & Minerals For Hyperthyroidism, or POWERFUL Vitamins & Minerals for Hypothyroidism RELIEF. Go ahead, click one. Or better yet, read both, and learn more about what foods can level up your thyroid. Have you tried black rice? Let us know in the comments below!
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