Let’s look at the amazing benefits to your health that “forbidden” purple rice can provide you with.
Purple rice has antioxidants
One of the biggest health benefits of purple rice is the high levels of antioxidants it contains. Antioxidants are important to protect cells in the body from damage done by harmful free radicals. Antioxidant compounds help to prevent or reduce the risk of developing various diseases including cancer and heart disease.
It may surprise you, but purple rice actually contains more antioxidants than blueberries. The American Chemical Society published information showing that, like for like, purple rice bran has more anthocyanin antioxidants than blueberries. However, purple rice bran has even more health benefits. It contains more fiber and vitamin E (another essential antioxidant) and less sugar than blueberries. It is also a cheaper source of disease-fighting antioxidants than blueberries.4
Purple rice is anti-inflammatory
Another important health benefit of purple rice is its ability to reduce inflammatory responses in the body. Inflammation is the body’s natural response to protect us from bacterial and viral infections. According to Dr. Weil, chronic inflammation seems to be at the root of many serious illnesses and diseases.5
Research carried out on the anti-inflammatory effects of pigmented rice, found that it contains a number of compounds that help to reduce inflammation.6
Other researchers found that a diet containing purple rice bran helped to suppress inflammatory skin conditions like dermatitis. They concluded by saying that purple rice bran is anti-inflammatory and anti-allergic and can be used to treat and prevent diseases associated with chronic inflammation.7
That study also showed that brown rice had no effect on reducing inflammation in the body. So, that is another reason why purple rice is superior to brown rice.
Cardiovascular (heart) health benefits of purple rice
Including more purple rice in your diet could help to improve the health of your heart and lower blood pressure.
Research published in The Journal of Nutrition found that purple rice helps to increase high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol.8 This is the type of “good” cholesterol that a healthy cardiovascular system needs to function properly. The study showed that purple rice also helps to prevent hardening of the arteries that can lead to heart failure.
Of course, maintaining a healthy heart is a lifestyle choice and requires enjoying a healthy diet, exercising regularly, and avoiding habits like over drinking and smoking. However, eating more purple rice in your diet will help you to greatly improve your cardiovascular system and let you enjoy better overall health.
