Wondering what black rice bran is? You’ve come to the right place. In this article, we’ll go over exactly what it is.
What is Bran in the First Place?
Bran is the outer three layers of any cereal grain that has been milled away from the underlying seed embryo. Consisting of the husk, aleurone, and pericarp, bran is also where you find the majority of any grain’s nutrition and health benefits. The retention of these layers is what makes whole grain products like flour and oats superior to their more refined counterparts.
Corn, oats, millet, wheat, barley, and rye bran breakfast cereals and supplements have been with us for years.
A more recent addition to this lineup is black rice bran, but what is black rice bran, and what sets it apart?
So What is Black Rice Bran?
Highly valued in Asia for eons, black rice, a.k.a forbidden rice, has risen in popularity in the United States in recent years. Deservedly, black rice has been touted as one of the healthiest alternatives to white rice and other carbohydrate foods.
Black rice bran is the three outer layers of the grain; the bran, its underlying nutritional fatty layer, and the germ of the black rice kernel. The majority of the benefits that can be derived from black rice are because of this nutritious bran. In black rice bran, the concentrations of beneficial compounds are so high that it is considered by many to be a ‘superfood.’
Black rice bran contains high levels of the antioxidant phytonutrients anthocyanin, lutein, and zeaxanthin. It is also high in vitamin E and amino acids. These factors contribute to it being helpful in:
- Supporting eye health.
- Protecting against heart disease.
- Preventing hay fever and asthma attacks.
- Lowering blood sugar levels.
- Inhibiting the growth of human cancer cells.
- Fighting chronic inflammation.
- Decreasing your risk of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD).
- Controlling your appetite and weight.
- Aiding in maintaining healthy skin.
This is on top of being very high in protein, iron and calcium, and many other vitamins and minerals.
So, what is black rice bran? Black rice bran is the latest development in man’s constant search to live healthier, more natural lives.
Black rice bran could be a worthy addition to anyone’s supplement routine. Loaded with nutrition and offering many health benefits, black rice bran may be the most beneficial grain bran available.
Should You Eat Black Rice Bran Over Black Rice?
But the real question is – should you eat black rice bran over the whole food? Probably not!
There’s so much more to a food than the compounds we can extract from it. And we do know that the more a food is processed, the less benefits it has.
When you have the opportunity to eat a whole food over a processed version, the whole food is always best!
Hey, I’m Joey. I’ve been cooking since I was a little kid and love everything about it. You can find my writing about food, kitchen appliances (such as blenders) and much more. Thanks for stopping by!
