The largest producer of cultivated black rice at the moment is Minnesota, where black rice is the official state grain. Both in the United States and in Europe, wild rice is often used as an ornamental plant.
This rice color does not differ from the cultivated rice. Its color can be of different shades, from brown-chocolate to coal-black. The color depends on how mature the grain was at the time of harvesting, and also on the degree of processing during steaming and scarification.
Composition of black rice
Black rice has the greatest nutritional value, than other cereals.
- One hundred gram of black rice contain:
- The protein rich in amino acids is 15 grams;
- Almost daily rate of folic acid (vitamin B9) for an adult, which is five times more than that contained in brown rice;
- Antioxidants;
- Vitamin E;
- A bouquet of B vitamins;
- Phosphorus 433 mg;
- Magnesium 177 mg;
- Zinc - 6 mg;
- Manganese - 1, 3 mg.
Minerals contained in black rice for an adult are two-thirds of the daily norm.
Properties of black rice
Wild black rice historically grows naturally in North America. Denser and heavier varieties of Wild rice are cultivated elsewhere and used in mixtures with plain white or brown rice. From 60 to 40 minutes is required in order to prepare commercial cultivated varieties of Wild rice. Although wild, naturally growing, black rice, which has a very soft structure, so it is cooked only 25 - 35 minutes.
Black rice is used to make soups, cold and hot snacks, salads, side dishes, fillings and even desserts.
Black rice does not have any toxic properties. But do not eat too often black rice, as this product can cause irritation - damage the mucous membrane of the intestine and stomach.
Black rice is the absolute leader among cereals by protein content, essential amino acids and fiber. In it, there are as many as eighteen amino acids useful to the body! Only two amino acids are not present in black rice: asparagine and glutamine. This defect is easily corrected by feeding black rice along with legumes, for example, beans or lentils, which contain the missing amino acids.
Black rice is a great source of vitamins B and E, as well as phosphorus.
In addition, black rice contains anthocyanins - giving it black color, useful antioxidants. The same substances give black to all beloved blueberries.
Antioxidants that contain black rice, return elasticity to vessels, strengthen arteries, prevent the destruction of DNA, thus, are a preventive against cancer.
Black rice has an antimicrobial effect, promotes immunity, lowers blood pressure, and also nourishes the heart muscle.
In China, black rice is called "rice of longevity". It's not strange that only noble people could eat such a dish, because a simple people has a price only at a young age, in the prime of life ...
In order to improve vision, normalize the work of the adrenal glands, improve blood, Chinese medicine used black rice.
Black rice is also useful in the postpartum period, the recovery period after illness, with anemia, early hair loss or graying.
Another big plus of black rice is a small amount of sodium (half as much as rice usually contains). And, as is known, the more sodium - the more diseases.
Sodium is a substance necessary for the human body in a certain amount in order to maintain the mineral balance and water level. The daily norm of sodium is 1500 milligrams. Sodium is found in nuts, meats, cereals, dairy products and so on. Also sodium is contained in salt. Therefore, very often it turns out that the sodium norm is exceeded and this affects negatively on the body, for example - it negatively affects cardiovascular activity or increases blood pressure.
Therefore, it is necessary to choose products with the mind. For example, black rice, in which the minimum concentration of sodium is much less than in ordinary rice. Remember that almost all goods packaged in sachets, groceries contain a lot of sodium, due to the fact that this substance extends the shelf life of the product.
The difference between black rice and white
Wild rice has no direct relationship to the traditional white rice. The nutritional value of rice, as well as the taste, are completely different.
For many people the taste of black rice seems more interesting, it is sweetish-exotic and with a light aroma of nuts. In addition, the useful properties of black rice is higher than that of white.
Method of cooking black rice
Firstly, in order to prepare a black rice, you must first soak it in cold water for the night. In the morning, with this water, you can water your favorite flowering houseplants or drain them. In a salty boiling in the input pour rice, with the calculation - one glass of black rice for three glasses of water. Next, 45 - 60 minutes to cook rice on low heat.
Correctly cooked rice on the size of 3-4 times more raw.
In case you need to cook the black rice quickly, then in the same proportion (1: 3) pour the black rice with boiling water and leave for an hour. Then we prepare according to the recipe already described above. It turns out to be relatively short-lived.
Quite often black rice is sold in a mixture with brown rice (unpolished white). Brown rice is a cross between white and black rice. They are similar not only in color, but also in the remains of its shells contain all the same elements as in wild rice, however, their number is much smaller. Grinded white rice has almost nothing of this.
Black rice is different from white rice, also at a price - quite expensive, because it grows in relatively small areas on the scale of our planet.