Here is the story of the world's most popular food, rice. What varieties of it are known and which one is the best? How useful are rice cereals and decoctions? Why is it not scary to give it to small children? Read about this and other interesting facts here. The content of the article:
- Chemical composition and calorie content
- Interesting Facts
- Beneficial features
- Harm and contraindications
Rice is an annual herb, reaching a height of 150 cm. Homeland - Ancient China. More than 7000 varieties of rice are known: white, brown, black, wild, with round grains.
Rice composition: vitamins and calories
Thanks to the B vitamins contained in it, the normal functioning of the nervous system and the good condition of the skin and hair are ensured. The beneficial properties of rice also include amino acids, potassium, which removes excess fluid and salt from the body, as well as iodine (read which foods contain iodine), phosphorus, zinc and calcium.
Caloric content of white rice
per 100 g of product is 344 kcal:
- Proteins - 6, 7 g
- Fat - 0.7 g
- Carbohydrates - 78, 9 g
The calorie content of brown per 100 g of product is 331 kcal, brown - 337 kcal, unpolished - 285 kcal.
Interesting Cereal Facts:
- Japanese scientists claim that brown rice increases intelligence and memory.
- In China, the expression "break a bowl of rice" is translated as "quit work."
- Wild rice is a water herb, belongs to the genus Tsitsaniya.
- At the wedding, the newlyweds are sprinkled with rice as a symbol of good luck, fertility and wealth.
- This product is the staple food of almost half of the world's population; to produce 1 kilogram of irrigated rice, 5000 liters of water are required.
- The words "food" and "rice" are identical in several Asian languages, and in Chinese the concepts of "breakfast", "lunch" and "dinner" are translated as "early rice", "midday", "late".
Useful properties of rice
In folk medicine, rice wort is used for pneumonia, lung diseases, sore throat, flu, and as an antipyretic agent. Rice porridge with milk and decoctions of this cereal are very useful for diseases of the intestines, bladder, kidney disease and joint pain. With stomach ulcers and gastritis, it is useful to eat more of this cereal, since it contains starch, which envelops the gastric mucosa, thereby protecting it.
Rice porridge is very useful for nursing mothers, as it helps to increase lactation. Dishes made from this product are recommended for disorders of the human nervous system. And with increased thirst and in the heat, drinking rice water will help well.
In Japan, for a long time, women have used decoctions from this cereal and rice flour to whiten and rejuvenate the skin. Flour, decoctions and gruel cleanse and whiten the skin from age spots and freckles.
How is it different from other cereals?
The fact that it does not contain gluten is a strong allergen, so it can be fed to young children without fear.
Brown rice:
during processing of this species, the shell, which is rich in nutrients, is not removed from the grains. Its light brown color is due to the presence of a nutritious bran shell.
Black rice:
the record holder for the content and amount of protein in it, as well as fiber, useful for the stomach and intestines. And in terms of antioxidant content, it rivals grapes, blueberries, red wine and orange juice.
Brown rice (unpolished):
less high in calories than white. It normalizes bowel function. Eliminates toxins and prevents constipation. It contains gamma-oryzanol, which lowers blood cholesterol levels.
Video about the benefits of rice from the program Live Healthy! (watch this video starting from 14 minutes)
Harm and contraindications of rice
Rice can be harmful if consumed for obesity, constipation, and colitis.
The more it is cleaned and polished, the less nutritional properties it retains. Therefore, the most useful is black (black or red cargo), which contains 7 times more vitamin B1 and iron, 4 times more magnesium and 5 times more potassium than white polished cereal.
Imported rice is necessarily processed from pests during transportation in ship's holds. It is often polished with a mixture of glucose and talc and enriched with synthetic vitamins. Talc gives gloss and external shine, and glucose improves taste. Therefore, it is better to choose environmentally friendly brands (for example, domestic ones), since several times more fertilizers are used in subtropical and tropical climates.
And the last thing: when buying rice, you should not make huge stocks. Long-term storage can reduce the nutritional value of the product. Store it in a cool, dry place, in ceramic, glass, or tin cans with lids.
