Rearchers at Japan’s Hokkaido University have studied japonica rice, a short to medium-grain variety often called Japanese rice, and found that pigmented varieties may offer more health benefits.
The team examined 56 japonica rice varieties from across Japan, including brown, red, green, and black.
Using tools such as liquid chromatography and mass spectrometry, scientists studied fats in food with much greater detail.
During the research, they found 196 different fat molecules in japonica rice, grouped into five main types.
They also discovered that coloured or pigmented rice varieties, especially black and green rice, may offer more health benefits.
These types contain special compounds such as FAHMFAs and LNAPEs, which are linked to reducing inflammation and improving metabolism in the body.
Notably, this is the first time FAHMFAs have been found in rice.
The researchers also tested how these rice types affect blood sugar by simulating digestion in a lab.
They exposed cooked rice to digestive enzymes to see how quickly the starch breaks down, which shows how fast blood sugar levels might rise after eating.
The results, published in the journal Food Research International, showed that black and green japonica rice raise blood sugar more slowly than white rice, meaning that their starch is digested more gradually and enters the bloodstream at a slower pace.
The researchers noted that because of these factors, pigmented rice could help in making foods that support heart health, control blood sugar and reduce the risk of lifestyle diseases like type 2 diabetes.
”We also hope our findings will support the development of new ’functional’ rice products to better manage diabetes and other lifestyle-related diseases,” said lead author Siddabasave Gowda. – dpa
