7 Incredible Health Benefits of Red Rice
There are 40,000 variants of rice; But our knowledge is just limited to only a few popular variants.
All thanks to the paradigm shift in the consumption patterns due to awareness among the masses; I am sure you all are aware of Brown rice, Black rice or even red rice which are pretty popular for their nutritive value.
Red rice isn’t a recent discovery, but what’s adding to the popularity of red rice is the plethora of health benefits it offers!!
Red rice is a variety of rice that is coloured red by its anthocyanin content. It is usually consumed partially polished or even unpolished, and has a red bran layer on it.
Red rice has a slight nutty flavour. There are different varieties of red rice such as Rakthashali, poongar, kaatu yaanam etc. In Kerala, some widely know varieties are navara rice, Matta Rice or kerala red rice, Palakkadan Matta rice etc.
RED RICE NUTRITION
Red rice has 10 times more antioxidants than brown rice.
100g serving of red rice contains-
109 Calories
Fat- 0.8gms
Carbohydrates- 23gm
Fibre- 1.8gm
Sugar- 1 gm
Protein- 23gms
HEALTH BENEFITS OF RED RICE
Interestingly, with the rise of health consciousness amongst people, red rice has become popular and it is only because of its umpteen health benefits. Here’s how this magical rice can work wonders for several health problems
1. Helps control diabetes
Red rice helps in regulating the insulin levels. Being low in glycemic index (Glycemic index- 55), red rice helps in controlling the sugar levels and is good for diabetic patients too.
2. Helps prevent Asthma
Coronavirus pandemic has made us realise the importance of Lung health like never before!
The best thing about this rice variant is that it helps in controlling pulmonary diseases, thanks to its copious amount of Magnesium.
Regular consumption of red rice can improve oxygen circulation in the body and thus prevent Asthma. It also improves and regulates breathing patterns
3. Helps in Digestion
Loaded with the goodness of soluble and insoluble fibre, red rice can easily drain out the harmful toxins out of the body and ease the bowel movement.
What’s more, it works as a natural Laxative too!!
This rice when cooked properly, helps in treating both diarrhoea and constipation.
4. Helps keep heart diseases at bay
Red rice being a whole grain can easily reduce the levels of bad cholesterol and thus prevent heart diseases.
5. Helps reduce weight
Red rice is perfect for weight-watchers as it is loaded with fibre and thus gives a feeling of satiety and fullness when consumed.
This reduces the overall calorie consumption too!
The amount of fat in this versatile rice is an absolute zero, making it an idle main dish, be it for lunch or dinner.
6. Glow from within
The anthocyanin content in red rice can delay the signs of premature ageing too!
7. Builds bone health
Red rice is an awesome pick, if you are looking forward to losing weight without compromising on your strength.
It is highly recommended for those above 40 years of age as it helps in preventing the onset of Arthritis, Osteoporosis and other bone disorders due to its high calcium and magnesium content.
CAN WE EAT RED RICE DAILY?
Yes, Red rice can be consumed daily and it’s a great substitute for brown rice or white rice.
You can add it to the dosa and idli batter for that slightly reddish tinge and in fact it contains 10 times more antioxidants compared to brown rice!
RED RICE SIDE EFFECTS
Some varieties of red rice contain an element called Citrinin, which has been found to harm kidneys.
HOW TO COOK RED RICE
Cooking red rice is a little bit more time-consuming owing to its thick, long and grainy texture. OfRED RICE RECIPE - Red Rice Khichdi
3/4th cup red rice
1/4th cup moong dal
Cumin seeds, dry red whole chillies, salt
2 tsp Desi ghee
2 slit green chillies
Coriander leaves
Recipe
1. Soak red rice 30 minutes before cooking
2. In a pressure cooker, add moong dal, red rice along with 5 cups of water. Cook it on medium flame for 8 whistles. Switch off the flame and let the steam release.
3. In a kadhai, add ghee, masalas and other ingredients and fry for a minute.
4. Meanwhile, mash the red rice mixture and add this to the ghee tadka.
5. Serve hot
CONCLUSION
What makes this variant of rice, a healthy choice is the red bran, which is loaded with the goodness of nature!
Of late, with the growth of social media, red rice has been a huge hit among people for its incredible health benefits.
Contrary to the opinion that it can be only served as a main dish, red rice can be whipped into various delicacies, both sweet and savoury!
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Sneha Jain, Dietician
Sneha is a Post graduate with specialization in Nutrition and Dietetics. She is a university topper and holds 5+ years of experience in Apollo hospitals, VLCC, slimsutra and first cry fit-kids .
She has successfully counselled clients all over India for weight loss, weight gain, diabetes, hypertension, PCOD, hypothyroid, Pregnancy and lactation and growth charts for children. She has her own diet consultation e-clinic (diet_diariez)
She believes in customized diets and eating local and seasonal foods. Her counselling not only involves diet planning, but also lifestyle modification and stress relief strategies.
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