A new study provides additional evidence that, when it comes to food, unprocessed is best.
A team of researchers at Temple University School of Medicine in Philadelphia found that brown rice is more effective at protecting the body from high blood pressure and artherosclerosis (hardening of the arteries), than white rice.
"Our research suggests that there is a potential ingredient in rice that may be a good starting point for looking into preventive medicine for cardiovascular diseases," said researcher Satoru Eguchi, an associate professor of physiology at Temple.
The belief behind the finding has to do with the processing of rice. When brown rice is converted into white rice, a layer of the grain that contains a specific protein that is responsible for the heart benefits is stripped away. Brown rice as well as unmilled rice retains this powerful nutrient.
If you're seeking a heart healthy diet, choosing whole and unprocessed grains, like brown rice, may offer the body better protection.
