Rice is a staple food among Nigerians and it is consume everyday and in every function. While some people can never get tired of eating rice others consider it as having high carbohydrate content.
You can still enjoy eating rice by replacing white rice with ofada rice in your diet because Ofada rice has some amazing health benefits which I’ll like to share with you.
What is Ofada Rice?
Ofada rice is unpolished and unrefined whole rice grain which when harvested from the fields, only the outer hull is removed to make it brown rice/ofada rice. White rice undergoes extra processes to remove bran and germ layer, and a polishing at the end to make it pearly white. Hence, ofada rice has a higher nutrition value, and thus better for your overall health.
Ofada rice comes in a form of germinated brown rice, where the rice is soaked for a few hours to promote germination or sprouting, in order to increase the levels of enzymes and nutrients.
Health Benefits of Ofada Rice
Higher nutrient content
Because it does not undergo processing, brown rice retains a lot of micronutrients such as manganese, iron, selenium and many more. Hence, a cup of ofada rice will provide a higher level of micronutrients than white rice. Additional proteins and essential fatty acids are just one of the many macronutrients that you will get when you eat ofada rice.
A cup of rice is 216 calories, which is slightly higher than 199 calories in 1 cup of white rice. However, a cup of ofada rice will provide you with more vitamins and minerals than white rice, which means it is worth having the extra calories.
Low Glycemic Index
The body digests ofada rice slower than white rice, because ofada rice has fibers, fatty acids and proteins. White rice is predominantly starch, hence you will experience a sugar spike in the body. Ofada rice will give you a slow and steady blood sugar level, which is important if you have diabetes. If you want to lose weight, ofada rice will keep you satiated for longer, and you will be less likely to have a snack later on.
Ofada rice also has a higher amount of fiber, and fiber is important for good health. Many people who want to control their weight will eat ofada rice as a source of carbohydrates, because it contains a lot of other important nutrients for overall health.
Heart Benefits of Ofada Rice
When it comes to health benefits, studies have shown that ofada rice is good for the heart. Ofada rice contains rice bran oil, shown to reduce low density lipoprotein (LDL) by 7%. LDL is the bad cholesterol in the body, and lower levels means better heart health. Ofada rice also contains selenium, which studies have shown that it can prevent oxidative-stress. Selenium can reduce plaque buildup in the heart, as well as protected the body from cancer.
Ofada Rice is Easy to Cook
You can easily cook ofada rice in a rice cooker as most will come with a ofada rice function. It has a nutty taste and chewy texture, which sometimes better at making you feel full. A serve of ofada rice can sustain you longer than white rice.
There are many health benefits of ofada rice, hence it is a nutritious food that you should have in your diet. You can gain a lot in terms of overall health just by swapping white rice for ofada in your daily diet.
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