Black rice is an heirloom variety of rice that contains high
levels of pigments, which make each grain appear dark purple to black in
color. Though the rice has been cultivated for years, black rice is
gaining popularity in the American marketplace as an alternative to
white rice due to its nutritional benefits. Consuming black rice
provides your body with a number of nutrients, including some compounds
not found in white or brown rice.
Calories
Consuming black rice provides your body with calories -- the energy your
body requires to survive. A 3/4 cup bowl of black rice -- a 6 oz.
serving -- contains 160 calories, according to LIVESTRONG.com's MyPlate.
If you cook the rice in oil, or add butter to the cooked rice, you can
significantly increase the calorie content of the rice: 1 tbsp. of olive
oil and butter contains 119 and 100 calories, respectively. If you
follow a calorie-controlled diet, or wish to reduce your calorie intake,
flavor your black rice with herbs, spices or broths instead of added
fat.
Carbohydrates
Most of the calories in black rice come from its carbohydrate content.
Each 6 oz. serving of the cooked rice contains 34 g of total
carbohydrates, accounting for approximately 80 percent of the calories
in the meal. Of those 34 g of carbohydrates, 2 g come from dietary
fiber, 1 g from sugars, and the remaining 31 g come from complex
carbohydrates, such as starch. Overall, the carbohydrate content in one
serving of black rice provides 11 percent of the suggested carbohydrate
intake for someone following a 2,000 calorie diet. If you're following a
low-carb diet, you should limit your black rice consumption.
Protein
Each serving of black rice also contains some protein. Six ounces of the
rice provides 5 g of protein, representing approximately 12 percent of
the rice's total calorie content. The protein in black rice contains
some of the essential amino acids you require as part of your diet, but
fails to provide all nine essential amino acids. To consume complete
protein -- one containing all the required amino acids -- Go Ask Alice
at Columbia University recommends combining rice with other sources of
protein, like beans.
Antioxidants
One nutrient that sets black rice apart from varieties of white rice is
antioxidants -- chemicals that may protect against cellular damage. The
purple pigments that give black rice its distinctive appearance, called
anthocyanins, also prove beneficial for your body. The U.S. Department
of Health & Human Services indicates that black rice provides a rich
source of anthocyanin antioxidants, as well as vitamin E, a type of
antioxidant vitamin. Substituting black rice in place of white or brown
rice in your diet can help boost you antioxidant intake, and may benefit
your health.