The magical health benefits of black Rice that compel you to include it in your diet

Whenever we talk about rice, we usually think of white rice, but have you ever heard of black rice?
We bet you haven't also known as forbidden rice.

The magical health benefits of black Rice that compel you to include it in your diet

This dark beauty is a unique trifecta of healthy, appetizing, and aesthetically pleasing tops.
Other varieties of rice have whole grain nutrition, nutty flavor, and good looks.

So can you replace white rice with it?
Should you add black rice to your daily diet? 
What is black rice in ancient times?

The Chinese consider dark rice as royal rice as it's incredibly nutritious and rare.

Table of Contents 

• Why it is called Forbidden rice?
• 
  
• What nutrients it contains
• 
  
• Black Rice best for Muscle Builders 
• 
  
• Amazing Health Benefits Of Black Rice, you should know 
• 
  
• Source of many antioxidants
• 
  
• Naturally gluten-free
• 
  
• Improved eye health
• 
  
• Fights cancer
• 
  
• Diabetes management
• 
  
• Reduces inflammation
• 
  
• Good for weight loss
• 
  
• Protects heart health
• 
  
• Conclusion

Why it is called Forbidden rice?

They believed the dark rice would give
them a much longer life as it had a
delicious chase black rice became a special treat for wealthier people or you could say the elite class.
This is the reason it got another name forbidden rice. 

Only noble and royal groups were allowed to have black rice.
It was forbidden for the rest of them due to its superior quality but that isn't the case anymore.
You can have black rice in China whenever you crave it.
Rice has been a part of Asian culinary culture for a very long time. 

According to the history books, they were first cultivated in China thousands of years ago.
Later on, it spread to the rest of the regions.
The cultivation of rice came in a wide range of colors including black, white, brown, and red.
It gets its color due to the changes occurring naturally in its outer layer.
If you think black rice is only produced in China you might be wrong besides china different varieties of black rice are grown in 
- India
- Indonesia
- Japan 
the Philippines, Thailand, and some other countries, black rice was first introduced to the markets of the United States back in the 90s. 

Although it has been present in other parts of the globe for many years.
The two main varieties of black rice
commonly found in the market are 

- Thai jasmine black rice and 

- Indonesian black rice.
Some varieties are long-grained and
some are short-grained.

Long grain variety is somewhat healthier.

What nutrients it contains:

Nutrients black rice is also an amazing source of tons of nutrients essential for your body including 

- Phosphorus
- iron
- zeaxanthin
- calcium 
- manganese 
- riboflavin 
- b2 niacin 
- b3 potassium 
- zinc 
- copper
- magnesium 
- vitamin e 
- beta carotene 
- lutein and chromium

One-quarter cup of black rice which is about half a cup when cooked, contains 

- 173 calories 5 grams of protein
- 2 grams of fat 
- 38 grams of carbohydrate
- 3 grams of fiber 
- 1 gram of sugar 
- 4 milligrams of sodium
- one milligram of iron and 
- zero milligrams of cholesterol

Yes you heard it right, black rice has no cholesterol in it.

Black Rice best for Muscle Builders 

Black rice has more protein as compared to white and brown rice. This makes black rice an ideal choice for those looking to build muscle.

One serving of black rice also fulfills 60 of our daily iron needs. A mineral our body needs to maintain the blood in good shape and provide oxygen to the cells lack of iron may also cause anemia.
A common condition among young children, older adults, and women. 

Not only that but black rice also provides fiber.
One serving delivers four percent of our daily fiber requirements. Knocking the socks off of white-colored rice and unhealthy grain with zero fiber to speak of, as you may already be aware of the fact that people usually don't intake the recommended amount of fiber.

So, consuming some grains is crucial.
It's recommended men should get 38 grams and women 25 grams of fiber every day.

Yes fiber keeps you fit and active but it has the capability of doing much more than that some searches showed that the fiber present in whole grains including
black rice can assist you to decrease the risk of 
- heart diseases
- diabetes
- reduce weight and 
- some forms of cancer such as cancers of the ovaries stomach colon and rectum.

Amazing Health Benefits Of Black Rice, you should know 

The richness of nutrients is not the only reason you should eat black rice frequently there's much more. 

The magical health benefits of black Rice that compel you to include it in your diet

Let's dive right into it to see eight health benefits.
This colorful rice brings health fanatics out there.

1. Source of many antioxidants:

Black rice is it's full of antioxidant content. No other rice has as many antioxidants as this variety of rice has.
The bran, the outermost layer of the grain, is filled with the highest level of anthocyanins.

Anthocyanins have the potential to treat diarrhea or microbial infections, counter free radical damage, and prevent cardiovascular disease.

2. Naturally gluten-free:

While most whole grains such as rice, wheat, and barley contain gluten.
Black rice is a naturally gluten-free nutritious option people who are on a gluten-free diet can enjoy a daily intake of black rice.

What is Gluten?

Gluten is a kind of protein that individuals with celiac acid should avoid because it triggers an instant the immune response that harms the small intestine.

In addition to that, it causes negative gastrointestinal side effects, including abdominal pain and bloating in people with gluten sensitivity.

3. Improved eye health:

Other than antioxidants, black rice also contains excessive amounts of zeaxanthin and lutein.
These are two carotenoids mainly known for their role in improving eye health.

They help to reduce the effects of
harmful ultraviolet radiation or UV
radiation on the retina and protect the cells in the eyes.

4. Fights cancer:

Black rice is a must-have food option for individuals suffering from cancer.
The anthocyanins possess potent
anti-cancer characteristics.

Recent studies have proved that an
anthocyanin-rich extract of black rice successfully suppressed the spread of breast cancer cells and decreased tumor growth.

In mice, research also showed that
a higher intake of foods rich in
anthocyanins were associated with a reduced risk of colorectal cancer.

5. Diabetes management:

Black rice also contains an enormous quantity of flavonoids and phytochemicals.
Flavonoids positively affect diabetes management and blood sugar levels whereas phytochemicals positively
improve insulin sensitivity of your body and hence enable your body to use glucose in a much better way.

They also decrease the digestion of sugar in the small intestine which helps to reduce sugar levels in the blood.

6. Reduces inflammation:

Black rice works wonders in fighting against inflammation.
Researchers have found that it can help reduce edema and considerably suppress allergic contact dermatitis on the skin of mice.

This is a major sign of the ability of black rice to treat diseases that are linked with chronic inflammation. 

Though this research has been done on animals it's safe to assume that black rice will also provide the same effects on human beings.

7. Good for weight loss:

Health enthusiasts would love black rice for its properties vital for weight loss and weight management.
The food has a good quantity of dietary fiber and is low in calories and carbohydrates, hence this rice variant makes you feel full and keeps your hunger packs at bay.

To prove it research was conducted to analyze the differences in weight loss due to white rice and a mixture of black and brown rice and 40 obese women in a time period of six weeks.
The results of the study showed that the blackened brown rice group experienced much lower body fat percentage and body mass index as well as higher weight loss than the other group that took white rice.

Thus it's clear that both black and brown rice can perform particularly well in diet therapy for overweight women.

8. Protects heart health:

Making black rice a part of your everyday diet will protect the health of your heart.

We all know about the dangers of high cholesterol and the cardiovascular diseases.

Multiple research studies have concluded that the anthocyanin pigment of black rice can considerably reduce cholesterol
level in rats.

Another research on rabbits showed that black rice can decrease atherosclerotic
plaque buildup by 50 percent.
This is excellent news for people suffering from atherosclerosis.

What is atherosclerosis?

It's a cardiovascular disease in which the buildup of plaque clogs the arteries.
This may lead to various other serious diseases, such as peripheral artery disease, stroke, kidney problems, or coronary artery disease.

Black rice may have some amounts of arsenic absorbed from the soil.
Rinse the black rice before cooking it to ensure there's no arsenic left on it.
This way you can lower your chances of consuming arsenic.

You also have the option of cooking the rice in plenty of water and draining off the unabsorbed water by the time it's fully cooked.

Those who want to store uncooked black rice can do so by storing it in an airtight container at room temperature for up to three months. 

Conclusion 

Black rice is a dark colored type of rice that's becoming more and more popular due to its high nutrient content and powerful disease-fighting antioxidant
anti-inflammatory properties and rare looks.

It's primarily cultivated in China
but it's also produced in other parts of the world including India, japan, brazil, Vietnam, and Indonesia.

Out of all the types of rice, black rice is the most beneficial for the right reasons.
Nutritionists recommend the daily use of black rice due to its extraordinary health benefits.

Add this nutritious rice to your diet.
Don't forbid yourself from cashing in on the benefits of this forbidden type of rice.