Amazing benefits of Rice Bran Oil benefits for your health

Cooking oil which we use daily should add taste to the food in addition to providing good health. The oil which we use may affect the cholesterol levels and can also alter the metabolic syndrome. A good cooking oil aids in reducing inflammation.

Why should we select rice bran oil for cooking?

The usage of refined oil and ghee (clarified butter) has been reducing consistently due to the cholesterol content in them which lead to heart disease.

So people have started experimenting on other oils which have good effect on health front. One such oil with many health benefits is Rice Bran Oil.

As Rice Bran Oil is made from rice bran, it is a good source of Vitamin E, a powerful antioxidant. It has balanced ratio of polyunsaturated fats and monounsaturated fats. Whereas, other refined oils have higher proportion of polyunsaturated fats.

Rice Bran Oil price is also cheap compared to other refined oils.

Here in this post, we will give you an depth information on rice bran oil benefits, rice bran oil chemical constituents and rice bran oil extraction.

Rice Bran Oil Source

Rice bran is actually a cuticle that exists between rice and the rice husk of paddy with a embryo and endosperm of the seeds of rice (Oryza sativa) belonging to the family Graminae.

Rice Bran Oil Extraction | Rice Bran Oil Preparation

Rice bran oil is obtained as a byproduct during polishing of the rice after dehusking of the paddy in a rice mill. Rice bran oil colour is golden yellow and it cannot be bleached.

Rice bran oil remains unaffected by temporary heating to 160°C. Rice bran oil is insoluble in water but soluble in common fat solvents.

The rice bran oil quality depends on the time interval between milling of rice and the oil extraction from the bran.

The rice bran consists of an active enzyme lipase which on storage increases the free fatty acid content. So the oil which is extracted from the fresh bran will be of good quality, low free fatty acid content along with good flavor.

Generally rice bran oil solvent extraction plant is set nearer to the rice mill so that rice bran oil extraction will be carried out quickly. Rice bran are very small pieces that are impermeable to solvents.

Rice bran is first subjected to drying, cooking and flaking operations before the solvent extraction process is carried out. The rice bran is pressed and then extracted using solvent special continuous immersion extractors.

Rice Bran Oil Chemical constituents

Rice bran oil primarily consists of glycerides like saturated and unsaturated fatty acids.

The main fatty acids of rice bran oil are oleic, linoleic and palmitic acids.

The other chemical constituents of rice bran oil include squalene and antioxidants like tocoperols.

Rice Bran Oil Uses

Rice bran oil is used as an emollient in the manufacturing of cosmetics. It is edible oil and can also be used in the preparation of vegetable ghee.

Rice bran oil is the edible oil used in cooking with many health benefits.

Rice bran oil benefits

Rice bran is the outermost brown layer of rice grain and rice bran oil is extracted from the husk. Rice bran oil has a mild flavor with a neutral taste.

Rice bran oil can also be used in the preparation of cookies and cakes but it may give it a nutty flavor. Rice bran oil is very light and versatile and can be used for sauteing, grilling, marinades and also for salad dressings.

Rice bran oil has equal proportion of saturated fattyacids, monounsaturated fats and polyunsaturated fats as recommended by The National Institute of Nutrition and The Indian Council of Medical Research. Rice bran oil is rich in monounsaturated fats and polyunsaturated fats and also free from trans-fats.

Oryzanol is the antioxidant present in rice bran oil that helps in lowering the cholesterol. Oryzanol functions by decreasing the absorption of cholesterol and eliminating it.

Rice bran oil also works wonders in improving serum cholesterol levels as recommended by The American Heart Association and The World Health Organization.

Rice bran oil is the perfect oil for stir frying or deep frying as it has high smoke-point at 254C or 490 F. Thus it maintains the nutritive quality at high temperatures also.

Another interesting thing which is observed is that food cooked at high temperatures absorbs very less oil.

Rice bran oil is less viscous and does not stick to the food, thus we feel less oily on the tongue. You can use this oil comparatively less to other oils as the cooked food absorbs less oil.

We have already seen that rice bran oil is a good source of vitamin E which is a powerful antioxidant. It also has antimutagenic property and helps in preventing cancer. It also boosts your immunity.

The high level of antioxidants present in rice bran oil not only makes it healthy oil but also prevents rancidity and spoilage, thus having a long shelf life.

Rice bran oil also consists of a compound called Squalene which is absorbed by the skin to keep it soft and smooth.

Rice bran oil has anti-inflammatory property and the consumption of this oil can reduce hot flashes, which are the effects of menopause.