What are the Rice Bran Oil Health Benefits, 5 Surprising Facts You Should Know

Hi There! Did you know that rice bran oil is so far the healthiest cooking oil? Let’s find out what are the rice bran oil health benefits with 5 surprising facts you should know.

What’s Cooking?

One of the biggest questions I’ve had so far is, why do we need cooking oil? Only then to realize that cooking oil plays an important role in our well-being.

Oil goes down to our tissues and lubricates our body inside out. It glides and strides all throughout our bodies, leaving both harmful and beneficial effects.

It contains both mono-unsaturated and poly-unsaturated fats which are the two helpful fats that reduce cholesterol levels. Oil also loosen up clogs and aids in proper flow and circulation throughout the body.

But this statement goes after the question, what is the best cooking oil to use? Find out below.

Choosing the Right Kind of Oil

When you go to the groceries, you will find an aisle of different kinds of cooking oil. All of them are for different culinary purposes.

However, choosing the right kind of oil is quite difficult especially when you have so many considerations.

To help you make a better and wiser choice, we will discuss everything about rice bran oil which is said to be the healthiest cooking oil so far.

Rice bran oil as its name implies comes from the rice bran, chaff or rice husk. It can be from any rice varieties such as short-gran, medium and long-grain.

The oil is carefully extracted from the bran and is also popular for its high smoke point of 232°C or 450°F; the perfect oil for deep frying.

Basically, rice bran oil is needed in the preparation of ghee, which is a form of clarified butter mainly used in India.

5 Surprising Health Facts of Rice Bran Oil

Cooking oils come from animals, plants, and synthetic fats which have different compositions and health values. Rice bran oil has the following composition of: 38% monounsaturated, 37% polyunsaturated, 25% fatty acids which are similar to that of peanut oil. It is perhaps the best choice between rice bran oil vs. olive oil.

1. Reduces Cholesterol Levels

According to the WHO (World Health Organization) and the AHA (American Heart Association), rice bran oil has the most balanced fatty acid contents.

This can prevent the LDL or the bad cholesterol to intrude in our bodies. It also reduces the risks of heart attacks and atherosclerosis.

2. Youth Glow

When they said to “Age Gracefully” they meant to do it by taking care of your food intake especially the cooking oil.

Rice bran oil is rich in Vitamin E (Tocopherol) and Oryzanol which fight off free radicals that can potentially harm our skins.

It also speeds up wound healing, reduces wrinkles, glowing skin, increase cellular regeneration, and even has natural sun protection agents.

3. Weight Loss

In contrast to its high fat and cholesterol levels, rice bran oil viscosity is only at 20%; meaning there is less oil absorbed by the body.

Rice bran oil also contains natural antioxidants that boosts metabolic rate.

It has lesser calorie intake too, compared to other vegetable oils; which is why rice bran oil is good for those maintaining their weight or trying to lose.

4. Reduces Menopausal Issues

Menopause can cause serious physical and emotional sting on women. Although there are aids for some of its symptoms, there’s none so far that can really give relief.

A research concluded that rice bran oil reduces hot flashes, insomnia, night sweats and irritation to almost 40% of women who participated.

5. Anti Cancer

Perhaps the most feared of all diseases is cancer. Science is still on the process of studying and testing for possible cures.

To best prevent cancer, use rice bran oil as part of your cooking. As it delays aging due to its high contents of Vitamin E and antioxidants, these essential vitamins also blocks cancer cells.

These antioxidants keep a regular smooth flow throughout the body and fight off free radicals and other harmful elements that can cause cancer.

Note:

Rice bran oil also contains high fiber that improves digestion BUT is not good for those suffering from gastrointestinal disorders. It is still best to consult your doctor if you have certain conditions. Rice bran oil is also among the best cooking oil choices for people with diabetes.

Where to Use Rice Bran Oil

The possible uses of rice bran oil are also limitless. You can use it as substitute to your home-based cooking oil.

Rice bran oil has a neutral taste so it can go with any recipe you can think of!

• Salads
• Casseroles
• Stews
• Soups
• Fried rice
• Deep fried food
• Stir-fry noodles
• And more…

Mediterranean Rice Pilaf

To make it more enticing, we will give you a recipe cooked with rice bran oil. I am a fan of Mediterranean cuisine so why not integrate rice bran oil into some of the famous recipes.

I found an interesting rice pilaf recipe from Riceland, a cooking oil brand. Check out how to cook it!

Ingredients:

• A tablespoon of Rice Bran oil
• Cup of onions, chopped
• 4 teaspoons of crushed garlic
• 2 and ¼ cups of water
• 1 cup of brown rice of your choice
• Half a cup of tomatoes, chopped
• 1/3 cup of coarsely chopped Greek olives
• 1 tablespoon of lemon juice
• 1 teaspoon of salt
• ¼ cup of parsley, freshly chopped

Procedure:

1. In a medium-sized saucepan, add the rice bran oil and sauté onion and garlic. Cook on a medium high heat until the onions are soft.
2. Add the water and rice mix well and bring to a boil. Cover the lid and let it cook for about 40 minutes.
3. Put the tomatoes, parsley, olives, lemon juice and salt. Stir.
4. Serve and enjoy!

Oil My Goodness!

Yup! With all these surprising health benefits of rice bran oil, you can surely exclaim: Oil My Goodness! Using it along with your favorite rice dishes can be great too.

Just a friendly reminder if you are planning to use it for daily consumption to visit and consult a dietitian first. It always pays to be cautious after all!

Have you tried using rice bran oil for your cooking? If yes, share your thoughts in the comments below!