The black rice also called Purple rice or forbidden rice, emperor’s rice and also called as Wild rice. This is glutinous rice (sticky rice) with purple colour appearance. The black rice scientific name is Oryza stative species which has high nutritional value along with antioxidants. The name forbidden rice has a history behind it when this black rice was kept only for the Chinese emperor for his good healthy living and forbidden from anyone. Thus, this rice was named as forbidden rice. The colour of the rice is due to an antioxidant pigment called anthocyanins. Black rice is formed due to mutation or white grain genes leading to dark purple colour rice. Continue reading the values and find out more about black rice benefits with black rice images and types of black rice.


Image Source: Shutterstock

What Is Forbidden Rice?

If you are wondering can eating rice be forbidden and hence the name forbidden rice. No, forbidden rice is nothing but another name for black rice or organic black rice. Since the history states, a certain type of rice was allotted for the Chinese emperor and not given for anyone else. This rice with high protein and iron content is black rice.

Different Types Of Black Rice:

Black rice is gluten-containing rice and comes in various varieties with different recipes. Some of the most commonly known types are the Indonesian black rice, Philippine Balatinaw rice, Thai jasmine black rice. In Manipur, black rice is used in making sweet dishes, famous black rice tea and the rice is famously called as “Chak-hao”. Kala dhaner chaal or Black paddy´s rice is commonly called in Bangladesh for black rice.

Is Black Rice Healthy?

Anything white coloured food is a carbohydrate loaded acting as a calorie bomb. For those who want to move away from calorie-loaded food, then opt for healthy low-calorie food. One such healthy food gluten-rich yet iron and vitamin loaded grain is the black rice or the forbidden rice. Black rice calories are less and antioxidant value is high along with other essential vitamin and mineral making this grain as the healthiest rice. Forbidden rice with benefits and side effects is not the same, the benefits out beats the side effects making this Asian rice healthy rice.

Black Rice Nutrition Facts:

As black rice ingredients are packed with vitamin and mineral is important to know the value of Proteins, vitamins, iron in 100 grams of black rice along with calorie value when you consuming 100 grams of black rice which can either Organic black rice or other types of black rice in India.

100 gram of black rice nutritional facts are:

  • Calorie: 335
  • Glycemic Index: 43
  • Total Fat Content: 2.35 g
  • Saturated Fat: 0.476 g
  • Tran’s Fat: Nil
  • Cholesterol: 0 mg
  • Sodium: 12 mg
  • Total Carbohydrates: 72.41 g
  • Dietary Fibre: 2.8 g
  • Sugar: 0.68 g
  • Proteins: 9.5 g
  • Iron: 1.13 mg
  • Potassium: 186 mg
  • Calcium: 16 mg

How To Make Black Rice?

Choosing healthy as well as mouthwatering food recipes is really a bone hurting job for the family. A healthy recipe may not taste good and tasty food might not be filled with nutritional value. Hence, choosing a recipe which creates a balance between nutritional value and taste is essential to lead a healthy life. One such recipe made from healthy grain is the black rice recipe and black rice in India is also getting famous and best black rice brands are available in the market.

Black rice is a Chinese origin grain which can be made into either as the main recipe as well as a desert. According to one´s interest and time to invest in cooking cooked black grain rice can be mixed with other fresh vegetables and made a salad or a mouth watery black rice pudding can be made as a dessert.

How To Cook Black Rice?

To cook non-milled, unpolished is different from the usual milled white grain rice. Since the outer husk is retained, the cooking time of the rice differs drastically from the commonly consumed white rice. The same procedure is applied for Black rice preparation, which is unpolished rice with a black colour husk intact with the grain. The rice must be soaked 30 mins prior to cooking to make the outer layer soft. The water measurement for the cooking the rice is recommended as:

  • 2 cups of water to 1 cup of soaked black rice.
  • Cooking Time: Is approximately 20 to 25 mins
  • For Unsoaked Rice: The cooking time is higher around 50 minutes.

Top Black Rice Health Benefits:

Here we enlisted 12 best black rice health benefits. Let’s have a look into them.

1. Rich in Antioxidants:

A nutritious and healthy way of consuming grain is selecting unpolished high fibre content rice. To that list, Asian black rice tops up the chart. As this rice is not only loaded with iron, fibre as well as protein content, but also with the best antioxidant element called the Anthocyanin. This Phytonutrient makes the outer skin of the grain look darker with a hue of purple to black, an indicator for an antioxidant factor. The content of Anthocyanin is higher in black rice in comparisons to another rice type like rice, brown rice or whole grains. Prevention of heart disease, elimination of free radical is the key property of antioxidant-rich black rice.

2. Preventing Risk of Diabetes:

Diabetes a commonly heard disease which is affecting every household.The is due to eating habits and lifestyle. Setting up a healthy lifestyle by choosing the right food is essential to prevent getting prone from the so-called sugar disease called diabetes. Consuming low carbohydrate loaded rice is essential to slow down the sugar absorption level by the body.Opt for black rice diet, the black rice contains the outer fibre loaded husk completely making the human body to slow down the absorption of glucose content from the rice at longer time duration in comparison to the polished husk free white rice. This enables the maintenance of steady blood sugar level in the body and preventing the risk of diabetes.

3. Prevent Cancer:

The black grain loaded with the best antioxidant’s property which is found in other fruits like blueberries, blackberries, acai. Consuming one cup of forbidden rice daily helps in removing the free radical from the body and protect the main arteries, preventing the DNA´s getting damage because of cell changes. The anthocyanin in the black rice gives the essential vitamins and minerals for leading a healthy and reducing the risk of cancer cell development as well as slow down rapid mutation of the cancer cell. The black rice protects the arteries by reducing the plaque formation seen on the arterial wall lining caused due to increased cholesterol level.

4. Black Rice for Weight Loss:

Are you preparing a diet plan for reducing body weight in a steady manner? Then why not choose an organic way to shed out that extra fat. Add black rice as the staple cereal instead of white rice and experience the changes caused by the black rice in losing those hanging fat easily. Start consuming black rice by making black rice powder and experience black rice powder benefits. The weight loss provided by this rice is due to the rich fibre content in the rice making you feel full for a longer time after lunch or dinner, this is due to the low assimilation rate of the carbohydrate and low sugar absorption by the blood preventing you to feel hungry very quickly.

5. Improves Digestion:

Digestion is an important part of everyone to lead a healthy and stress-free life. To do so, it is important to consume fibre-rich food, while fibre helps in boosting digestion, increases nutrient intake, prevents constipation, loose stools, bloating of stomach and indigestion issue. The forbidden rice nutrition facts are that it is a fibre-rich grain, consuming one serving per day aids in the peristaltic movement of the digestive tract. Thereby digestion is improved and enhances in creating a balanced bacterial flora environment. Soak the rice well and prepare a simple black rice recipe at home and enjoy with your family for a healthy life.

6. Protect Heart Health:

A good cardiovascular function is crucial to consume a simple diet which does not contain excess fat and salt as well as sugar products. For someone who is under risk of developing heart diseases, it is best to avoid high carbohydrate-containing food, as carbohydrate food increase sugar level easily, along with high-fat content. Try this Chinese origin black rice which is the best alternative for high fibre-rich rice similar to brown rice, wild rice as whole grain rice. Black rice has a high level of fibre content when compared to other whole grain rice. Consume black rice protein and have a healthy good heart.

7. Detoxifies The Body:

In this fast-food world, we all lack the essential vitamin, minerals and other nutrient intakes regularly. To change this concept, many organic, as well as simple recipes, have been brought into one´s knowledge by using healthy consumables. One such healthy food is black rice. You might be thinking of is black rice healthy than white rice? Yes, black rice benefits you through its low-fat, non-gluten with essential nutrients required to detoxify the body. Detoxification of the body is essential to reduce the stress level of the organs responsible for eliminating toxic element form the body. Kidneys and liver are the two main organs responsible for maintaining toxin-free body and black rice helps to reduce toxins drastically.

8. Preventing Risk of Obesity:

Obesity a hot topic all over the world, this is due to the availability of fast food more commonly when compared to healthy food. Obesity has now led to increased risk of diabetes, metabolic syndromes, and other insulin resistance disease along with deteriorating cardiovascular health drastically. It is therefore essential to take in food which is less in carbohydrate, low sugar consumables as well as low salt food. Substitute white rice with high fibre rich grain like Organic black rice or forbidden rice. Organic black rice benefits by helping to lower hunger level and over-consumption of food due to high fibre and nutrient content. High fibre metabolism into the blood is lower in comparison to the commonly available white rice.

9. Good for The Eyes:

A good powerful and stress-free eyesight is what everyone is aiming for. To have such strong eyesight it is important to consume healthy and nutritious food rather than just eating easy to make zero nutrient food. The black rice or forbidden rice benefits is that it is one of the best foods to maintain good eyesight since the black rice has the ability to prevent degenerative disorder of the eyes. The antioxidant property of the black rice reduces some of the commonly encountered degenerative eye problems is a cataract, blurred vision, and macular degenerative issue. Consume the antioxidant-rich “Anthocyanin “and have a healthy eye.

10. Naturally Gluten-free Grain:

Black rice is classified under naturally gluten-free rice like other whole grain rice. The gluten intolerance has now become a common problem faced by many in all parts of the world. The gluten sensitivity issue has similar symptoms seen in celiac disease which includes constipation, bloating of stomach, diarrhoea. Benefits of eating black rice are that the symptoms caused by consuming gluten-rich food like all-purpose flour (Maida), wheat, barley, etc. are avoided. Prepare for yourself a good gluten-free nutrient-rich food for dinner with Asian black rice and other vegetables and get rid of all the gluten-induced symptoms and issue.

11. Black Rice Benefits for Skin:

A glossy tight skin is what all want, but how to have it and how to maintain the glossy skin is always a big question in everyone mind. it is simple, a healthy well balanced is what you must be looking for to have and retain a good healthy skin. One such healthy food which can give you the essential gloss is by eating Asian palette encouraging food the Black rice or using black rice water for skin. Black rice a natural antioxidant, as well as Vitamin E, loaded consumables. Vitamin -E a known element which is responsible for tightening the skin and enhances the skin to remain healthy and glossy. Consuming a cup of black rice enriches the body with the entire essential vitamin required to have good skin.

12. Black Rice Benefits for Hair:

Chinese originated black rice uses is that it is loaded with all essential vitamins and anti-oxidant property. In China, there is a common practice of washing the hair with fermented water of the black rice. This way the scalp and the hair are nourished with essential nutrition’s. Combining black rice water and gel made from aloe vera can protect hair damage. After exposing hair to heavy sunlight and dust wash the hair with Vitamin B, E filled extract of black rice. Enrich your hair growth by using water of black rice as well as consuming directly as a daily consumable food along with fresh vegetables.

Black Rice Side Effects:

Black rice is total health and high nutrition filled grain type. Such a nutritional value loaded food does not contain any side effect causing agent or chemical. There are no serious side effects after eating black rice. Disadvantages of black rice may include minor side effect like:

  • Bloating of stomach.
  • Gas formation.
  • Gastrointestinal upset like indigestion since black rice is loaded with fibre. Break down of large molecules into small fragments takes time when it comes to fibre-rich food.
  • The same concept applies for black rice, after consuming black rice the time taken to breakdown the nutrition is more when compared to carbohydrate loaded food.

Carbohydrate less diet is the mantra preached by all dieticians in today’s sugar disease prevailing world. Eating a low carbohydrate grain in an everyday meal by using “black rice” is a very healthy substitute from consuming calorie bomber the “white grain rice”.  Leading a healthy life by eating black rice is definitely a motivator not just for oneself but also for the surrounding family members. Take in the rich fibre-loaded black rice and get rid of all sugar risk symptoms and its associated diseases.

Saanvi

About Saanvi

Saanvi Sharma is an excellent web content writer in health and nutrition. Her expertise in the subject stems from in-depth research and knowledge that she gained over the years. Her interest in science coupled with a bachelor's degree in biotechnology proves as an added advantage and further adds value to her writing. She is highly interested in science, thus writing quality content became her virtue.
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