Health Benefits And Adverse Effects of Rice Bran Oil

A good cooking oil doesn't just add life to the most common foods, but also plays a pivotal role in your health. It could affect your cholesterol levels, alter your metabolic syndrome and if you're using the right kind of oil, it could also reduce inflammation. That's what makes it all the more important to pick the right one. In the last few years, ghee( clarified butter) and refined oil have earned a bad reputation due to the cholesterol and heart disease scare. For such health reasons, people have become more open to experiment with new types of oil. On such variety that has slowly been creeping up on health charts is Rice Bran Oil.

According to a Chief Dietician, "Rice bran oil is a relatively new entrant in the category of cooking oils and perhaps the healthiest. This is for a number of reasons: for one, it's got an ideal balance of polyunsaturated fats (PUFA) and monounsaturated fats (MUFA). To be precise, rice bran oil has 37 percent polyunsaturated fats and 45 percent monounsaturated fats, almost a 1:1 ratio."

She added, "Rice bran oil is made from bran which makes it rich in Vitamin E that is essentially an antioxidant. What's also interesting is that rice bran oil is relatively cheap and more of it can be produced right here in India."

Different oils have different compositions of fats and they behave differently when heated. So before you hop onto the bandwagon, it is very important to know your oil.

Benefits of rice bran oil
1. Has a Neutral Taste

The outer layer of the rice grain is called bran and the oil is extracted from this brown husk. It has a mild flavour and is neutral in taste. The taste does not clash with Indian food and you can even use it in cookies and cakes. It may lend a mild nutty flavor. It can be used for sautéing, grilling, marinades and is great in salad dressings. It's light and quite versatile.

 

2.  Contains Good Fats

The nutritionists recommend oils that have an equal proportion of saturated fatty acids, monounsaturated fats and polyunsaturated fats. Rice bran oil has an almost balanced fatty acid composition that is close to this ratio. Rice bran oil is rich in monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats and free of trans-fats.

3. Heart Friendly

It is known as the heart-friendly oil. "Rice bran might help lower cholesterol because it contains the right amount of oryzanol which is an antioxidant. It helps decrease cholesterol absorption and increase cholesterol elimination," says a Nutritionist & Weight-Management Expert. Indians are genetically prone to heart disease and therefore one should to take precautions to have a healthy heart.

 

4. Lowers Cholesterol

The Heart specialists and The World Health Organization (WHO) recommend rice bran oil as the best choice for improving serum cholesterol levels.

5. Has a High Smoke Point

Rice bran oil has a high smoke-point, which is pitched at 254C or 490F, which makes it perfect for stir frying or deep frying. It can maintain its nutritive quality even at high temperatures. Also, it has been seen that food cooked at high temperatures absorbs less oil.

 

6. Less Oily

Rice bran oil is less viscous which means that it does not stick to food. It absorbs less oil which is why you also need to be careful of the quantity you use. In fact, it tends to feel less oily on the tongue.

7. Rich in Vitamin E

 "It is rich in Vitamin E which is powerful antioxidant and has antimutagenic properties which prevent from cancer. Vitamin E also helps in boosting your immunity," says the expert.

 

8. Aids Weight Loss

"It contains high levels of natural antioxidants which boost your metabolic rate and may help with weight loss," adds the expert.  The high level of antioxidants not only makes this oil healthy but also makes it resist rancidity and spoilage. It has a long shelf life.

9. Good for the Skin

Squalene is a compound present in Rice Bran Oil which is easily absorbed by the skin and keeps it soft, supple and smooth.   

 

10. Has Anti-Inflammatory Properties

It is an anti-inflammatory and some studies have shown that its consumption can reduce the effects of menopause like hot flashes. 

 

Adverse Effects of Rice Bran Oil 

Rice bran oil is a liquid derived from the outer layer of a grain of rice. Despite its use in herbal medicine to lower cholesterol levels, to prevent kidney disease and stomach calcium and to treat allergic dermatitis rashes, rice bran oil poses a risk for side effects in some patients.

Common Side Effects

Common side effects of rice bran oil include gas, flatulence, stomach discomfort and changes in regularity.

Time Frame

Typically, the side effects of rice bran oil are most common only during the first few weeks of usage as a result of your body adjusting to the bran component of the supplement, according to RxList.com.

Straw Itch Mite

Some patients have experienced skin side effects when adding rice bran oil to the bath as a treatment for dermatitis and other skin rashes due to the presence of the straw itch mite in the supplement. This pest is not found in all rice bran oil products, but it does have the potential to cause skin irritation, itching and redness.

Complications

Rice bran oil lowers the amount of blood calcium in the body, making it useful for the prevention of kidney stones; however, this function of rice bran oil also makes the supplement dangerous for people with osteoporosis or a condition called hypocalcemia, a type of calcium deficiency. In addition, patients with anemia, intestinal ulcers or conditions that cause difficulty swallowing or digestion also may find their conditions exacerbated by rice bran oil.

 One of the substances in rice bran might decrease calcium absorption. This can give rise to the formation of certain types of kidney stones.

Rice bran lowers high “LDL” or bad cholesterol but it does not seem to affect other blood fats such as triglycerides. It also doesn’t increase the “good” high-density lipoprotein cholesterol.

There is also insufficient evidence to suggest that rice bran can help in the prevention of diabetes. So don’t believe the over- hype which is not backed by research.

It’s also contraindicated for people with GI problems like intestinal ulcers and conditions that cause narrowing or blockage of your digestive tract

Considerations

If you are pregnant or nursing, talk to your doctor before using a rice bran oil supplement. The above positives and negatives give us a fair idea that though rice bran oil is good, but it might not be suitable for everyone. Thus, it is advisable that one should chose a oil based on their health requirements.

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