17/08/2018
10 health benefits of unpolished (Abakaliki) rice
Rice is the major staple food in Nigeria and is eaten almost every day, but the most common rice is the polished (foreign) rice which has gone through many process of redefining before it is ready to be sold. The reason many people prefer the polished rice (white rice) to the locally-made unpolished rice (abakaliki) rice in Nigeria is the stress they go through in picking the latter before cooking it, compared to the polished rice which is very clean and ready for boiling .
Not many people know that the unpolished rice has more health benefits than the polished rice. Abakaliki rice is a local rice produced in Nigeria, it is long and has brown stripes before it is cultivated without chemicals, which is mostly planted in Ebonyi state part of Nigeria.
Abakaliki rice emits a unique aroma when cooking, it is self-preserving and one of the foods that add value to the lives of health conscious people including those who are diabetics and experts have warned not to eat rice.
studies have revealed that both the white and brown rice contain similar amounts of energy, carbohydrates and protein, Abakaliki rice however contains higher amounts of vitamins and minerals, the cellulose of Abakaliki rice not only increases the fibre content but also contains a variety of colour pigments that is beneficial for health.
Osaretin Albert, T Ebuehi and AC Oyewole, in their study carried out in 2007, on the effect of cooking and soaking on physical characteristics, nutrients composition and sensory evaluation of indigenous and foreign rice varieties in Nigeria, discovered that Abakaliki rice variety contains higher proteins at raw cooked and soaked states as compared to imported rice. It was also found that Abakaliki rice contains rough surface and more phosphorous and fibre which help in the reduction of the risk of bowel disorder and fight constipation.
They noted that consumer’s preference for imported rice may be due to its enrichment with vitamins, since local Abakaliki rice is not fortified with many micronutrients. The health benefits of Abakaliki rice are not significant but proven to be effective in warding off disease and other conditions which can become chronic and in some cases life threatening, because it provides many essential nutrients, including vitamin B, phosphorous, selenium, manganese, potassium, and magnesium. It is also an excellence source of dietary fibre and phytonutrients that provide protective health benefits, including weight maintenance.
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