Black Rice: Health Benefits & How to Cook It

Why not introduce a new super food to your table this week?! Black rice is a naturally gluten free, heirloom plant grown mostly in Asia. It is soft in texture and has a mild, nutty flavor. It used to be called "forbidden rice" because for quite some time, it was reserved for only royalty and was said to bring them "a long life of good health". 

In Chinese medicine, black rice is praised for its health benefits for the stomach, liver, and kidneys and in this week's What's That?! Wednesday post, we discuss several of these health benefits as well as how to cook it and where to find it so you can reap those benefits!

Health Benefits of Black Rice:

1. High in antioxidants - Black rice gets much of its unique color from powerful antioxidants called anthocyanins, which are the same flavanoids found in blueberries, acai berries, and other purple foods. You will see the purple color come out when you soak the rice or cook it. In fact, black rice is actually the food that carries the HIGHEST amount of this special antioxidant (even higher than blueberries) that helps to fight free radicals, reduce chronic inflammation, and improve cardiovascular and brain health.*  
   
   
2. Helps with detoxification - The special phytonutrients found in black rice help to detoxify the body and cleanse the liver and kidneys of toxic build-up that contributes to a wide range of chronic illnesses like obesity, heart disease, diabetes, IBS, and other inflammation driven diseases.* Additionally, the fiber content in black rice will bind waste and toxins and improve bowel regularity to detox the intestines. 
   
   
3. Supports good heart health - The nutrients found in black rice have been shown to help lower total cholesterol as well as LDL or "bad" cholesterol which helps to decrease your risk for heart disease.*
   
   
4. Aids in weight loss - Black rice acts differently than white rice in your digestive system. One of the key differences is that your body will react to white, processed rice just like it reacts to sugar - thus causing the body to release insulin- a fat storage hormone which must be kept in check if you want to lose weight. Because black rice is a fiber-based carbohydrate, it will have much less of an effect on insulin and therefor help you keep your "fat storage" hormones turned off! You can read more about Good Carbs vs. Bad Carbs here.  
   
   
5. Boasts a better nutritional profile - Black rice is packed with 18 amino acids as well as a healthy dose of zinc, iron, and copper. Compared to white rice and even brown rice, black rice is lower in calories and total carbohydrates and higher in protein. Check it out...for a 1/2 cup serving size (about 1/4 cup dry):
   
   White Rice -  180 calories, 53 carbs, and 3 grams of protein
   Brown Rice - 170 calories, 46 carbs, and 4 grams of protein
   Black Rice -   160 calories, 32 carbs, and 5 grams of protein
   
   

How to Make Black Rice:
 (PRINT RECIPE)

1. Place dry black rice in a bowl and cover with cold water. Cover with plastic wrap and let sit for 1 hour or longer. * NOTE: The water will turn purple – this is normal.
2. Pour rice and soaking water through a fine mesh strainer and then allow it to sit under a running facet to rinse for 20-30 seconds – you want to rinse really well. 
3. Combine the rinsed rice and 2 cups filtered water or organic broth in a small pot and place on the stove over high heat. 
4. Bring to a boil, then cover, reduce heat, and simmer for 30-50 minutes or until cooked through and no longer chewy in texture.
5. Stir in salt and pepper to taste and serve.

Black rice is a great substitute for most things you would use brown rice for- try pairing it with a stir fry or other Asian inspired dish. I also love to add a small serving to my salads for lunch-time for a little "good carbs" to stabilize the blood sugar and keep my energy up through the day. You can also cook it longer and with more liquid to make it into a "pudding" or porridge of sorts -add your favorite spices like cinnamon and ginger and some chopped walnuts and you have an easy fiber-based treat. 

While black rice can be difficult to find in a regular supermarket, you can find it in most health food stores as well as several online retailers. 

Happy Cooking & Eating!
~Billie & Jen

*Resources:
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/9989685
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/11340093
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/23930929
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/11340093