Rice flour: benefits and how to make it at home
Rice flour does not contain gluten, is good for the liver and is very easy to make at home
Edited and resized image by Kristiana Pinne is available on Unsplash
Rice flour is a great option for those looking to escape gluten and don't know where to start. It can be found in refined and whole versions, being widely used as a staple food in Southeast Asia, Japan and southern India.
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Rice flour acts as a thickening agent, preventing liquid separation. This allows it to be used in soups; sauces; cookie dough, cakes, pizza and pies. Despite some negatives, it can be very beneficial to your health. Understand:
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Is she healthy?
That's a great question. On the positive side, rice flour is gluten free, good for the liver and has beneficial fiber. However, mainly its refined format, it is poor in fiber, minerals, proteins and has a high glycemic index. This means that, like other refined and processed foods, it can raise blood sugar levels and is not suitable for diabetics and pre-diabetics.
Also, it is not enriched with folic acid, as is common flour. Folate is important because it helps to remove homocysteine from the blood. This process can lower the risk of cardiovascular disease.
However, some studies show that the glycemic index of some gluten-free products has been improved by adding mineral-rich ingredients such as buckwheat - also called buckwheat, which is naturally gluten free - or flaxseed flour.
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Benefits of Rice Flour
It is rich in insoluble fiber
Insoluble fiber has the property of forming volume in the intestine, which facilitates the elimination of feces, preventing intestinal constipation.
- Fiber-rich foods fight diabetes and high cholesterol
A high-fiber diet also helps lower cholesterol and control blood sugar levels, which may reduce the risk of diverticular disease, colon disease, type 2 diabetes, and hypertension (see study on this: 1)
Great gluten-free alternative
Rice does not contain naturally gluten, being an alternative for those who want to avoid this type of protein that is not well digested by the body, for celiacs, intolerant and sensitive to gluten.
However, some types of rice flour are processed in the same place as gluten-containing foods. This process can contaminate rice flour with gluten. So pay attention to labels.
It's good for the liver
Rice flour has choline. This nutrient helps transport cholesterol and triglycerides from the liver to where they are needed within the body. A study published in International Journal of Experimental Pathology showed that a choline-deficient, high-fat diet caused liver fibrosis in mice. Thus, because it is rich in choline, rice flour can be a healthy alternative for the liver.
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Types of rice flour
There are two types of rice flour: brown rice flour and white (refined) rice flour. White rice is nothing more than brown rice without its outside. That's why brown rice is richer in fiber and nutrients, such as calcium and zinc.
Nutritional content
One cup (158 grams) of white rice flour contains:- 578 calories
- 127g of carbohydrates
- 9.4 g of protein
- 2.2 g of fat
- 3.8 grams of fiber
- 1.9 mg of manganese (95% of the Recommended Daily Intake - IDR)
- 0.7 mg of vitamin B6 (34% of IDR DV)
- 23.9 mg of selenium (34% of the IDR)
- 4.1 mg of niacin (20% sa IDR)
- 0.2 mg of thiamine (15% of the IDR)
- 155 mg of phosphorus (15% of the RDI)
- 55.3 mg of magnesium (14% of the RDI)
- 1.3 mg of pantothenic acid (13% of the RDI)
- 0.2 mg of copper (10% of the RDI)
- 1.3 mg of zinc (8% of the RDI)
- 574 calories
- 121 g of carbohydrates
- 11.4 g of protein
- 4.4 g of fat
- 7.3 g of fiber
- 6.3 mg of manganese (317% of the IDR)
- 1.2 mg of vitamin B6 (58% of the RDI)
- 532 mg of phosphorus (53% of the IDR)
- 10 mg of niacin (50% of the IDR)
- 0.7 mg of thiamine (47% of the IDR)
- 177 mg of magnesium (44% of the IDR)
- 3.9 mg of zinc (26% of the RDI)
- 2.5 mg of pantothenic acid (25% of the RDI)
- 0.4 mg copper (18% of the IDR)
- 3.1 mg of iron (17% of the RDI)
- 457 mg of potassium (13% of the IDR)
- 1.9 mg of vitamin E (9% of the RDI)
- 0.1 mg of riboflavin (7% of the IDR)
How to make rice flour
Rice flour can be easily found in markets, bulk stores and shops. online. But it is also possible to do it at home. To do this, place the raw rice in a food processor, grain grinder, or powerful blender until it has the consistency of flour.
Rice Flour Recipes
There are many recipes that can use rice flour. You can start by making a breaded cauliflower:
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Ingredients
- a cauliflower
- 4 tablespoons of brown rice flour
- 2 tablespoons of powdered flaxseed to make two "eggs" (see recipe here)
- 3 tablespoons of water
- 1 tablespoon of nutritional yeast
- 1/2 teaspoon of onion powder
- 1/2 teaspoon of granulated garlic
- 1 pinch of curry
- 1 pinch of ground turmeric
- 1 teaspoon of paprika
- Salt, pepper and oil to taste
Method of preparation
Preheat the oven and grease the pan with oil. Spray a baking sheet with oil. Put the powdered flaxseed with the water (only three tablespoons of water) and bring to a boil over low heat. In another bowl, combine rice flour, nutritional yeast, curry, saffron, onion, garlic, salt and pepper.
Dip the chopped cauliflower into the flaxseed eggs so that the "white" is well spread throughout the vegetable. Then pass the slugs in the dry rice flour mixture and place to roast over medium heat. When browned, serve freely.
