Date:
June 1, 2017
Source:
BioMed Central
Summary:
Rice bran, the outer covering of the rice grain, has high
nutritional value and is a rich source of proteins, fats, minerals and
micronutrients such as B vitamins, according to a study. Researchers suggest
that rice bran, which is removed from whole grain rice during processing and
used as animal feed, could have benefits for human health and nutrition.
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FULL STORY
Rice bran, the outer covering of the
rice grain, has high nutritional value and is a rich source of proteins, fats,
minerals and micronutrients such as B vitamins, according to a study published
in the open access journal Rice. Researchers at Colorado State
University suggest that rice bran, which is removed from whole grain rice
during processing and used as animal feed, could have benefits for human health
and nutrition.
Professor Elizabeth Ryan, the
corresponding author said: "A single serving of rice bran -- 28 grams
according to USDA -- delivers more than half of a person's daily requirements
of important vitamins such as thiamine, niacin and vitamin B6. Traditionally,
rice bran is thought to be a cheap fiber source and only considered useful as a
source of lipids, for example as cooking oil. It has not been used much in
human health and nutrition because it is considered an animal feed but its high
nutritional value warrants greater public health attention."
The researchers used an approach
called food metabolomics, or "Foodomics," which uses a sophisticated
biochemical technique, called mass spectrometry, to identify and measure the
abundance of many different molecules present in a food. Assessing three U.S.
rice varieties that were previously used in human dietary intervention trials,
the researchers found 453 metabolites, including 65 that had been shown to have
potential medicinal and health promoting attributes and 16 that had not been
reported for rice bran before.
Professor Ryan said: "We
investigated the amino acids, vitamins, cofactors and secondary metabolites
that can be found in rice bran, as we suspected that they contribute to its
medicinal and nutritional benefits. We were surprised to find that cofactors,
vitamins and amino acids make up almost 50% of the total small molecule
content."
A literature search conducted by the
authors showed that some of the compounds they identified in rice bran had been
shown in previous studies to have anti-inflammatory, anti-microbial and
anti-hypertensive properties, among others. Rice bran also has a protein
content of 12-15% that deserves attention as it could help tackle nutrition
shortages that are a major global health concern.
Professor Ryan said: "Rice is
an essential staple food for more than half of the world's population. It is
grown in more than 100 countries. Rice bran as a food ingredient could deliver
more than 400 individual compounds when consumed and it is likely that many of
them function in a teamwork manner to deliver health benefits."
She added: "Although only
limited information was available on how well individual compounds will be
usable by the human body after ingestion, the biochemical composition of rice
bran merits further investigation for nutritional therapies and medical food
applications."
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