Black rice (purple rice) is sometimes referred to as forbidden rice or emperor's rice. The name was said to have originated as a special rice reserved only for Chinese emperors and forbidden to be eaten by anyone else. It was believed to provide health and longevity due to superior nutritional properties.
Why is black rice called 'forbidden' rice? Black rice (also known as forbidden black rice or emperor's rice) is used in traditional Chinese medicine. It was once reserved only for the wealthy and powerful to ensure their health and long life. No one else was allowed to eat it.
Forbidden Rice May Promote Heart Health
Forbidden rice is an antioxidant powerhouse, offering up to six times the amount of antioxidants found in brown rice. This dark-colored rice also has more anthocyanins than blueberries, which are well-known for their antioxidant properties.
What Is Black Rice? Black rice, also known as purple rice or forbidden rice, can refer to more than 20 varieties of Oryza sativa rice high in anthocyanin pigment, the same antioxidant pigment that gives eggplants and blackberries their deep color.
Black rice is not as easy to grow as other rice varieties because it only yields about 10 percent of the harvest that other rice varieties do. That makes the rice very expensive, which is why it was initially reserved only for the richest of the rich—which meant Chinese royalty at the time it was first discovered.
Is Black Rice easy to digest? Black rice has a high fibre content than white rice, which means it is digested slower and adds more soluble fiber to the diet. This is good because it lowers cholesterol and keep us fuller for longer, preventing hunger and cravings further aiding in maintaining a healthy weight.
You can eat a bowl of this raw rice on its own (after soaking it and disposing of the soaking water, of course) or pair it with a tasty curry or stir fry.
Additionally, soaking grains cuts the cooking time down substantially. If you decide to soak, mix 1 cup of black rice in three cups of water in a bowl and let it sit for an hour or overnight. Keep in mind that the cooking time will be shorter if you soak it.
Side Effects of Black Rice:
Black rice is rich in fibre. Consuming too much black rice may cause problems like gas and abdominal pain. Therefore, you are advised to eat black rice in moderation.
This dark-colored rice, which is a deep purple-black, has alternate names including purple rice, forbidden rice, and emperor's rice. It has a rich, complex flavor, with a distinct nuttiness and a hint of sweetness from the anthocyanin pigments.
04/8White rice
This is the unhealthiest type of rice because most of the minerals and nutrients are stripped off during the industrial processing. 100-gram white rice has 150 calories. White rice has a high glycemic index and thus diabetics should avoid it.
Black rice is a naturally healing food. Research has shown Black rice to reduce inflammatory compounds in your body and increase the anti-inflammatory compounds. This increase in the anti-inflammatory compounds help in reducing inflammation in various diseases like cancer, arthritis and allergies.
To do this at home, the researchers say you can bring water to the boil (four cups of fresh water for every cup of raw rice). Then, add rice and boil for another 5 minutes. Next, discard the water (which has now removed much of the arsenic that was in the rice), and add more fresh water (two cups for each cup of rice).
Have you even wondered why Asian countries have eaten white rice for thousands of years, not brown? Because brown rice is full of phytates and lectins, which bind to vitamins and minerals and prevent them from being absorbed. Phytates are anti-nutrients found in grains and legumes.
Black rice contains the least amount of calories and carbs per cup, and it's considered to be the richest in antioxidants out of every rice variety, which makes it the best choice from a nutritional standpoint and a weight loss standpoint.
You can eat black rice daily as it contains a lot of fibre, improving digestion. Eating black rice daily helps lose weight as fibre and nutrient content are more than fat or cholesterol. Also, it is a good source of energy for adults.
This test indicates that giving 96% ethanol extract of Black Glutinous Rice causes an increase in the hormone estrogen in the estrus phase, which tends to prolong the estrus cycle.
Black coloration
Nonetheless, some cases of dark black feces may be caused by diet or some types of medication. For instance, eating liver, congealed blood, black sticky rice or mulberries could all lead to dark stool color.
If you do not rinse the rice, residual starch from the grains will gelatinized during the cooking process and create cooked grains to be of sticky texture.
"There will always be some husk left behind or some stones left behind, and that's another reason why they actually wash their rice," he says. "There is a tradition behind it and, because of this, it becomes common practice for a lot of Asian cultures."
Store cooked black rice in an airtight container in the fridge for 3 to 5 days. Or portion it out and freeze it in a freezer bag or a freezer-safe container for up to 6 months.
Black rice, which often turns dark purple once cooked, has a mild, nutty taste similar to brown rice. Also referred to as "forbidden rice," it's a great source of iron, vitamins and antioxidants.
What does Black rice taste like? Black rice has a delicious, nutty, roasted flavor that's in some ways similar to brown rice.