Mother's Rice, Mothers Agro Foods Private Limited, Angamaly, Ernakulam
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RICE BRAN - THE WONDER OIL

Rice, the Global Staple Food:

Rice (Oryza sativa) is a staple food of greater than half of the world's population. Hence it earns the credibility of being a global staple food. It is rich in nutrients, vitamins, and minerals and an excellent source of carbohydrates. It is grown in more than 100 countries spanning across Asia, Latin America, and Africa. Global harvest is approximately 700 million tons annually. China, Indonesia, and India are the predominant rice cultivators.

Rice Bran, the by-product:

Rice milling is the process of producing edible rice. The milling process involves cleaning and husking/hulling, whitening, polishing, and grading. This process gives us rice by-products such as rice straw, rice husk or hull, and rice bran. The outer layer of the rice grain is the bran. On average, rice Bran contains anywhere from 12-25% oil. This depends on the variety of rice and of course, the milling process deployed.

When compared to polished rice, the rice by-products are richer in nutrients. In modern rice mills, the rice bran produced may be coarse bran, fine bran, or polished bran. With advanced milling process and modernized equipment, the rice by-products are of better quality and are used as functional foods. This is more due to the fact that they are rich in vitamins, minerals, and fiber which have a hoard of health benefits.

Why Is Rice bran oil Important:

The oil extracted from the rice bran is the rice bran oil. Rice bran oil is high in nutrition. It has vitamin E, antioxidants and various plant sterols. Rice bran oil is versatile when it comes to cooking. It has a very high smoke point (over 200C/400F). This feature makes it a feasible oil for all kinds of cooking and deep-frying. It is trans fat-free.

  • Mother's Rice, Mothers Agro Foods Private Limited, Angamaly, Ernakulam
  • Mother's Rice, Mothers Agro Foods Private Limited, Angamaly, Ernakulam
  • Mother's Rice, Mothers Agro Foods Private Limited, Angamaly, Ernakulam

Benefits of Rice Bran Oil:

  • Health experts tout this to be the healthiest oil in the world. It has a relatively neutral taste which makes it a versatile choice. It blends well with Indian cuisine and can easily be used in baking. Salad dressing, sauté, stir fry, deep fry, grilling, you name it and it blends. It is that versatile.
  • It contains good fats. As per The National Institute of Nutrition and The Indian Council of Medical Research, ideally, oils should have saturated fatty acids, monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats in equal proportions. Rice bran oil is not only ideal in this regard but also is trans-fat-free as mentioned above.
  • Rice bran oil also has higher levels of functional ingredients. These include oryzanol, phytosterols, tocopherols, tocotrienols, etc. These help in lowering cholesterol, hypertension, hyperglycemia (improves insulin resistance), and insomnia amongst other health benefits.
  • With oryzanol, the antioxidant eliminating the bad cholesterol, it is the ideal and vital oil for the health of the heart. It decreases the LDL (low-density lipoprotein) and increases HDL (high-density lipoprotein).
  • It has less viscosity which makes it non-sticky to the food.
  • It is rich in vitamin E, a fat-soluble vitamin that enhances overall immune function and blood vessel health.
  • The natural antioxidants aid in weight loss as they boost metabolism. The higher level of antioxidants give it a longer shelf life and resistance to rancidity.
  • Since it is versatile, it finds applications across industries other than cooking. It is now used even in the cosmetic industry. Along with Vitamin E, it is rich in omega fatty acids. Rice bran oil helps keep the skin soft, supple, and smooth. It is easily absorbed into the skin.
  • It is also known to reduce the risk of cancer.
  • Last but not least is its anti-inflammatory property. It helps target inflammation in heart membranes and blood vessels keeping them healthy.
  • Thus rice bran oil has good profile of fatty acid, antioxidants, and micronutrients making it a popular choice indeed.
  • It is no wonder then, that it is called THE WONDER OIL.

Future of Rice Bran Oil India:

Being the second-largest rice producer in the world, the consumption of rice bran oil is on the rise in India. The escalation in consumption is also due to increased awareness of the health benefits of rice bran oil. Rice bran oil production is approximately 1.62 million tonnes per annum in India,

Geographically speaking, India is the largest producer of rice bran oil owing to the easy availability of the raw material. India is followed by Japan, Thailand, and China. In the current scenario, there is huge potential to increase rice bran oil production with the increased demand.

In 2018, the global Rice Bran Oil market was 1170 million US$. By the year 2025, this is expected to reach 1480 million US$, projecting a CAGR (compound annual growth rate) of 3.0% between now and then.

Some Hurdles and Solutions to Ensure Increased Production:

There is a huge untapped potential for growth in this sector in India. But there are certain hurdles and challenges that minimize production. One of the major concerns is the rapid deterioration of oil quality. This happens due to lipolytic enzyme activated during polishing of the rice bran. Hope lies in modern milling processes that deactivate the lipolytic enzyme thus preventing degeneration of quality.

As a separate issue, is the color of rice bran oil. It has a red hue. With all the advertising and propaganda across media platforms, consumers across the globe believe that lower color is indicative of better quality when it comes to oil. The fact is the brighter color of rice bran oil is due to the highly nutritious unsaponifiable components. It is these very components that endow the multitude of health benefits to the rice bran oil.

As a solution to this mindset, technology developed by the Indian Institute of Chemical Technology (IICT) reduces the color of refined rice bran oil to a great extent.

In conclusion, the rice bran oil is rightly called the Wonder Oil. Empowered with ingredients that offer extensive health benefits, it is the oil to transition to, to take care of your heart, skin, and overall immunity.

To learn more about how Rice Bran Oil can benefit your health, drop a call to Mother's Rice and speak to our health specialists and nutritionists and learn about the true goodness of our quality products!

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