Forbidden Rice Benefits

By Febriede Than

If I think about the word forbidden..I just think about fruit and city but now I learn about the other forbidden thing, the forbidden rice. Actually, this kind of rice is pretty easy to find in my country. It’s called forbidden rice because only Royal Family who used to consume this black rice. Like in my country, only Royal people in Java used to consume this forbidden rice. Because of the high in nutritional value and rich in iron, black rice consider fancy.

Anyway, now people are more concern about their health and start to consume more healthy food. Forbidden rice will turns to a deep purple when it is cooked. Black forbidden rice is a short grain rice. the rice appears to be black because of the high amounts of melanin in the bran. Black Rice is gluten free, so it great for health and good for autistic child’s diet.

In my country, only the Royal family in Mangkunegaran Palace orKasunanan Palace in Solo, Central Java who consumed this kind of rice. It’s called Beras Wulung (Beras= Rice, Wulung= deep purple in high Javanese language). We have many kind of names for the forbidden rice, Beras Gadog in Subang, West Java, Cempo Ireng in Sleman, Central Java, Beras Melik in Bantul, Central Java. Although it has different names, it just the same, forbidden rice. Unfortunately, not many local farmers willing to plant this kind of rice.

The farmers in Java afraid that they were cursed by bad omen if they plant this black rice. Beside that, many local farmers in Java hesitated to plant this rice type because it took longer time to harvest than other type of rice. And the birds really love this black rice plant, they used to eat the black rice in the paddy field. But there is one farmer that still eager to develop this kind of rice, in Sleman, Central Java.

The price of black rice is more expensive than white rice as well as brown rice, because it has many

advantages in addition to a healthy, safe, pure, natural and also more difficult in management. Due to its age that a little longer than the rice in general. So that the planting be done 20 days earlier than the farmers in surrounding areas that do not grow black rice.

This is to anticipate that harvesting can be done simultaneously. This means that black rice was in the bed of rice ready for harvest so that other birds do not only attack on the black rice.

In addition, the milling process also require special attention because if the milling process is like the white rice’s in general then we will not get the black rice.

1. The flavonoid level is 5 times more than regular rice. Forbidden rice is good for people with diabetic, hypertension, cancer,anemia, and gout.

2. As a source of antioxidant. The color purple is derived from anthocyanin, a substance capable of antioxidant polyphenol derivatives. Plus a large concentration of flavonoids make a great way in preventing artery hardening and uric acid.

3. More healthier because this black rice is a type of heirloom rice, meaning that it is open-pollinated, was grown at earlier times in history, and not grown on a large scale in modern agriculture.

4. Improve damaged liver cell (hepatitis and chirrosis) and prevent renal disease.

5. Prevent cancer/tumor.

6. As an anti aging agent.

7. Fight the bad cholesterol.

8. Increasing the production of breast milk. Moms who give their baby breast feeding are recommended to consume forbidden rice.

More or less the benefits are similar with the brown rice. According to the research of my local university, Gajah Mada University in Jogjakarta, Central Java, the protein level (7.88%) of forbidden rice is higher than the white rice (6.8%), but it has lower carbohydrate level (74.81%) than the white rice (78.9%).

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Chinese Black Rice (long grain)

By Spice and tea

Also known as the Chinese (Emperor’s) Forbidden Rice. This indigo-colored rice has a firm texture and is great for both dessert and savory dishes. Use in puddings, salads or as a colorful side dish.

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Forbidden Rice Pudding

By Eclipse Chocolate

It’s the New Year already and I’m cooking up a few resolutions for the cafe. Most exciting is the debut of the second Dessert Tasting Platter! Those of you out there that have been “meaning to try that new chocolate place” but have yet to make it in… well you’ve already missed out on a few goodies never to be seen again. Well, it’s not quite that dramatic, but our first tasting platter was retired today, it being seasonal and all.