Nowadays, many people like to incorporate grains like brown rice, black rice, and Job's tears into their diets. But do you know their nutritional characteristics and health benefits? And which people should not eat these foods? On this topic, our reporter interviewed Dr. Gu Wanli, a member of the Thrombosis Branch of the Chinese Association of Chinese Medicine and a doctoral student in integrated Chinese and Western medicine at Beijing University of Chinese Medicine.
The most nourishing is japonica rice
The common rice used daily for making rice is also known as japonica rice or polished rice. It is semi-transparent, oval or elliptical, has a high milling yield, low grain expansion, but high stickiness. As a daily staple food, japonica rice contains essential nutrients for the human body, such as starch, protein, fat, vitamin B1, niacin, vitamin C, and calcium, iron, etc., which can provide the necessary nutrition and calories for the human body.
Gu Wanli introduced that cooking japonica rice into congee for health and longevity has a history of 2000 years in China. The top layer of congee oil from japonica rice can replenish fluids and essence, greatly benefiting the nourishment of the body's yin fluids and kidney essence. It is most suitable for patients, postpartum women, and the elderly. Japonica rice has the effects of strengthening the spleen and stomach, tonifying the middle qi, nourishing yin and promoting body fluids, eliminating vexation and quenching thirst, and solidifying the intestines to stop diarrhea. It can be used for conditions such as weak spleen and stomach, vexation and thirst, malnutrition, and post-illness weakness. However, diabetic patients should note that it should not be eaten in excess.
The most digestible is brown rice
So-called brown rice is the "light yellow rice" that has the coarse bran hull removed during the milling process while retaining the germ and inner skin. The protein, fat, and vitamin content in brown rice are higher than in polished white rice.
The crude fiber molecules in the bran layer help gastrointestinal motility and are effective for digestive tract diseases such as stomach problems, constipation, and hemorrhoids. Brown rice is more nutritious than polished white rice and can lower cholesterol, reducing the risk of heart attacks and strokes. Brown rice is suitable for the general population. However, due to its coarse texture and dense texture, it takes longer to cook. Gu Wanli suggests that it can be washed, soaked in cold water overnight before cooking, then put into a pressure cooker with the soaking water, and cooked for more than half an hour.
The most kidney-tonifying is black rice
Black rice is rich in nutrition, containing protein, fat, B vitamins, calcium, phosphorus, iron, zinc, and other substances, and its nutritional value is higher than ordinary rice. It can significantly increase the content of human blood pigment and hemoglobin, is beneficial to the health of the cardiovascular system, is beneficial to the development of children's bones and brains, and can promote the recovery of postpartum women and people with post-illness weakness, so it is an ideal nutritional health food.
Gu Wanli pointed out that black rice has the effects of nourishing yin and tonifying the kidneys, replenishing qi and strengthening the body, strengthening the spleen and whetting the appetite, tonifying the liver and improving vision, and nourishing essence and securing astringency. It is a fine nourishing product for anti-aging, beauty, disease prevention, and body strengthening. Regular consumption of black rice has a good nourishing effect on chronic patients, patients in the recovery period, and young children. Because black rice is not easy to cook, it should be soaked overnight before cooking. Young children and the elderly with weak digestive function should not eat it.
The most detoxifying is glutinous rice
Glutinous rice, also known as sticky rice, is often used to make snacks because of its fragrant, sticky, and smooth texture, and is deeply loved by everyone. Glutinous rice contains nutrients such as protein, fat, carbohydrates, calcium, phosphorus, iron, vitamin B2, and a large amount of starch.
Glutinous rice has the effects of tonifying the middle qi, nourishing the stomach and strengthening the spleen, securing the exterior and stopping sweat, stopping diarrhea, calming the fetus, detoxifying and sores, and can be used for conditions such as stomach pain due to deficiency-cold, stomach and duodenal ulcers, thirst and polyuria, deficiency and spontaneous sweating, and smallpox and carbuncles. Gu Wanli also reminded that glutinous rice is not easy to digest, so it should not be eaten in excess. The elderly, children, and those with weak spleen and stomach should pay special attention.
The most beautifying is Job's tears
Job's tears, also known as Job's tears rice or coix seed. The nutritional value of Job's tears is very high and it is known as the "king of world gramineous plants". Job's tears rice is rich in nutrition, containing coixenolide, coixenolide, sterols, various amino acid components such as arginine, and other nutrients such as vitamin B1 and carbohydrates. It has the effects of promoting urination to drain dampness, strengthening the spleen to stop diarrhea, and clearing heat and detoxifying.
Gu Wanli introduced that according to traditional Chinese medicine, Job's tears is sweet and light in taste, slightly cold in nature, and enters the spleen, stomach, and lung meridians. It has therapeutic and preventive effects on symptoms such as spleen deficiency and diarrhea, muscle soreness and heaviness, and joint pain.
The beauty effect of Job's tears is also very significant. It can make the skin smooth, reduce wrinkles, eliminate pigment spots, and has a significant effect on facial acne and rough skin. However, it should be noted that people with dry stools, insufficient semen, and frequent urination, and pregnant women should not eat too much.
The most stomach-nourishing is millet
Millet is also known as sorghum rice, foxtail millet, and millet grain. It is rich in nutrients such as protein, fat, carbohydrates, vitamin B2, niacin, and calcium, phosphorus, iron. Because millet is very easily digested and absorbed by the human body, it is called "health rice" by nutrition experts.
Millet has the effects of strengthening the spleen and harmonizing the middle, benefiting kidney qi, clearing deficiency heat, promoting urination, and treating vexation and thirst. It is a good nutritional and recuperative product for treating weak spleen and stomach, body deficiency, impaired essence and blood, postpartum deficiency, and loss of appetite. Gu Wanli pointed out that because millet is slightly cool in nature, people with qi stagnation and those with a constitution that is slightly deficient and cold with clear and long urination should not eat too much.