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Thursday, August 26, 2010

Black Rice May Be low-priced source of Antioxidants


Aug. 26, Thursday, Healthnfitness news -- Blueberries and blackberries have high levels of antioxidants, which help the body contract with potentially dangerous cellular oxidation, but scientists say they have also found a cheaper source of antioxidants for customers: black rice.
"Just a serving of black rice bran contains more health promoting anthocyanin antioxidants than are found in a spoonful of blueberries, but with less sugar and more fiber and vitamin E antioxidants," learn co-author Zhimin Xu said in a news release from the American Chemical Society.
"If berries are used to boost health, why not black rice and black rice bran?" recommended Xu, associate professor at the food science department at Louisiana State University Agricultural Center in Baton Rouge. "Black rice bran would be a exclusive and economical material to increase consumption of health-promoting antioxidants."
The study authors noted that black rice bran could be used to boost the health reimbursement of breakfast cereals, cakes, cookies and other foods. It could also be extra to beverages, and may serve as food coloring, allowing food manufacturers to avoid artificial colorants, the team said in the news release. The scientists explained that pigments in black rice bran extracts range from pink to black.
In the study, the researchers experienced black rice bran grown in the Southern United States. Even though brown rice is the most frequent rice variety produced worldwide, Xu said the study results suggest that black rice bran may be healthier than brown rice bran in terms of antioxidants.
In Asia, black rice is most frequently used for food decoration, such as in noodles or sushi. One range of black rice is known as "Forbidden Rice" because in Ancient China, it was only permitted to be eaten by upper class and no one else, according to background information in the news release.
The study results were planned to be released Thursday at the national meeting of the American Chemical Society in Boston.

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