Brown rice is a healthy food with a variety of nutritional benefits. Unlike white rice, which has been milled to prolong its shelf life and quicken cooking time, brown rice's content of essential nutrients is undisturbed. Vitamin K, a fat-soluble vitamin, is essential for the normal clotting of blood. It also plays a role in bone health. Vitamin K can interfere with the action of blood-clotting medications. If you take them, your doctor may advise you to limit your consumption of foods containing vitamin K.
Features
Brown rice is an ancient food, with records of its cultivation in China existing as far back as 7000 B.C. Although commonly used as a side dish in the United States, brown rice is a dietary staple in other cultures. Brown rice is high in protein and dietary fiber, cholesterol-free, low fat and rich in certain vitamins and minerals. The oil in brown rice has cholesterol-lowering effects. According to Elements4Health, researchers have found that eating two or more servings of brown rice weekly is associated with a lower risk of type 2 diabetes.
Vitamin K
Vitamin K is made in the body, with the help of bacteria living in the intestine. It is also found in certain foods. Vitamin K supplements are used to reduce the risk of bleeding. So important is vitamin K that newborns, who lack bacteria to make it in their own bodies, receive vitamin K injections at birth. Vitamin K can also reduce the risk of bone fracture in postmenopausal women. Sheldon G. Sheps, M.D., of the Mayo Clinic, says the average daily allowance for vitamin K is 120 mcg for adult men and 90 mcg for women. If you are taking warfarin or other anticoagulants, Sheps advises that you avoid eating large amounts of dark, leafy greens such as kale, spinach, collard or mustard greens, and that you limit your consumption of green tea, cranberry juice and alcohol. The negligible level of vitamin K in brown rice should present no problems for individuals taking warfarin or other blood thinners.
Specifics
Brown rice, with 1.2 mcg per cup, contains minute amounts of vitamin K. In contrast, a cup of Colby cheese contains 3.6 mcg, while a cup of chopped carrots has 16.9 mcg. Spinach, with 144.9 mcg per cup, delivers a huge helping of vitamin K. A cup of cooked long-grain brown rice also provides 216 calories, 5.03 g of protein, 1.75 g of total fat, 44.77 g of carbohydrates and 3.5 g of fiber.
Vitamins
Although brown rice is a poor source of vitamin K -- and is completely devoid of vitamins C, A and D -- it is rich in B-complex vitamins. One cup of cooked long-grain brown rice provides 1.87 mg of thiamin, or vitamin B1, and .049 mg of riboflavin, or vitamin B-2. Both are essential for heart, muscle and nerve functioning. Niacin, or vitamin B3, is also present in generous amounts, with a cup of brown rice yielding 2.980 mg. Niacin is vital for digestive health and can also help lower cholesterol levels. Vitamin B6, present in the amount of .283 mg per cup, helps the body break down proteins and produce red blood cells.
References
- U.S. Department of Agriculture National Nutrient Database
- University of Maryland Medical Center; Vitamin K; June 2009
- Mayo Clinic; Warfarin Diet: What Foods Should I Avoid; Sheldon G. Sheps, M.D.; May 2010
- Elements4Health; The Health Benefits of Brown Rice; September 2010
- The American Cancer Society; Vitamin B Complex; May 2010
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