Nutrition Facts

Brown rice, long-grain
(cooked)

Serving size:
1 cup (8 oz / 195 g)

Calories 216
Calories from Fat 15

*Percent Daily Values (%DV) are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.

Amt per Serving %DV*   Amt per Serving %DV*   Total Fat 2g 3%   Total Carbohydrate45g 15% Cholesterol 0mg 0%     Dietary Fiber 4g 14% Sodium 10mg 0%      Sugars 1g   Manganese1.8mg 88%   Protein 24g   Vitamin A 0%   Calcium 2% Vitamin C 0%   Iron 5%

Health Benefits of Brown rice

Antioxidant activity

 Brown rice is rich in powerful antioxidants which extend their protection against the damage caused by oxygen free radicals. It contains an important antioxidant enzyme called superoxide dismutase which protects the cells from oxidation damage during energy production. A comparative studyinvolving white and brown rice has suggested that brown rice exhibits superior radical scavenging activity and aids in the prevention of various oxidation-mediated diseases such as coronary heart diseases.

Obesity

 Brown rice is instrumental in seeking weight control for the people combating with obesity. Brown rice contains manganese which helps to synthesize the body fats. A research study conducted in this regard has revealed that consumption of whole grains such as brown rice has positive effects on the body with respect to reduction in body mass index and body fat. It also enhances the activity of glutathione peroxidase, an antioxidant enzyme and helps elevate the levels of HDL cholesterol in the obese individuals. Another comparative research has also advocated the anti-obesity effects of germinated brown rice.

Digestion and gluten-free diets

Brown rice contains 88 percent of the recommended daily amount of manganese. “Manganese is an important mineral that helps digest fats,” said Toups. Brown rice also contains 3.5 grams of fiber per cup, which is 14 percent of the USDA’s daily-recommended intake. Fiber is well known for its digestive benefits. It helps keep bowel movements regular, reducing constipation, and helps keep bowels healthy, according to the Mayo Clinic, which includes brown rice on its list of high-fiber foods.

Furthermore, brown rice is “naturally gluten-free,” according to the USA Rice Federation. This makes it a popular staple of gluten-free diets, though LiveStrong warns that brown rice can become cross-contaminated with gluten in mixed-use kitchens.

Energy

According to Toups, manganese can also help you “get the most from proteins and carbohydrates.” It helps turn them into energy so that you can keep moving.

Brown rice also contains protein. “Unlike refined grains, which are missing about 25 percent of the grain’s protein, and are greatly reduced in at least 17 key nutrients, whole grains like brown rice are much healthier,” said Toups. She pointed to a large study published in the Journal of the American Dietetic Association, which found that “those eating the most whole grains had significantly higher amounts of … energy.”

They can help lower cholesterol

Whole grains not only help prevent your body from absorbing “bad” cholesterol, they may also lower triglycerides, both of which are major contributors to heart disease. In fact, whole grains lower the risk of heart disease overall. One study found that women who ate two to three servings of whole grain products daily were 30 percent less likely to have a heart attack or die from heart disease compared with women who ate less than one serving a week. “Any form of whole grain — including whole wheat, oats, brown rice, barley, corn, quinoa, rye, buckwheat and millet — will confer benefits for heart health,” says Cheung. “When it comes to oatmeal, steel-cut is better than instant.”

 They lower blood pressure

The heart benefits of whole grains don’t stop with cholesterol and triglycerides. They also lower blood pressure, one of the most important risk factors for heart disease. One study found a 19 percent lower risk of hypertension among men who ate more than seven servings of whole grain breakfast cereal a week compared with those who ate one or less. A study of women also found a benefit. “Eating whole grains instead of refined grains substantially lowers blood cholesterol … triglycerides, blood pressure and insulin levels,” says Cheung. “Any of these changes would be expected to reduce the risk of heart disease.”

It Lowers The Risk Of Developing Diabetes

Harvard researchers have discovered that eating at least two servings of brown rice per week can lower the risk of developing diabetes. They found that by eating just 50 grams of brown rice a day, the risk of type 2 diabetes can be lowered by 16 percent, while other whole grains, such as barley and whole wheat, can lower the risk by 36 percent.

 It’s High In Fiber

Brown rice supplies 14 percent of the recommended daily value for fiber, an important nutrient that protects against colon cancer and breast cancer. Fiber tends to latch onto the chemicals that cause cancer and steer them away from the cells in the colon and breasts, preventing cancer from developing in those areas. Fiber also has many other health benefits including promoting cardiovascular health.

Cancer

Brown rice may help lower the risk of cancer thanks in part to its manganese. “Manganese may protect against free radicals, which are cancer-causing agents,” said Toups. Additionally, a British study published in the journal Cancer, Epidemiology, Biomarkers & Prevention analyzed the phenolic compounds in brown rice, brown rice bran and white rice for compounds associated with cancer suppression or reduction. Brown rice and brown rice bran had much higher concentrations of the useful compounds than white rice.

Neurodegenerative disorders

 Germinated brown rice helps in the prevention of neurodegenerative complications such as Alzheimer’s disease attributing to the abundance of gama-aminobutyric acid.Sprouted brown rice contains healthful components which helps in the inhibition of harmful enzyme called protylendopetidase which is associated with Alzheimer’s disease. It is also beneficial for other cerebral-related disorders such as dementia and amnesia.

Psychosomatic health for lactating women

 Sprouted brown rice is beneficial for the mental health of the lactating mothers.  An investigative study has shown positive results in the nursing women with respect to reduction in mood disturbances, stages of depression and fatigue.  It has also suggested that consumption of brown rice during lactation enhances body’s ability to resist stress and improves overall immune defense.

They redistribute fat

Even if eating whole grains doesn’t actually make you lose weight, studies have shown that it can help you cut down on the amount of body fat you have and lead to a healthier distribution of that fat. Specifically, eating whole grains can leave you with less belly fat — what scientists kindly call “central adiposity” — which increases your risk of diabetes and other health woes.

It Reduces The Risk Of Childhood Asthma

Asthma is a very common condition among children and causes many children to miss numerous days of school. But children who eat plenty of whole grains along with fish can lower their risk of developing asthma by 50 percent. Studies show that fruits, vegetables and even dairy don’t have much of an effect in reducing asthma, but whole grains and fish do.

 It Promotes Bone Health

Brown rice is a good source of magnesium, a mineral that is essential to bone health. Just one cup of brown rice contains 21 percent of the recommended daily value of magnesium. Most of the magnesium in the body is stored on or in the bones, so to keep a high level of magnesium in your bones, and to reap the other health benefits, eat plenty of brown rice each week.

Strong immunity system

 Brown rice is loaded with significant quantities of vitamins, minerals and essential phenolic components which help boost the immune system of the body. It nourishes the body, accelerates healing and enhances its ability to fight infections.

Risks of eating brown rice

In 2012, Consumer Reports published an article stating that while arsenic is naturally present in a variety of foods, it is more likely to contaminate brown rice because brown rice absorbs a great deal of water while growing. However, the Food and Drug Administration analyzed over 1,000 rice samples, and in 2014 stated, “the arsenic levels that FDA found in the samples it evaluated were too low to cause any immediate or short-term adverse health effects.” The FDA advised maintaining a diet that includes a variety of whole grains. Additionally, those concerned about arsenic levels can cook their rice in six times the normal amount of water and reduce the arsenic level by about half, according to the FDA