Haiga-mai - Partially polished rice page

[Hedonist]

Has anyone looked into haiga-mai, partially polished rice? The indigestible outer bran is removed, leaving the nutritious layer beneath it. Groks wanting to lose weight will still probably avoid it. But others might want to try it. It supposedly tastes like white rice.

I heard about haiga-mai years ago when I was into Macrobiotics. i just came across a reference to it. sounds interesting. Your thoughts?

[Jenny]

Haven't tried it! I didn't really understand your explanation so checked Google: "Haiga shortgrain rice is partially milled: the brown bran has been removed, but unlike white rice, the nutrient-laden germ remains."

I see, so it still has the germ, which has some protein and fat. Hmm. There are some vitamins there but of course it'll still have the same carb kick as white rice; it's not THAT much protein or fat.

As Mark was saying in his recent blog post, rice can work out for folks who need more carbs. Of course that assumes it doesn't displace more vitamin-y veggies or fruit too much.

I am in the "avoid rice" category but I'll keep this in mind. Thanks!

[Hedonist]

More information:

Dr. Eguchi and co-investigators at Japan’s Wakayama Medical University recently discovered that brown rice contains a substance capable of combating angiotensin II, an octapeptide found in blood that causes vasoconstriction, which results in increased blood pressure.

“Our research suggests that there is an ingredient in rice (the ethyl acetate extract from the subaleurone layer) that may be a good starting point for looking into preventive medicine for cardiovascular diseases,” said Dr. Eguchi. “We hope to present this as an additional health benefit of consuming half-milled or brown rice [as opposed to white rice] as part of a regular diet.”

The substance in rice that appears to combat vessel constriction is the layer that is stripped away in the production of white rice, known as the subaleurone layer. Rich in oligosaccharides and dietary fibers, this layer can be preserved in incompletely-milled (Kinmemai) and half-milled (Haigami) rice, both popular in Japan.

Temple Study Points to Cardiovascular Benefits of Brown Rice

[Jenny]

Interesting. I suppose those of us staying lower carb might be even better off eating rice germ extract then, rather than the minuscule amounts of this compound in combination with tons of empty starches.

[Hedonist]

Those of us who do eat rice might be better eating rice with some nutrients instead of white rice with essentially none. No way I'm giving up rice. Ever. In fact, I had maybe 3/4 of a cup tonight. Mixed with grass fed ground beef and Mexican seasonings.

[Jenny]

Sure! Why not. Personally I save my rice consumption for when we go out for sushi and sashimi.
.... Man, I can't wait till my baby is delivererd so I can have raw fish again. :D