Red rice: health benefits

Rice cereals are very popular and known around the world. Many varieties are developed that differ in taste, shape and color. There are basmati, Asian rice, brown wild grass, arborio, red and so on. This article will consider red rice, its features, benefits and contraindications.

The Chinese consider red rice to be the most useful cereal. It is known that the poor population of China could not afford this grits before. In some countries, due to their color, mystical abilities have been assigned to grain. In fact, rice has this color due to partial polishing. During processing, part of the casing remains and gives the grain a reddish tint.

Types of Red Rice

There are two types of red rice in total:

• Unpolished.
• Lightly polished.

Allocate 6 most popular grades:

1. The Camargue. Whole grain unpolished cereals grown in France. The shell is soft, which does not cause digestive problems. Rice contains a lot of antioxidants and dietary fiber. It tastes like nuts.
2. "Ruby". This variety does not have gluten, which helps people with allergies to expand their menu. But the calorie content of rice is increased. The grain is roundish; no sticking occurs during cooking.
3. "Dev Zira". Uzbek rice, which is ideal for pilaf. The price of such cereals is high due to difficult processing. The grains are peeled, then they are aged for a couple of years, regularly watering. After time, they are dried, threshed and covered with special pink powder.
4. California ruby. Unpolished short grains are grown in California. The composition is almost no different from the Russian aforementioned Rubin.
5. "Japan." Round grain rice grows in Japan. It is used for making sushi / rolls.
6. Cargo. Hulled grains have a long shape. The taste differs from the rest in a sweetish taste.

What is the difference between red rice and white and brown

The main and main difference between rice is color. Red is not polished, only peeling. Therefore, all the beneficial properties, trace elements, vitamins, amino acids, fiber are preserved. The shell remains on the grain, and this contributes to the fact that the rice does not turn into porridge during cooking. White, on the other hand, is polished grains that have not retained their shell and embryo. After such a thorough processing of trace elements, amino acids, vitamins and valuable fiber there is little. Brown rice of the same variety as white, but not subjected to such careful processing. Therefore, there are more important elements in it than in white.

Composition and calorie content

The composition of red rice per 100 g:

• fiber - 9.1 g;
• fats - 2.4 g;
• proteins - 7.6 g;
• carbohydrates - 69 g;
• calories - 350.

This variety is rich in useful macrocells and microelements. The quantity per 100 g of grain is written in parentheses.

1. Copper (277 mcg). The mineral is responsible for the production of elastin and collagen, which do not allow the skin to age. Copper is involved in the formation of hemoglobin in the blood.
2. Iron (2.3 mg). The trace element supports the immune system. Provides body growth and oxygen transport to tissues (this element is extremely important for children). Normalizes metabolism, is responsible for the production of DNA.
3. Selenium (25 mcg). Mineral boosts immunity. Eliminates inflammation problems in the body. Performs one of the important roles in the work of metabolism. Improves human reproductive abilities.
4. Fluoride (75 mcg). It does not allow tooth decay on the teeth.Improves the immune system and blood circulation in the body. Eliminates salts of heavy metals.
5. Iodine (5 mcg). An extremely important element for the thyroid gland. The element performs many functions: it regulates metabolism, normalizes body temperature, improves brain activity, and more.
6. Manganese (4.1 mg). A trace element that is involved in almost all body processes: it regulates the metabolism of carbohydrates and fats, improves the activity of the nervous system, and so on.
7. Chromium (2.8 mcg). Affects the carbohydrate metabolism. Lowers cholesterol, regulates sugar metabolism, does not allow to gain excess weight.
8. Calcium (36 mg). This is the main element that is involved in the structure of teeth and bones. Calcium regulates blood coagulation. Hair and nails due to the lack of such a component will become weak and brittle.
9. Sodium (12 mg). It supports the water-salt balance in the human body. Normalizes blood pressure.
10. Magnesium (150 mg). Normalizes human pressure. Positive effect on the nervous system. Prevents the development of heart attacks and strokes.
11. Potassium (230 mg). Regulates the activity of intracellular pressure. However, sodium normalizes the water-salt balance.
12. Zinc (1.7 mg). Prevents the possibility of a heart attack and stroke. Strengthens blood vessels. Also, this element has a good effect on the reproduction of women and men.
13. Phosphorus (252 mg). Without this microelement, no biochemical reactions of the body occur.

List of vitamins that grains are enriched with:

1. A (0.13 mg). It normalizes metabolism, raises the quality of the immune system, and promotes rapid healing of wounds.
2. E (0.403 mg). Restores skin damage, improves the condition of hair, nails.
3. PP (2.3 mg). Raises a person’s mood, improving mental state. Normalizes the work of metabolism.
4. B1 (0.43 mg). It positively affects the work of the brain, central nervous system and the development of the muscular system.
5. B2 (0.09 mg). Synthesizes protein. Improves metabolism and the breakdown of fats.
6. B4 (1.1 mg). Improves human memory, concentration and mindfulness.
7. B5 (1.58 mg). Water-soluble vitamin improves the quality of the immune system and metabolism.
8. B6 (0.6 mg). Normalizes amino acid metabolism. Cheers up.
9. B9 (0.53 mg). Restores hair condition and prevents the development of skin diseases.

What is useful red rice

General benefit

Rice is a complex carbohydrate. Grains that did not undergo heat treatment have calories from 350 to 390 kcal per 100 g. But cooked cereal has three times less calories.

Having studied the whole composition of healthy cereals well, we can conclude that red rice significantly enhances the immune system and prevents the formation of cardiovascular diseases. With regular use, the condition of hair, skin, teeth and nails improves significantly. Rice is the prevention of cancer. Grain is useful for diabetics, as it lowers sugar and cholesterol.

For women

Women love to take care of themselves and want to look perfect. Red rice can help them in this. Regular use will rejuvenate the skin, increase its tone. Collagen, which is found in cereals, eliminates a small number of wrinkles. Calcium will help grow hair and nails, they will become stronger. A group of vitamins B and magnesium have a good effect on the functioning of the female body.

For men

Men often get tired at work, and rice is able to restore strength, energy. Grain favorably affects the development of muscles and the nervous system, which is important for men. Reproductive performance will be much better even in spite of heavy workload.

During pregnancy

Expectant mothers need to increase the nutritional value in their diet. Red rice may help. 70% of the grain consists of easily assimilated starch, this will help not to overload the stomach while carrying the baby. Eating rice will reduce the likelihood of heartburn, stool problems.The absence of gluten plays an important role, because pregnant women may develop allergies of a different nature due to a change in hormonal levels.
The presence of folic acid contributes to the good mental development of the infant. Rice can relieve the symptoms of diarrhea, which is often the case with gestation. You can also arrange fasting days on red rice, this will help not to gain excess weight.

When breastfeeding

Red rice for breastfeeding is a must. Mom after the birth of the baby needs constant support of strength and energy. And rice copes with this easily, while helping not to gain excess weight, which most often appears during this period. Micro and macro elements of red rice enter the mother’s milk and positively influence the baby’s development. Grain improves the condition of bones, muscles, promotes successful early development. The baby provides good weight gain, which is often a problem in premature infants.

Calcium helps regular cell renewal and the creation of new ones, eliminates diarrhea, which is characteristic of children in the first months of life and when feeding is added. Vitamins and elements of red rice contribute to the good sleep of the baby.

For kids

Children are constantly growing, continuously developing. Without a complex of vitamins and macroelements, microelements, they cannot reach physical, mental and emotional maturity. Red rice will help return the energy spent by preschoolers and adolescents. For early development, all vitamins that cereal contains are useful. It is especially good to use it before exams, so that the child can quickly engage in mental activity. It also activates concentration, memory.

Rice normalizes the nervous system, which is extremely necessary for the child. At school, children are often nervous, therefore, to eliminate the fatigue of the emotional sphere, you need to include red cereal in the diet.

The benefits of red rice flour

Flour, ground from red rice, with proper processing retains all the useful ingredients. To obtain flour, whole grains that have not yet undergone any processing (grinding, germ removal) are crushed into small components. Rice flour contains 8 amino acids, without which the body cannot function normally and produce various internal processes.

Basically, red rice flour is added to baking, this makes bakery products healthy. For example, such foods are good for diabetics, as they lower blood sugar. Flour from this cereal will not only give an attractive taste, but also provide the body with almost all the trace elements, macro elements and vitamins that a person should consume daily.

The nutritional value of such flour per 100 g:

• carbohydrates - 72 g;
• proteins - 9 g;
• fats - 2 g.

In 100 g of flour from red rice are 342 kcal. During heat treatment, this figure decreases by three times.

The benefits of red rice for weight loss

Diets that include red rice in their diet not only contribute to weight loss, but also remove excess cholesterol and triglycerides. The diet is mainly designed for 3 days. During this time, excess fats leave without harm to the body. Rice is able to compensate for all the beneficial components that will leave the body these days. Such a diet improves digestive work, thereby reducing the size of the stomach. This will help not to gain weight after the diet. During this time, all harmful toxins, salts of heavy metals with stool and urine will be removed.

If apples are added to the diet, besides rice, then the diet will be easier, but the benefits and effectiveness will not decrease. Apples are not the only products with which rice can be combined.Nutritionists advise eating protein products during weight loss so that the body can lose weight more easily.

You can lose weight with rice no more than once every six months. Otherwise, it will have a bad effect on the work of the body, because along with toxins useful elements come out.

Red rice in medicine

The healing properties of rice of this variety have long been proven. But it is not used in evidence-based medicine. But over the centuries they have been treating them in folk medicine of different countries. It is especially popular in China.

1. Red cereal grains are used for anemia. High iron increases hemoglobin. Also, rice can be consumed for prevention.
2. Rice must be included in the diet of patients who suffer from celiac disease and transient digestive enzyme deficiency.
3. Chinese traditional medicine treats the spleen and digestive system with such rice.
4. Valuable grains can cope with serious diseases, for example, block the development of certain types of tumors.
5. Eating unpolished red rice daily cures male potency.
6. Healing properties are possessed not only by grains, but also by sprouts. To do this, pour the cereal with water for a day. Then it is drained and poured with clean water so that the rice is half covered. In less than 10 hours, sprouts appear. They can be added everywhere: in soups, salads, side dishes, etc.

Recipes:

1. A decoction based on red rice helps to cope with infectious diseases. For cooking, you need 100 g of cereal, which pour 1.5 liters of cold water. Cook rice for 1.5 hours over low heat. Then strain the broth and consume every 2.5–3 hours on an empty stomach. Dose at a time - 1/4 cup. Rice broth should be used for pneumonia. It will serve as an antipyretic and diaphoretic, which removes harmful toxins from the patient.
2. Arthritis and osteochondrosis are also treated with valuable cereal. For a liter of water you need 4 tbsp. tablespoons of rice, 3 tbsp. tablespoons of sugar, a few raisins. All components must be infused for 4 days. After the liquid is filtered. Drink such an infusion of 0.5 cups at bedtime. The course lasts from 2 months to three.

The use of red rice in cosmetology

In Japan and China, red rice has long been used for cosmetic purposes. Grain can moisturize, whiten, and rejuvenate the skin.

1. Skin whitening. Take flour from red rice, pour warm with any milk. Mix the mass until a homogeneous consistency. Apply the mask on the face for 10-15 minutes.
2. Anti-aging mask. It is used by women with dry skin. In a container, mix honey, rice flour, cosmetic oil and cream until smooth. Then apply the mask to the face. Wash off with warm water after it dries.
3. Face and body scrub. Rice flour, preferably not finely ground, mixed with cool water and cosmetic oil. Apply a scrub to the skin with massage movements. If the skin is oily, then add lemon juice to the ingredients when mixing.
4. Moisturizing mask. Mix boiled rice at room temperature with honey. To give the composition a puree state. You can use a spoon or a blender. Add quite a bit of warm milk. Apply the mask to the face for half an hour.
5. Rice ice pack. Boil the rice over low heat. Strain the resulting broth, pour into ice molds and send to the freezer. Such compresses help cope with puffiness, tone the skin, giving it a fresh and rested look.
6. A mask based on green tea. Grind green tea into powder. It is better to use a coffee grinder for this. Mix with rice broth. Apply this mask to your face for 20-30 minutes.
7. Tonic. Soak red rice for 20-24 hours. All useful micronutrients will be preserved, because the cereals were not subjected to heat treatment.Use water when washing your face. It not only tones the skin, but also gives an even tone. Store the tonic in a cool place for a maximum of three days.
8. Mask with vitamin C. Boil red rice and chop. Then mix it with yogurt and bran. To the mass add one crushed tablet of vitamin C. Apply the mask to the face for 15 minutes in a dense layer. To enhance efficiency, cover your face with a napkin from above, thereby creating a kind of microclimate.
9. Hair Mask. 3 tbsp. tablespoons of cereal pour 1 liter of cold water. Put the container on fire, cook for 10 minutes. Strain the liquid. The broth is ready, now they can rinse their hair. This is best done before using shampoo.

Masks based on red rice should not be done daily. It is better to maintain an interval of 2-3 days.

Harm and contraindications

Red rice is a valuable cereal and has few contraindications.

1. It is necessary to refrain from red rice during an exacerbation of diseases of the intestines and stomach.
2. When consumed in large quantities, constipation and digestive problems may occur.
3. Grains are able to accumulate in themselves arsenic, which is in the fertilizer. It is important to purchase rice only in trusted locations.
4. Individual intolerance is a contraindication to the use of this product.

How to choose and store red rice

On the shelves of the store you can see rice of different brands. But you should not focus only on this. There are some tips to help you choose the best rice.

1. It is better to choose unpolished than slightly polished. This ensures the safety of all useful elements.
2. The more saturated the red color, the better, because this indicates a large number of anthocyanins.
3. If quality rice is supplied, then the country where it was grown must be indicated on the label.
4. Better to buy 100% whole grain.
5. The shelf life of rice is from a year and a half. Despite the expiration date, rice, which is already six months old, must be cooked in a frying pan before cooking.

There are several rules for storing red rice:

1. The storage area should be warm and dry. Storage temperature - from 5 to 15 degrees, with humidity from 60 to 70%.
2. Rice cannot be stored in bags. Then there will be no airing, and the cereal will not smell delicious, even after going through heat treatment.
3. It is better to store grains in cloth bags or in containers with a tight-fitting lid. A bag of salt is added to the rice, which will prevent the possibility of germination.
4. At the place of storage of grain should also leave a clove of garlic. It will scare off the mucoeater and other insects, which are difficult to get rid of. So it’s better not to allow this.
5. Cooked rice is stored in a cool place for no more than 3 days. The cereal tank must be closed so that the smells are not mixed.
6. After cooking, rice for more than 2 hours should not be left at a temperature of +5 to +20 degrees.

How to cook red rice

Loose porridge recipe
If everything is done correctly, then the rice will turn out friable. Because the variety itself is such that it sticks together only in rare cases.

Recommendations for cooking:

1. Water with rice should be in a ratio of 2/1.
2. Water should boil before adding rice.
3. Grains are boiled over low heat. It is better not to open the lid often.
4. At the very end, after turning off the tiles, the rice is left for a couple of minutes under a closed lid and is not touched. So he will put out well.

Cereal can be prepared not only in the traditional way on the tile, but also in other ways:

1. Microwave. Place rice in a microwave oven. Add water, salt and oil. The first 5-6 minutes to cook rice at maximum speed. After all mix, close the lid and cook for 15-17 minutes. The mode to choose is weaker. Do not immediately open the door so that the rice is steamed well.
2. Slow cooker. First you need to pour oil, and pour the cereal on top.Sprinkle with spices and salt. Pour water 2 times more than rice. After closing the multicooker, select the appropriate mode. Red rice will cook for about 25 minutes. In this case, one should also not open the lid after the time has passed.
3. Double boiler. Pour clean, no additives water into the bottom. Pour rice into a special container. Steam the first 5 minutes without water. Then add water in the same amount as rice. Cooking takes 40 minutes.
4. Aerogrill. Pour the cereal in a special container, which is pre-lubricated with oil. Any oil can be used: cream, vegetable, olive, etc. Pour rice with hot boiled water, pour salt and spices. Place the container in the grill for 45 minutes. Set the temperature to 250-260 degrees. Good ventilation should be provided. It is best served hot porridge.

Important cooking details:

1. It is better to soak the rice in advance to ensure safety. All arsenic stored in the water will remain.
2. You need to cook any rice in a ratio of 2/1, where 2 is water.
3. Before cooking, it is better to sort out the grains to remove the husk that has come across.

What do red rice eat?

A lot of dishes are prepared with red rice: soups, salads, cereals, etc. Such cereal can be combined with completely different food products. For example:

• red rice paella;
• red rice with pork and green peas;
• bell peppers stuffed with chicken and red rice;
• red rice with artichokes and cardamom;
• red rice with barberry and pistachios;
• squid stuffed with red rice.

And there are a lot of recipes, which helps to diversify your menu.

Interesting facts about rice

1. Rice is a grain that loves moisture very much. Therefore, sprouts can appear directly in the water.
2. The stems of the plant grow to 1.5 meters.
3. As early as the 19th century, cereals had the name "Saracen grain."
4. Rice began to be sown 9 thousand years ago. This is one of the first cultures that man has been able to domesticate.
5. From cereal, starch, butter and flour are obtained.
6. Every nation has at least one traditional dish, which is based on rice.
7. In Islamic countries, there is a measure that is equal to the weight of rice grain.
8. Rice straw is used to make paper and cardboard.
9. This cereal in some countries is used to create alcoholic beverages.
10. In Asian countries, rice is a symbol of wealth and abundance.
11. Rice feeds 60–70% of the world's population.
12. During the year, people around the world eat about 700 million tons of grain. To ensure this supply, about 1 billion people work with rice.
13. In some countries, rice is used as jewelry. Masters draw on cereals. Handwork is highly valued.

Photo of red rice