Brown rice is rich in antioxidants that help protect cells from damage, prevent chronic diseases, and fiber helps improve digestive and cardiovascular health.
Provides lots of fiber
Compared to white rice, brown rice contains more fiber, has a laxative effect, stimulates intestinal contractions, reduces the risk of hemorrhoids and constipation. Eating brown rice also helps control weight, stabilize blood sugar, reduce cholesterol, and prevent cancer. Replacing white rice with brown rice is an easy way to provide more fiber for the body.
Rich in antioxidants
Brown rice is rich in antioxidants such as phenols and flavonoids that can protect cells from damage, prevent chronic diseases, reduce the risk of oxidative stress, and prevent premature aging. Oxidative stress can significantly reduce immunity, making the body sensitive and vulnerable to pathogens.
Losing weight
This is a food that many overweight and obese people add to their diet. Brown rice is rich in vitamins, minerals and fiber, which can help the body feel full longer. People who lose weight by eating brown rice still ensure that the body is supplemented with essential nutrients such as potassium, calcium, riboflavin (B2), folate. This food also contains high levels of manganese, which has many uses such as helping wounds heal quickly, metabolizing muscle contractions, stimulating bone growth, and supporting the function of the nervous system.
Improve heart health
Eating plenty of whole grains can reduce your risk of developing heart disease. The fiber and magnesium found in brown rice help lower bad cholesterol levels. Magnesium plays an important role in regulating blood pressure. A deficiency in this mineral can lead to irregular heartbeats, increasing the risk of heart attacks and strokes. Magnesium also aids in many processes in the body, including muscle function, nerve function, the immune system, and protein synthesis.
Improve blood sugar
Brown rice is healthy for diabetics due to its medium glycemic load (GL), which has little impact on postprandial blood sugar levels. GL is a measure of how much carbohydrates in a food affect blood sugar. Brown rice is rich in fiber, which slows down digestion and prevents sudden increases in blood sugar.
However, brown rice contains phytic acid which can hinder the absorption of nutrients such as iron, calcium, zinc. People who are malnourished should limit their intake of this type of rice. People with Celiac disease (an autoimmune disorder caused by intolerance to foods containing gluten) may have difficulty digesting brown rice.