Rice bran is a component of brown rice. It's the ingredient removed to leave white rice, the kernel inside. Brown rice also loses some bran during milling. Rice bran has long been considered a waste product of rice production because it spoils quickly, but the stabilized form of rice bran does not. Since this substance provides certain health benefits, stabilized rice bran is increasingly available as a supplement.
Hypertension
Rice bran shows promise for treating hypertension, as shown by a study with rats published in the March 8, 2006 issue of the "Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry" and cited by "Science Daily." In rats with hypertension resembling that of humans, a diet including rice bran was associated with significantly-reduced blood pressure. Rice bran appears to block angiotensin-1 converting enzyme, similar to the blood pressure medications called ACE inhibitors.
Cholesterol
Research indicates that stabilized rice bran is beneficial for cholesterol levels, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA). A diet including rice bran has been associated with a reduction in low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol, the so-called "bad" cholesterol, in people with high cholesterol levels.
Vitamin E
Rice bran contains several forms of the antioxidant Vitamin E, as noted by "Science Daily." These substances neutralize free radicals that can cause cell damage. The researchers in the JAFC study found that rice bran significantly lowered the rats' levels of a peptide that causes oxidative stress and is linked to cardiovascular disease.
Additional Nutrients
Rice bran contains other antioxidants and trace nutrients as well, as listed by nutrition consultant Betty Kamen. They include Gamma oryzanol, beta sitosteryl ferluate, magnesium, manganese, calcium and phosphorous. Vitamin A carotenoids, including beta-carotene and alpha carotene, are found in rice bran, as are nine B vitamins. Rice bran contains several essential amino acids, along with phospholipids, which are necessarily for maintaining healthy cell membranes.
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