Rice flour is a great option if you are eyeing to dodge wheat flour together with gluten, and if you are not sure where you are going to turn to. Rice flour’s actually a gluten-free type of flour, which is made mainly from flimsily pounded rice. It is available in both brown and white rice forms. In Southeast Asia, India, and Japan, it is a primary food. There are an ample amount of essential nutrients in the rice flour. All of which make up the necessary health benefits of rice flour.
The rice flour is a good replacement if there is no wheat flour. This is great since almost all wheat flour contains gluten in them, a protein, which may aggravate the digestive tract. It may cause some worse effects to those who are intolerant of gluten.
Rice Flour: What is this?
It is for a very long time now that rice is all around us. Some even think that it has been around since 5000 BC, with its origin in China. Its cultivation rapidly spread, making its own way to the Mediterranean and Greece, then North Africa and Southern Europe. It continuously spread all over Europe to South America, Spain, Brazil, and Portugal.
To many cultures, rice is very important. They believe that rice has the intent of ensuring fertility in one’s marriage. This is actually the reason why rice is being thrown at weddings often. Rice has also been a staple for children as their own first solid food.
In history, it is hard to identify when was the exact date that rice flour has become a form of flour. It has long been known as an ingredient for Japanese desserts and rice noodles.
The rice flour has less yeast in it. This means that when you are baking, you’ll be needing more amounts of baking soda. White rice flour has a smooth quality and white color. This is what makes it be noticeable from the others. It is available in various Asian marketplaces and some natural food stations.
Mostly, the rice flour may be switched with the multipurpose flour with just a very few difference as they function the similar way when you use them in cooking. Furthermore, both the all-purpose flour and the rice flour are actually good as congealing agents for roux, gravies, sauces, and soups.
Types of Rice Flour
Actually, there are three different types of rice flour: the white rice flour, the sweet rice flour, and the brown rice flour. Fascinatingly, white rice actually comes from brown rice. Well, this takes place when the rice husk is detached.
The brown rice is richer in nutritional value like zinc and calcium, as well as fiber. The brown rice possesses a nutty taste and may work best when you combine it with some other types of flours to avoid dry, crumbly texture. On the other hand, the sweet rice flour originates from the sticky white rice. It actually contains extra starch than the other two types of rice flour. Even though the three may act as condensing agents, sweet rice flour is the better choice, due to its sticky and starchy content.
Health Benefits of Rice Flour
Rice flour may be a great choice for gluten-free foods. Nevertheless, it is important to understand that some foods may also lack some nutritional value. A lot of gluten-free bakery goods actually provide fewer minerals, fiber, and protein. It may also cause an increase in the glycemic index than some other foods with gluten. Nonetheless, by way of adding rice flour, whey protein, or egg white, the nutritional values may increase.
Here are some of the most amazing health benefits of rice flour:
- May help in maintaining healthy liver function. There is a choline content in the rice flour. This is essential in transporting triglycerides and cholesterol from the liver to where they are needed inside the body. This is the best among all the health benefits of rice flour, especially to those who want to maintain their liver function healthily.
- High in fiber content. The body needs insoluble fiber in order to rid itself from waste. Consuming foods with rice flour can be a great help not just in eliminating toxins or wastes, it may also help in lowering the cholesterol levels and keep the blood sugar levels in check.
- Great option for gluten-free foods. There is no gluten in the rice flour, thus making it a better choice to those who are intolerant of gluten.
Drawbacks on Rice Flour Consumption
Of course, just like any foods, there will not just be health benefits of rice flour –there are also some drawbacks to it. Here are some of which:
- Fewer phytonutrients. There is just a few phytonutrients in the rice flour. Therefore, it has zero to few lignans in it. Remember, lignans are beneficial in lowering the risk of various health conditions.
- Less folate. There is less folate in the rice flour. Folate is essential in removing homocysteine from the blood. It could be beneficial in lowering the risk of cardiovascular conditions.
