Black rice (most known as forbidden rice or purple rice), has been around for thousands of years but has recently become so popular that people are calling it a ‘superfood’.
This colorful variation on the world’s most popular plant is getting a lot of attention for the very property which gives it its name; plentiful of anthocyanin pigment that is black in color.
The biggest difference between white / brown rice and black rice is the antioxidant content. Black rice is rich in anthocyanins which help in removing harmful cells out of the body. The same thing gives blueberries and blackberries their color and high levels of antioxidants.
Nutrient value
The rice contains many vital nutrients and consists of very little fat. A great deal of black rice nutritional value can be attributed to the antioxidants it contains. A quarter cup serving of uncooked black rice has about 160 calories. One serving of black rice also contains about 35 carbs.
These carbs serve as energy for your body and enable the nervous system to function properly. Black rice also contains fiber. A serving of the rice provides about 2 mg of fiber. Nutritional content of this rice also includes iron. The nutrition value of the black rice shows that you can achieve 4 % of your recommended daily intake of iron from one serving of the rice.
How to prepare it?
Be inspired to get creative with implementing this purple-hued ‘superfood’ into your diet. It has an intense flavor, nutty flavor that unlocks a hint of fruit as you eat it. If the taste is a bit too earthy for you, then blend it into a powder and sprinkle on meat, fish, or even pancakes! Experts say that when buying black rice, you should look for “whole black rice” to ensure its purity.
Health benefits
Black Rice has been known to have many health benefits and recent research says that there may be much more that we are currently not aware of. Eating of black rice has been linked to significantly lower risk for dangerous conditions like heart disease or cancer. High blood pressure, circulation and overall your blood health also seems to be maintained well by those who consume black rice.
Because this special type of rice is known to be anti-inflammatory and a great antioxidant food source, it may be useful in preventing many diseases. Sources show that the anthocyanin content of black rice is much higher than any other grain, including white rice, brown rice, red rice, quinoa, or other similar colored whole grain varieties.
Anthocyanin can help in preventing much different of common but serious diseases, according to various studies that have been researching the benefits of this antioxidant. Because all of these health benefits, black rice very quickly became known as ‘superfood’, or food that gives us many more health benefits than other types of similar foods, and there are no side effects when eating black rice.
Side effects
There are no real side effects of consuming black rice; it is a low-fat source of long-lasting carbs, nutrient rich, and it is tasty and versatile.