Red rice exists, yes. Today we are going to learn everything about this peculiar cereal, from its nutritional values to its contraindications. A very nutritious rice, but not suitable for everyone, much less for pregnant women. Throughout this text we will know all the details of red rice, and we will even learn how to cook it.
It is a type of brown rice characterized by that reddish tint. A very nutritious cereal that cooks with some ease. Throughout this text we are going to learn many aspects about this type of rice, which many of us surely knew nothing about.
It is a nutritious cereal, but it is not as healthy as white rice, and by healthy we mean the contraindications, since it could cause myopia if combined with certain medications such as Cytochrome Inhibitors. Neither pregnant women, nor in breastfeeding period, nor children, nor those who take medications to lower cholesterol.
Nutritional values
We are going to calculate the nutritional values per 100 grams, which is the standard measure to measure and calculate in Europe. For every 100 grams of cooked red rice, we have about 360 kilocalories, 78 grams of carbohydrates, 7.5 grams of protein, 2.4 grams of fat and 2.9 grams of fiber.
Apart from these nutritional values, there are others of great importance such as vitamins and minerals. For every 100 grams of this red cereal, we get 12 mg of sodium, 11 mg of calcium, almost 1 mg of iron, 255 mg of phosphorus and 325 mg of potassium. Regarding vitamins we have group B mainly with B1, B2 and B3.
Dosage and how to consume
According to experts, we should not exceed 80 grams of red rice a day and this is due to its high concentration of monacolin K, which is a substance that helps reduce total cholesterol levels in the blood. Let’s remember that cholesterol is good, up to certain levels, and that the bad thing is when we have very high cholesterol and clogged arteries. But low or normal cholesterol levels are good for the body.
To cook this red rice, we have to put it in boiling water for about 30 minutes or steam it. The modus operandi is the same as the normal white or brown rice of a lifetime.
This type of rice is perfect for salads, stews, sautéed vegetables, with fish in sauce, etc. It has a nutty touch when chewed that makes it perfect for exotic recipes, and that is why this rice is used so much in Asia. Keep in mind that its color will affect the dish, since it will fade during cooking and change the color of the rest of the food.
For this rice to come out perfect, a trick is to toast it a little before proceeding to cook it in the same pot where we will cook it. All you need is a little extra virgin olive oil, minced garlic, add a glass of white wine and, when it evaporates, add twice as much water as rice. We proceed to the cooking and in a matter of 30 minutes we have it ready
Benefits
Among the benefits of red rice, there are several that we want to reveal so that we can see the importance of opening ourselves to other foods. We always emphasize that we have to have a varied, balanced diet with healthy foods. Well, within all these guidelines, red rice comes in.
We have already seen how nutritious it is and how versatile it is, and it is that it can serve as an ideal accompaniment for salads (in the same way that we use quinoa or sprouted chickpeas) or stews, in order to complement the amount of fiber, minerals or vitamins that our body needs on a daily basis.
Among the benefits of this cereal we find its effectiveness against bad cholesterol, but be careful, since an excess of this rice will also lower overall cholesterol. This is because this cereal has the same chemical compound as the medication to reduce cholesterol and we are talking about lovastatin.
Another benefit is the regulation of intestinal transit, since, in each serving, we will have about 2 grams of quality fiber that, together with the rest of the fiber that we consume during the day, will favor intestinal transit.
This fiber takes us directly to the next benefit, and that is to regulate blood sugar levels and also cleanse the body. In addition, it provides satiety, this will make us not snack between meals and have better physical health.
Thanks to vitamin B6, we manage to reduce levels of stress, anxiety, depression and insomnia. According to experts, with a serving of red rice, we get almost 20’% of the daily amount of B6 that our body needs.
The antioxidant power of this peculiar rice is good, to combat the effects of free radicals. Those that cause our cells to be damaged forever causing aging and even mutations and finally cancer in some cases. This is why regular consumption of antioxidants helps prevent skin aging and other more serious cell damage.
Contraindications
We already know what it is, how it is cooked, what it provides and some of its benefits, well, now only the fine print of this peculiar food is missing. And it is that it is very similar to the normal white rice of a lifetime, but with a reddish tint that makes it very special, both in flavor and nutritional level.
This rice is consumed regularly in some Asian countries, but after several investigations it is known that, if we are pregnant, we should not consume this red rice or its flour. It is also not indicated for babies, children or if we are breastfeeding.
Besides, the consumption of this rice can cause certain adverse effects such as abdominal distention, heartburn, headaches, gas and even dizziness.
experts indicate that this cereal can create some type of negative interaction with alcohol, grapefruit, with herbs and supplements, as well as with medications such as Gemfibrozil, hepatoxic drugs, Cyclosporine, cytochrome inhibitors, among others.
