I have heard that colored rice, especially red rice, has additional health and nutrition benefits. Is this true?

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What you’ve heard about different varieties of colored rice having unique health benefits is correct. I wouldn’t automatically call these better than brown rice, but there is some research on their unique differences.

While rices (all coming from the same genus and species of plant, Oryza sativa) have more similarities than differences, different varieties can often be distinguished by their wonderfully colored bran portions. Rices are often named after their unique colors - including red rice, purple rice, and black rice. While some rice is naturally white, processed white rice takes on its white appearance after being polished in a way that removes several of their outer layers. In approximately one-half cup of cooked rice, you’ll find more fiber in the black rices, and more iron and zinc in the red and purple rices.

Anthocyanins are the color pigments that give foods many of their deep rich red, blue, and purple color. They are also well-studied antioxidant nutrients, and are considered health supportive for this reason. The risk of several chronic health conditions, including atherosclerosis, is also lowered by regular consumption of foods containing anthocyanins. Red, purple, and black rice all contain anthocyanin pigments. Colored rice makes sense to me as a rotating part of most individual’s Healthiest Way of Eating. However, the whole grain brown rice that I include as one of the WHF is an excellent source of manganese, a good source of selenium, magnesium, and tryptophan, and includes considerable amounts of iron, protein, and several B-vitamins as well.

Like colored rice, many of the WHF are rich sources of these same anthocyanin antioxidants. Raspberries, blueberries, red grapes, eggplant, and beets are all good examples of similarly colored (and health-supportive) foods.

References:

Abdel-Aal el-SM, J C. Young, et al. Anthocyanin Composition in Black, Blue, Pink, Purple, and Red Cereal Grains. J Agric Food Chem. 2006; 54(13):4696-704.

Chen, Q, Ling W, et al. Effects of Black and Red Rice on the Formation of Aortic Plaques and Blood Lipids in Rabbits. Wei Sheng Yan Jiu. 2000; 29(3):170-2.

Koide, T, Kamei, H, et al. Antitumor Effect of Hydrolyzed Anthocyanin From Grape Rinds and Red Rice. Cancer Biother Radiopharm. 1996;11(4):273-7.

Luo, R, Sun, K, et al..Determination of Total Lovastatin in Red Rice. Wei Sheng Yan Jiu . 2003;32(2):157-8.

Smith, DJ, Olive, KE. Chinese Red Rice-Induced Myopathy. South Med J. 2003; 96(12):1265-7.

Vercelli, L, Mongini, T, et al. Chinese Red Rice Depletes Muscle Coenzyme Q10 and Maintains Muscle Damage After Discontinuation of Statin Treatment. J Am Geriatr Soc. 2006;54(4):718-20.

Hu, C, Zawistowski, J, et al. Black Rice (Oryza Sativa L. Indica) Pigmented Fraction Suppresses Both Reactive Oxygen Species and Nitric Oxide in Chemical and Biological Model Systems. J Agric Food Chem 2003;51(18):5271-7.

Ichikawa, H, Ichiyanagi, T, et al. Antioxidant Activity of Anthocyanin Extract From Purple Black Rice. J Med Food. 2001; 4(4):211-18.

Kim, JY, Do, MH, et al. The Effects of a Mixture of Brown and Black Rice on Lipid Profiles and Antioxidant Status in Rats. Ann Nutr Metab, 2006; 50(4):347-53.

Ling, WH, Cheng, QX, et al. Red and Black Rice Decrease Atherosclerotic Plaque Formation and Increase Antioxidant Status in Rabbits. J Nutr. 2001;(131) (5):1421-6.

Miyazawa, M, Oshima, T, et al. Tyrosinase Inhibitor From Black Rice Bran. J Agric Food Chem. 2003; 51(24):6953-6.

Toyokuni, S, Itani, T, et al. Protective Effect of Colored Rice Over White Rice on Fenton Reaction-Based Renal Lipid Peroxidation in Rats. Free Radic Res. 2002; 36(5):583-92.

Xia, X, Ling, W, et al. An Anthocyanin-Rich Extract From Black Rice Enhances Atherosclerotic Plaque Stabilization in Apolipoprotein E-Deficient Mice. J Nutr ;2006;136(8):2220-5.