Benefits And Harms Of Rice

Rice is not just a food for many peoples of the world, it is truly loved and appreciated. This cereal is truly versatile; it can be used both as an independent dish and as a side dish for meat, fish, and vegetables. The great benefits of rice have made it a popular product all over the world. Most people don’t even believe in the words of scientists that this cereal crop can still harm the body. So, let’s talk about the benefits and harms of rice.

The composition of rice

Both rice itself and rice porridge contain a lot of starch, vitamins B1, B2, B3, B5, B6, B9, PP, and E, amino acids, trace elements (potassium, calcium, manganese, phosphorus, magnesium, sodium, sulfur, zinc), minerals (iron, iodine, selenium).

The less the grain is processed, the more benefits it retains.

The priority property of rice porridge is the presence of a sufficient amount of complex carbohydrates, they have the ability to accumulate in the muscles so that a person is provided with a long-term energy surge.

The benefits of rice

The beneficial properties of rice allow it to be used for various health problems. It can help to:

• stabilize the gastrointestinal tract;
• strengthen blood vessels and heart;
• cleanse the blood and improve its composition in case of anemia;
• strengthen memory;
• prevent senile pathology of the brain and psyche;
• get rid of symptoms of intoxication in case of food poisoning;
• stop diarrhea;
• strengthen the nervous system due to the B vitamins in the product;
• safely start eating after prolonged fasting;
• get rid of bad breath;
• improve the condition of the skin and nails;
• remove excess salt;
• improve the functioning of the muscular system;
• restore normal eating behavior in case of anorexia

Rice broth is a safe remedy for stopping diarrhea. It is used for both adults and very young children.

Rice is included in the diet of many athletes. Its energy value allows you to get enough energy for muscle recovery and growth.

Rice in cosmetology

Rice perfectly copes with skin defects. The secret of this success lies in the high content of powerful antioxidants that protect the skin from aging.

Rice is used to produce nutritious rice oil, which not only regenerates the skin but also improves its elasticity and firmness. This oil is often used as a preventive measure against wrinkles. It has moisturizing, anti-inflammatory, softening, and regenerating properties. Rice oil is most useful for dry skin, it is especially important to use it for cosmetic purposes during menopause.

Rice oil is very easily absorbed and is often included in sensitive skin care products, sunscreen skin lotions, and hair conditioners. In addition, this oil is hypoallergenic.

Rice bran perfectly polishes away dead skin cells, making the skin smooth and even. They contain a high content of unsaturated fatty acids. Therefore, rice bran is a raw material for cosmetic products, it is included in waxes, scrubs, and creams.

Rice powder is the best product for gentle cleansing and skin regeneration. It has a light brightening effect, can improve skin color, prevent wrinkles, and increase firmness and elasticity.

Rice in folk medicine

Rice is used in folk medicine as a sleep aid, to eliminate bad breath, to restore appetite after a long illness, and to increase lactation in lactating women.

Problems solved by rice in folk medicine.

• Fever in case of colds. Pour a glass of rice with water (7 cups), add mint (1 tbsp), and boil. Add chopped onion and drink the resulting broth every 2 hours, 1/3 cup.
• Deposition of salts. Eat 2 tbsp of dry rice on an empty stomach daily, chewing thoroughly.
• Obesity. Cook 100 g of rice, and divide it into several meals. Eat it with pineapple or apple juice (without sugar).
• Overweight. Pour 4 tbsp of long rice and 15 pitted raisins into a liter jar. Dissolve 2 tbsp of sugar in 1 liter of water and add to the jar of rice. Cover with gauze and leave in a dark place for 2 days. Strain the resulting infusion, discard the raisins, rinse the rice, and fill it with water again. Drink ½ glass daily before meals 20 minutes before meals.

Contraindications to the use of rice

In the absence of contraindications, moderate consumption of rice is not harmful to health.

Health risks for people without chronic diseases may include

• constipation due to overeating rice dishes;
• flatulence due to excessive consumption of unpolished rice;
• obesity from overeating white rice.

White rice can be harmful to people with diabetes because it contains a significant amount of fast carbohydrates. In people with gastrointestinal sensitivity, undercooked rice grains cause microscopic damage to the mucous membranes.

Popular rice diets do more harm than good. The monotony of the diet and the laxative properties of rice inhibit intestinal function. This leads to prolonged constipation and general intoxication.

When preparing rice dishes “with a reserve” for more than one day, it is important to follow the rules of its storage. Cooked rice spoils quickly and causes severe poisoning.

Allergic reactions to rice are extremely rare. If they occur, the use of rice dishes should be discontinued.

Types of rice

Throughout the history of rice, many varieties and types of this crop have been bred. Depending on the shape of the grain, it is divided into three types: round-grained, long-grained, and medium-grained.

Long grain is valued in cooking for its crumbly properties.

Medium-grained grain is used for dishes with a soft texture.

Round-grained rice is traditionally used for making sushi and viscous porridges.

Based on color, rice is divided into types that differ in nutritional properties and vitamin content. The most popular grain is white rice, which can undergo various processing methods. Most often, you can find steamed and polished products on store shelves. The finished steamed product is crumbly and increases in volume several times. The benefits of steamed rice are very high, it contains about 80% of all known vitamins and minerals. It is mainly recommended for the diet.

How to choose and store rice

When buying rice, you should focus on the packaging, because in a transparent one, you can immediately see the quality of the grains, and here there is a direct connection with the benefits of the porridge cooked later.

You don’t need to buy a package that contains a lot of crushed grains. They can spoil the taste of your favorite dish because they will boil much faster than the rest, and they are also production waste, and there is no benefit from them.

If the package contains large quantities of white (milky) grains, it is better to refrain from buying this package because such grains are unripe.

Yellow beans should not be chosen either, because they were stored improperly, there was humidity in the room, and therefore, they may contain fungus.

The best grains for cooking porridge and various dishes should be of the same size, length, and transparent.

Proper storage of raw rice comes down to choosing the right place and tight packaging. The storage place should be: dry (no more than 60-70% humidity); cool (5-18 degrees); ventilated; and protected from direct sunlight.

In the past, rice groats were stored in canvas bags. To avoid mold, they were boiled in a strong saline solution before use. Nowadays, we can use gauze or cloth bags. To prevent the rice from becoming moldy, do not use cellophane for storage. If you don’t plan to store the cereal for several months, you can leave it in the packaging in which it was sold. Glass jars or wooden containers are suitable for long-term storage.

To prevent bugs from getting into the rice, you can put the following with it: a clove of garlic; peppercorns; dried lemon zest; bay leaf; chestnut.

Under ideal conditions, raw rice is stored for about 18 months.

You can store cooked rice in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. Some people believe that if the porridge has not been eaten in 2-3 days, it is safer to throw it away. Spoiled rice sometimes remains normal in appearance, but provokes poisoning. It is important to close it tightly, as rice porridge absorbs foreign odors. The only way to preserve cooked rice for a long time is to freeze it. It can stay in the freezer for up to 4 weeks.

So, that’s it. We hope that this information will be useful to you. As you have already understood, rice is a very useful product, but do not forget about the contraindications for its use. Be careful and healthy!