What Are The Benefits Of Brown Rice & Green Tea?

Steaming bowls of brown rice and cups of fragrant hot green tea are staples of the macrobiotic diet, due to their nourishing and balancing qualities. Dietary benefits of brown rice include high fiber content, B vitamins and trace minerals. Green tea is abundant in antioxidants, which can lower blood cholesterol levels, according to "The New Healing Herbs." Check with your physician before using green tea as a remedy.

Brown Rice Nutrition

Brown rice is unpolished, which means only the inedible outer shell is removed, leaving the bran layer intact. Brown rice contains 8.9 percent protein and 3.5 percent fiber, as well as B vitamins, manganese, selenium, phosphorus and trace minerals. Both rice bran and rice oil possess a combination of antioxidants collectively called gamma-oryzanol, which can lower cholesterol. The rice oil secreted in rice bran may be effective for menopause, digestion and lowering cholesterol levels, notes naturopath Michael Murray in "The Encyclopedia of Healthy Foods." Because brown rice contains oil, it needs to be refrigerated or it may become rancid.

Calcium Oxalates in Brown Rice

Brown rice, according to nutritional scientist Michael Liebman, has a moderate level of calcium oxalates. When oxalic acid bonds with calcium, the result is calcium oxalate. Because calcium oxalates are basically insoluble in water, they can harden into oxalate crystals in the urinary tract or kidneys. If you have a history of kidney stones, you may wish to talk with your doctor about eating brown rice.

Green Tea

Tea is native to China and Southeast Asia, where it has been a beloved drink for about 5,000 years. It is brewed from Camellia sinensis, an evergreen plant, which grows to a height of about 13 feet and thrives in moist soil, according to the Plants for a Future website. To produce green tea, the tea shrub's leaves are gently steamed and allowed to dry. This minimal amount of processing allows the leaves to retain a high percentage of catechin polyphenols, particularly epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG), which are antioxidants.

Benefits of Green Tea

Green tea is a heart-healthy drink because the beverage's antioxidants help lower cholesterol and strengthen the arteries. An antioxidant is substance that defends cells against damage from free radical molecules. Drinking green tea also dilates the bronchial tubes and alleviates upper respiratory congestion from colds. It has been extensively studied as a cancer preventative with encouraging results, according to "The New Healing Herbs." Always seek advice from a qualified health professional before using a plant medicinally.