Have you tried purple rice? here are 3 advantages over other rice!

In Indonesia, most people feel that they have not eaten and are not full if the rice has not landed in the stomach. Even though you have eaten bread, noodles, or potatoes. Anyway, there is no day without eating rice. So, so you don't get bored of eating rice, you can try a unique variant of rice, namely purple rice. Come on, get to know more about the benefits of purple rice and how it differs from other types of rice.

What is purple rice?

In the world, there are so many varieties of rice. The types of rice vary from texture, size, shape, aroma, and even color. Purple rice is a type of rice that is often grown in Asian countries. The rice will be darker after cooking, closer to black.

Purple rice is a source of carbohydrates from whole grain types such as brown rice or brown rice. Purple rice is available in two forms, the long seed form and the stickier texture of the seed. Both types are free from gluten. That means, people with Celiac disease or a gluten allergy can eat this type of rice.

Purple rice contains calories similar to other rice made from white or brown rice. However, the difference is that purple rice is rich in protein, antioxidants and fiber. For more about the benefits of purple rice, see the explanation below.

What are the health benefits of purple rice?

1. Antioxidants

A study in the Journal of Agriculture and Food Chemistry states that purple rice has more antioxidants than regular rice. The dominant antioxidants in purple rice are anthocyanins. This substance is the same as the antioxidants found in other purple fruits and vegetables, such as blueberries and eggplant.

Anthocyanins have a good ability to ward off cell damage so that they can reduce the risk of cancer, heart disease, and diabetes. The antioxidants in purple rice can also help increase the amount of good cholesterol (HDL) in the body.

Reporting from the Medical News Today page, the antioxidants in purple rice are thought to also improve liver function. This includes helping to improve liver function after alcohol-induced damage.

2. Fiber

Purple rice also contains high fiber. Every 50 grams of purple rice contains 2.4 grams of fiber. Compared to white rice, the same dose contains 0.06 grams of fiber. Fiber is very important for maintaining the smooth process of eliminating feces and for maintaining overall intestinal health.

A source of fiber from purple rice can also prevent constipation (bowel movements) and other digestive system problems.

High fiber in purple rice can be an option for people who are losing weight. Because, the full effect provided by purple rice is much greater than white rice.

3. Protein

Purple rice is also rich in protein. In 50 grams of purple rice contains 5.82 grams of protein, while white rice is 3.56 grams and brown rice is 3.77 grams of protein. This makes purple rice very suitable for consumption by vegetarians who are prone to lack of protein intake.

Protein is essential for regenerating cells in the body, repairing damaged muscle tissue, and maintaining bone strength.

How to cook purple rice

Like rice in general, purple rice is also cooked in the exact way. Boiled then steamed, or use rice cooker the usual.

Before cooking, purple rice should be washed 3-4 times with clean water. A glass of purple rice requires 2.5 cups of water. If you want to boil it, let the water and rice mixture simmer for 20-30 minutes.

To enrich the nutrition and benefits of purple rice, you can boil or cook it in chicken broth, vegetable broth, or even coconut water if you want the rice to taste sweet. For a smoother rice texture, cook or cook the rice 10 minutes longer with an additional ¼ cup of water.