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| Bran Matters |
| Bran, the outer layer of brown rice, contains a compound called orysanol, which helps reduce the body's natural cholesterol production. Studies have shown that people who eat about 3 ounces of rice bran a day for three weeks experience an average 7 percent drop in cholesteroland an average 10 percent drop in harmful LDL cholesterol, the kind that clogs arteries and ups your risk for high blood pressure, heart disease, and stroke. |
| F.Y.I. |
| Rice is gluten free and unlikely to cause an allergy, so it's a good bet for anyone who is allergic to wheat. |
| In addition, a 7-ounce serving of brown rice provides about a third of the RDA for thiamin (vitamin B 1). Borderline thiamin deficiency is common in whole-grain-deprived American diets, and a lack of thiamin can lead to a host of health problems including depression, irritability, and an inability to concentrate. |
| Fiberful |
| A half cup of brown rice contains about 2 grams of insoluble fiber. In addition to lowering cholesterol, rice bran fiber helps maintain bowel regularity and has been linked to lower risk of bowel cancer. By making potentially dangerous substances move quickly through and out of the body, bran gives toxins less time to damage colon walls and lead to colon cancer. |
| The fiber in brown rice also binds with excess estrogen in the digestive tract and ushers it out of the body. That means there is less estrogen circulating in the bloodstream, where it may help cause breast cancer. |
| There's no end to the benefits of fiber: it also helps steady blood sugar levels and provide slow-burning energy, making it good for diabetics and athletes alike. |
| Tips: |
| Brown basmati rice is the quickest cooking brown rice. When cooking rice, try adding some vegetable or chicken broth to the cooking liquid for a flavor boost. Always let rice cook until all the liquid is absorbed so you won't lose important nutrients. |
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