What is brown rice, ofada rice and white rice?
Brown Rice is a whole grain food in which only the first outer layer (husk or hull) removed through milling. It still retains its fiber and the germ which contains many of the most vital nutrients and is brown in colour. It is a complex carbohydrate that provides 15 essential nutrients.
Ofada Rice is our local, Nigerian unpolished rice which is non-genetically modified. It is the short, robust and brown rice planted mostly in Ogun State and some other states in western Nigeria. It is identified with brown stripes because it is unpolished and when it’s cooked it emits a unique Ofada Rice aroma. It is also brown in colour.
White rice is brown rice that has first been milled to take away the bran and much of the germ to become white in colour. This reduces the fiber and many nutrients. It is further polished to take away the remaining layer of germ (called the aleurone layer) which contains its essential oils. It is these oils which oxidize and go rancid. When rice is milled it loses about 60% of iron, 90% of vitamin B6, 80% of vitamin B1 and 67% of vitamin B3.
Now, having known the differences between these types of rice, here is exactly…
How Brown rice helps weight loss and its 18 health benefits
Brown rice aka ofada rice is every weight watcher’s dream food primarily because it retains all its natural nutritional value which have amazing fat loss and health benefits. For example:
1. It has about twice the fiber content of regular white rice. Fiber plays a significant role in our digestion process. Because of this high fibrous content, brown rice is known to be one of the most effective natural colon cleansers which aids weight loss.
2. It lowers the level of LDL cholesterol aka bad cholesterol. Having a high level of bad cholesterol in the body is a primary reason for excess weight because it LDL causes insulin resistance and when this occurs it naturally stimulates the body to store fat.
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3. It has two types of fiber: soluble and insoluble fiber. The soluble fiber slows the rate at which food leaves the stomach and promote a sense of satiety, or fullness after a meal. This helps to prevent overeating and weight gain. That is the equation for fat loss; eat less and burn more!
4. While the insoluble fiber is also known as cellulose which is indigestible and has less transit time through the body. In general, the higher a food’s fiber content, the lower it tends to be in available calories. That’s why you can eat a very large serving of salad, which is almost all fiber, and still eat very few calories. And high-fiber diets also tend to be less “energy dense,” which means they have fewer calories for the same volume of food. Thus when you eat brown rice, you are actually eating fewer calories
5. Insoluble fibers also helps the body get rid of some dietary fat. As it goes out of the body via the excretion process it grabs fats and carries them all the way through to the colon, where they are bundled together and eliminated from the body. Hence brown rice is preferred by people dieting to lose weight.
6. Brown rice controls blood sugar and diabetes. It does this because of the presence of soluble fiber. Soluble fibers swell up upon contact with water and forms a viscous gel. This slows down the passage food along the alimentary canal and gives the body ample time so that the nutrients from food is properly be absorbed. This slows down the release of glucose into the blood.
7. Brown rice is important for a healthy heart. Researchers at Temple University School of Medicine report that brown rice is a better choice over white because it has an ingredient that protects against high blood pressure and atherosclerosis.
8. It reduces the severity of asthma because it’s a rich source of manganese and magnesium. just one cup of brown rice will provide you with 88.0% of the daily value for manganese
9. Because of this rich source of magnesium it lowers high blood pressure, reduces the frequency of migraine headaches, and reduces the risk of heart attack and stroke. With a diet low on magnesium, calcium can gain entry into the nerves and overactivate it. Magnesium helps regulate nerve and muscle tone by blocking the entry of calcium into the nerve, preventing its contraction and keeping it relaxed. Besides, Magnesium is necessary for healthy bones as well.
10. Brown rice provides an excellent source of whole grain for people with gluten allergy and thus can substitute for numerous whole grain foods. People with Celiac disease cannot eat proteins found in wheat, barley, rye and wheat because the gluten contained in them damages the lining of the small intestines so that essential nutrients cannot get absorbed properly, and it (gluten) also triggers an abnormal immune reaction.
11. Brown rice protects the body against cancer particularly it substantially reduces the risk of colon cancer because of its high fiber content and the presence of selenium in the brown rice. Selenium is a trace mineral that induces DNA repair and synthesis in damaged cells and inhibits the proliferation of cancer cells. Selenium is an antioxidant and is essential for thyroid hormone metabolism and immune function.
12. Selenium plays a critical role in cancer prevention as a cofactor of glutathione peroxidase, which is one of the body’s most powerful antioxidant enzymes and is used in the liver to detoxify a wide range of potentially harmful molecules. When levels of glutathione peroxidase are too low, these toxic molecules wreak havoc on any cells with which they come in contact, damaging their cellular DNA and promoting the development of cancer cells.
13. Brown rice diet contains a high amount of fiber great for cleaning the colon. In your gut acts as a drain cleaner, grabbing passing nasty toxins such as pollutants, chemicals, pesticides and heavy metals. It cures constipation and intestinal blockage.
14. It is rich in manganese. Manganese can help to keep our bones healthy and strong. It also helps to synthesize fatty acids and cholesterol.
15. It is rich in Naturally-Occurring Oils which are the healthy fats which help normalize cholesterol levels.
16. It is a perfect Baby Food. Brown rice cereal or brown rice itself is the perfect baby’s first food due to the dense natural nutrition and fiber it contains. This is a much better choice than refined white rice/corn cereal products because rapidly growing babies and toddlers require nutrient rich diets to help maintain rapid growth cycles.
17. It heals candida yeast Infections because of its high fiber which can help sensitive digestive systems to heal from an overgrowth of candida organisms.
18. Finally, brown rice is simply delicious and a fantastic staple for both vegetarian and vegan diets. Brown rice can be used as a white rice alternative in most vegetarian recipes and provides a full, rich and somewhat nutty flavor. Brown rice flour can be used for vegetarian pancakes, breads and other baked goods. All in all, brown rice is clearly the an amazing healthy choice.
After reading this, I’m sure you want to go all out to replace your white rice with brown rice (ofada rice) but there’s more!
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Here are more reasons why you should eat Ofada brown rice instead of white rice
1. It has twice the manganese and phosphorus as white rice.
2. 2 ½ times the iron as white rice.
3. 3 times vitamin B3 as white rice.
4. 4 times the vitamin B1 as white rice
5. 10 times the vitamin B6 as white rice
Are there are Precautions with eating brown rice? YES
With all the above amazing benefits of ofada rice, you will think there are absolutely no issues with the brown rice but of course there are but the good FAR outweighs any bad. More importantly knowing both the good and bad will help you make an informed and better choice.
Here are some issues with ofada brown rice:
1. The main reason brown rice is processed is to increase its storage time. The essential oils in brown rice go rancid after 6-8 months while white rice lasts up to 10 years.
How to deal with this? Always check the expiration dates of the ofada rice you buy. Buy small quantities from a source you trust and make sure it is fresh before cooking. Keep it refrigerated (put it in the freezer) or use other preservation methods to keep it fresh longer.
2. The protein in white rice is more available to the body. This is important in parts of the world where rice is the main source of calories, particularly since rice is not high in protein to begin with.
How to deal with this? This is easy, you already do this. Include a good source of protein when eating your ofada rice.
3. White rice is easier to digest because it lacks fibre. It may be superior for weak and convalescent persons or someone with weak digestion.
How to deal with this? If sick, you may eat white rice but as you become stronger return back to your brown rice.
With all these benefits, you can now see why people are talking about the super health benefits of brown rice so if you don’t eat any form of brown rice, add it to your diet immediately starting by eating our local ofada rice.
In my next article via email, I’m going to share with you exactly how to cook the fat-burning Ofada stew popularly known as “ayemashe”. What most people know as ofada stew is actually fat-STORING but in my next article you will see the exact ingredients you should replace to turn it into a fat-burning one. FOR INQUIRIES AND PURCHASE CONTACT: JOSETO FARMS LTD IS LOCATED AT:
ONIGBEDU OFF LAGOS/ABEOKUTA EXPRESS ROAD, ONIGBEDU VILLAGE ITORI. OGUN
STATE. TEL:+2348062735545 EMAIL:John@josetoglobalservices.com
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