Wild rice is a gluten free super food everyone needs to include in their diet, and here is why. It is very nutritious and versatile; that is, you can use it in a variety of foods such as soups, dressings, salads, casseroles, and desserts. Now, wild rice is available in some commercial breakfast cereals, and many mixes for muffins, pancakes, and cookies. The advantages of eating it is immense for your health and beauty in general.
In this article, you will discover 17 Wild rice benefits including its properties to boost the immune system, optimize digestion, promote muscle growth and repair, improve bone strength, prevent birth defects, help lose weight, prevent chronic diseases, manage Osteoporosis symptoms, protect the heart, as well as slow down premature aging.
Here are the top 17 health benefits of wild rice you probably don’t know.
- Radiant Skin and Hair
Wild rice is a Protein-rich grass which can enhance your beauty in many ways. In fact, It is one of the best choices for beauty inside out when it comes to grain and sees. The reason is the fact it contains omega-3s and minerals such as manganese and iron that are essential for healthy skin, hair and nails. It also has many B vitamins which also enhance the health of the skin, hair, eyes and liver. They also promote the health of the stomach and intestines, which in turns, support radiant skin and healthy hair.
- Complete Protein & Low Carb
Wild rice contains all the nine essential amino acids required by our body, making it a complete protein.
1 cup of long-grain cooked brown rice contains 52 grams of carbs; wild rice, in the other hand, has only 35 grams of carbs, making it one of the best foods for people who want to enjoy the benefits of a low card diet without reducing their food intake.
Some of the benefits of a low carb diet include:
- Weight loss, specially belly fat
- Increased levels of good cholesterol (HDL)
- Reduced Blood Sugar and Insulin Levels
- Lower Blood Pressure
- Anti-Metabolic syndrome
- Better brain health and improved memory performance.
- Gluten-Free Super Food
Wild rice is ideal for those in gluten free diet. It is rich in nutrients but no gluten whatsoever. In addition, the seeds are generally not refined as it is the case of most commercial rice on the market. Being on a gluten free diet can be very beneficial given its many health benefits. But it also difficult for some people to fulfill their nutrient’s daily intake. If you are one of them all you have to do is include wild rice in your diet. A bowl of this superfood is more than enough to provide your body with daily intake of nutrients required.
- High in Antioxidants
Wild rice contains 30 times more antioxidants than white rice according to a recent analysis of 11 samples performed in Canada by the Department of Food Science and University of Manitoba. This is amazing! Antioxidants are protective substances that block cellular damage caused by oxidants or free radicals. This, in return, protect the organism from disease and premature aging. So much say on antioxidant on the internet… Let’s proceed to number 2.
- Anti-Chronic Inflammation
As they say, chronic inflammation is the root cause of most diseases, including cardiovascular disease. In fact, numerous studies have shown chronic inflammatory diseases are the most significant cause of death worldwide today, with an estimated of more than 50% of all deaths being attributed to inflammation-related diseases such as stroke, ischemic heart disease, cancer, chronic kidney disease, diabetes mellitus, and non-alcoholic fatty liver
Regular eating of wild rice can help you decrease your risk of developing chronic inflammation. Unlike grains which are acid-forming, wild rice is alkaline-forming and has been found to improve overall health. By consuming more alkaline-forming foods, like wild rice, you support your body to reverse inflammation, reduce stress and improve bone health.
- Weight Loss
Being gluten-free and low in calorie, wild rice can decrease your appetit and help you lose weight and belly fat. It is also high in dietary fiber and essential nutrients, which help you avoid overeating. Wild rice also provides to your body a variety of essential minerals and nutrients.
Being a nutrient-dense food, it makes you feel full without overeating. It’s an impressive source of minerals and vitamins capable of boosting your metabolism and promoting weight loss: plant-based protein, manganese, magnesium, phosphorus, zinc, and more.
- Healthy Bones
Wild rice is rich in phosphorus, a nutrient that has been found to have the property to increase bone mass and reduce the risk of stress fractures (tiny cracks in a bone). Our bones break down as we’re aging. To have healthy bones, it becomes vital to consume calcium, zinc and phosphorus-rich foods like wild rice, lentils, beans, nuts, whole grains. Organic is better. Avoid GMO products as much as you can.
- Energy Booster
It is easy to take an energy shot and instantly boost your energy for a couple hours. But do you know most of those products contain harmful chemicals which can cause more harm to your health than good? Natural is always better and wild rice a potent energy booster. Regular intake of superfoods like wild rice can make you feel energized by providing to your body the nutrients necessary it needs to function properly.
- Healthy Digestion
Having regular intake of plant fiber in your diet is a simple, yet very effective, way to keep your digestion tract healthy. Every serving of Wild rice has an impressive amount of fiber which will help you prevent constipation, bloating, diarrhea, excess flatulence, and cramping.
Dietary fiber also bulks up the stool and facilitates the digestive process. By facilitating peristalsis, wild rice help maintain healthy bowel movements and reduce the risk of serious gastrointestinal diseases such as gastric ulcers, colorectal cancer, and hemorrhoids.
- Heathy Cardiovascular System
Wild rice is heart healthy. It contains special levels of fiber known to reduce bad cholesterol in the blood and 
improve the health of the cardiovascular system. It has no sodium. Normally, the body requires a small amount of this mineral to function properly. But the American diet is too high in sodium.
High consumption of the mineral can raise blood pressure, a major risk factor for heart disease and stroke. The rice also helps eliminating the strain on the heart muscle and repairing thanks to its high level of vitamin C and other antioxidant compounds.
- Strong Immune System
Almost all immune-boosting compounds in grains and seeds are also found in wild rice: Vitamins A, C, and E, as well as Folic acid, iron, selenium, and zinc. These vitamins and minerals stimulate white blood cell production in body, thus strengthen the immune system, our first line of defense against pathogens. Vitamin C is also an important component of collagen, a structural protein needed for the functioning and repair of damaged cells, organs, tissues, and blood vessel.
The immune system also helps us recover from illnesses. Having a strong immune system is the key to become or remain healthy.
- Building Muscle
Wild rice is rich in plant-based protein, an essential nutrient to build muscle. The high protein content not only help us build muscle mass but also have proper growth and balanced development. So, proteins are very important for children who are still growing.
Parents, this is another reason to include wild rice in your diet.
Unlike what most people think, plant-based foods can provide a bodybuilder enough protein to stimulate muscle growth. A recent research published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition finds plant-based protein and meat build muscle provide the same results in term of building muscles. Plant-protein, however, has no side effects on the kidneys and no harmful components as it is often the case with meat protein.
- Healthy Aging
There is no therapy or drug to prevent aging; we all age, regardless happily or miserably. But would you like to prevent premature aging signs and age healthily? Eat wild rice. Regular consumption of wild rice benefits healthy aging by preventing many conditions that usually come with age. One of the most important wild rice health benefits comes from its high level of antioxidants, which has been confirmed by researchers from the University of Minnesota.
Most people prefer to eat white rice. The sad truth, it does not have the same health benefits and enough antioxidant capacity to slow aging. wild rice contains 20-30 times more antioxidants. If you want to feel and look younger internally and externally, then add it to your diet.
- Prevention of Chronic Diseases
Research on chronic diseases usually take decades to obtain and publish reliable results. But so far, limited studies show wild rice has the potential to lower the chances of developing certain conditions, including certain types of cancer, diabetes and heart-related disorders. Evidence is accumulating that regular consumption of high whole-grains, such as wild rice, may reduce the risk of obesity, diabetes and cardiovascular diseases. In fact, this very nutritious grain has been used to treat diabetes in Chinese medicinal practice.
- Prevention of Birth Defects
Wild rice has remarkable amount of vitamins and minerals that are important during pregnancy: vitamin B9, folic acid, Iron, Calcium, Vitamin D, DHA . Research has found it can help reduce neural tube defects in newborns. If you are an expectant mother, it is wise to add wild rice to your diet. It is beneficial not only for you but also the baby.
- Natural Osteoporosis Treatment
Anyone can suffer with osteoporosis. Normally, the body regularly absorbs and replaces bone tissue. Osteoporosis occurs when the production is not proportional to the absorption. There is not enough bone tissue to keep up with the old bone removal. Prolonged lack of calcium plays a major role in the development of osteoporosis. Insufficient calcium intake can lead to diminished bone density, early bone loss, thus increase your risk of fractures.
Wild rice has been found to have some healing and preventive properties that could help prevent the development of osteoporosis or treat it naturally especially with regular consumption.
- Preventing Macular Degeneration
In case you did not know, Macular Degeneration is the leading cause of vision loss, more than glaucoma and cataracts combined. Many studies have found combination of certain whole food vitamins and minerals may reduce the progression of the disease. The good news wild rice contains almost all these nutrients.
Being so rich in antioxidants, wild rice has the property to prevent the development or complications of macular degeneration. Consuming the rice regularly can help control this serious eye problem which tend to occur with aging.
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