Brown Rice, Health Benefits Of Brown Rice

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Brown Rice, Health Benefits Of Brown Rice and Cooking Brown Rice.

What is brown rice? Most of the rice that is consumed today is white in color. This is also called 'polished' rice. There is however a growing trend for the consumption of rice that is brown in color and commonly called 'brown' rice. Every rice seed has a structure that is formed of a stiff outer layer called 'husk', an inner brown layer that is called bran and a white colored seed under the bran. The husk is always removed from both white and brown rice and it is the inner bran layer that is either retained fully or partially removed, that gives rice the brownish color. Brown rice is rice which has the brownish bran layer clinging to the seed. Some types of brown rice have the entire bran layer retained (fully unpolished) and the rice in this case is very brown. In other cases, the seed has a lighter shade of brown or appears to be a bit patchy (brown and white patches). This is because the brown rice in this case is partially polished with some portion of the bran still left on the seed.

What are the health benefits of brown rice? Most people who eat brown rice expect to derive the health benefits that are attributed to this type of rice. Some benefits have been medically proven and research is continously being conducted to study the nutritional value of brown rice. It is widely believed that brown rice helps control blood pressure and also reduces wide fluctuations in blood sugar. The high fiber content of brown rice has a good effect on controlling cholestrol and cholestrol control is of prime importance in keeping away heart disease.

How to cook brown rice? Brown rice and white rice follow the same basic process for cooking. However, brown rice should be soaked for 25 to 30 minutes in the water before cooking. The soaking process of brown rice helps to soften the bran layer on the rice seed and makes the rice easily edible. The normal proportion of water to rice when cooking brown rice is 1:2, this means that one cup of brown rice should have two cups of water to cook. Brown rice once cooked, retains a texture that is firmer than white rice and this is what gives brown rice a rich nutty flavour.

Brown rice, other information: If you are just starting to eat brown rice, you can combine an equal proportion of white rice and brown rice. Once you start liking the rich flavour of brown rice, reduce the proportion of white rice and gradually eliminate white rice completely. Remember that brown rice needs to be soaked before cooking while this is not necessary for white rice. You could soak the brown rice separately and then combine it with the white rice just before cooking. Brown rice contains natural oils in the bran layer of the rice, these oils could become stale if the rice is stored for more than 4 to 5 months. Stale brown rice has a rancid flavour and is not suitable for eating. It is therefore important that you check the packing date and expiry date on the packet before you purchase brown rice.