Rice Protein Guide - Rice Protein Enters the Winner's Circle
11/3/06
Who Benefits from Protein?
In spite of the obesity problems among adults and children in the US, there are many people interested in improving their health and keeping their weight in check through healthy eating. They know that protein is the major building block for every cell in the human body; cells that build blood, tissue, bone, and sharpen our brains. Complex carbohydrates and small amounts of unsaturated fat also play a role in dietary health.
Some people are able to obtain enough good nutrition through the foods they eat, but there are many exceptions. So much of food these days is processed to the point of losing its potential nutritional value. Not only that, but the animals we eat may be pumped full of hormones and antibiotics, and the grains, nuts, and vegetables may grow in chemically treated soils. Most of us would benefit by taking supplements, including protein powders.
Exercise plays an important role in the lives of most of those pursuing feeling and looking better. In order to build strong, lean muscles, we must take in protein. It also takes protein to protect these muscles after a workout because they become stressed and enter the catabolic or breakdown state. Extreme athletes such as bodybuilders, marathon runners, team sports player, and those wishing to get big need extra protein throughout their exercise days.
What is Rice Protein?
In the "good old days" meat, eggs, milk products, poultry, and fish constituted the main sources of protein. New discoveries teach us that there are many great vegetarian and lactose free proteins as well. Among those really starting to catch on is rice protein. Both vegans and vegetarians can eat rice with no worries about violating their choices. Another major selling point for rice protein is the fact that it's hypo-allergenic. That's important as millions of people suffer from mild to severe food allergies. It's often difficult for them to find foods that not only don't cause bad reactions, but do supply protein. Additionally, rice protein powder makes a great supplement between meals or workouts.
Soy protein is the most popular (so far) among plant proteins, but unfortunately it causes gastric distress or allergic reactions for some consumers and they simply can't use it. Rice tastes so mild that instead of drinking a rice protein shake, you can sprinkle the powder on food or mix it with vegetables as you cook them.
Benefits of Rice Protein
In addition to being hypo-allergenic and vegan, rice protein also adds fiber which is great for digestion and it also works to keep cholesterol down. One thing to keep in mind if you decide to look for a rice protein powder is to make sure that the label states that it's non-GMO (Genetically Modified Organism). Some large crop producers treat their plants so that they'll be resistant to heavy pesticides that could kill them. In fact since rice is a plant, you can find products made from organic rice... that means grown with no chemicals.
If you've ever wondered about the difference between brown and white rice, the answer is simple. It's the same grain but brown rice retains its bran cover which holds more fiber. Brown rice is packed with the minerals iron and magnesium, and lots of vitamins. In addition to lowering cholesterol it helps keep blood sugar stable rather than spiking up and down. You can find brown rice added to many meal replacements products, including energy bars and protein powders. Healthy varieties of pasta and baked goods also often contain rice protein.
Nutritional Value
We tend to think of rice, vegetables, fruits, and grains as carbohydrates, when in fact they all contain protein. What we forget or don't realize is that these are complex carbohydrates... the kind that are good for us. Also, many manufacturers that make rice protein powder and other rice based supplements use techniques that separate the protein from the carbohydrate, isolating the essential and non-essential amino acids, leaving highly concentrated protein products. Ideally no harmful chemicals or additives are used, so be sure to read labels when looking for a pure product.
Adding natural enzymes aids in digestion and rice contains important nutrients such as iron, potassium, thiamin, and phosphorous.
Known Negative Properties of Rice Protein
Actually rice protein holds few negative properties since its both hypo allergenic and lactose free. That means most people can consume it with no side effects. If you're looking for a complete protein then rice does fall short. When a food contains all nine of the essential amino acids as well as the twenty plus non-essentials, it's referred to as a "complete protein". Rice is low in isoleucine and a few other important amino acids important to our health. This isn't a major problem though, since they're found in other proteins or may be added to rice protein powder.
Some companies that make rice protein supplements claim that their products contain rice in perfect protein form. These usually contain brown rice that's heavily concentrated, meaning that the carbohydrates have been stripped out, leaving a perfect combination of essential and non-essential amino acids. As with other protein supplements, the best way to assess how well they work for you is to carefully study their ingredients and try the ones that sound promising. Each human body is a unique organism and requires different types and amounts of protein, depending on individual goals.
Digestibility of Rice Protein
As you peruse websites, literature, and ingredient labels pertaining to protein sources, you'll notice that they are rated by various methods. The one recognized by the Federal Drug Administration (FDA) is the Protein Digestibility Corrected Amino Acid Score (PDCAAS). It tells us how complete the protein in terms of how well our systems absorb and use it. Rice on its own scores only a 0.47. Since a perfect protein score is 1.0, you can see that rice protein falls short. What's great about rice is that in combination with other ingredients the score raises significantly. In fact that's true of many proteins and protein powder supplements. Few of them contain one ingredient only.
In terms of food, combining rice with milk raises the PDCAAS to 0.92, close to perfect. With peas or beans it jumps up to a complete protein; 1.0. Many people learned early on to be skeptical of vegetable or plant proteins. However, with further exploration we've all learned that these foods make excellent nutritional sources.
Rice Compared to Other Proteins
Most nutritionists and other experts in training and health recommend a combination of proteins. That's because it's just about impossible to get all of the amino acids, vitamins, minerals, and other nutrients we all need. As mentioned earlier, others score higher on the PDCAAS than rice but in combination with others it's a good one to consider. In fact it's one of the rising protein stars. Once the rice protein is concentrated, adding enzymes makes it more soluble for efficient digestion.
Anyone looking into protein powders and other protein supplements should ask for advice from their trainers, doctors, and others with the same needs. The Internet is another great source to study up on the subject. Learning about proteins helps identify your particular needs as well as knowing what specifics to look for on a product label.
For example, rice and soy combined provide ingredients missing in whey protein. Rice protein has some components that soy doesn't. If you have no sensitivities to any of them, a powder containing all three provides optimal nutrition.
Groups that Benefit from Rice Protein
Nearly anyone on earth will benefit from rice protein. In fact many millions throughout the world use rice as a main staple of their diet...and enjoy excellent health and lean bodies. Some individuals such as diabetics, the elderly, the very ill, infants requiring tube feeding, can digest rice in liquid form. Of course vegans and vegetarians, as well as anyone with severe food allergies find rice to be a delicious and nutritious food. Rice protein powders taste bland so that mixing them with favorite flavors makes a great option for some variety.
Others that enjoy rice and rice protein powder:
- Dieters - Rice contains only tiny amounts of fat and sugar and is low in carbs. It's great for lowering cholesterol and maintaining a healthy level once it's reached. Although it contains fiber, a supplement with added fiber provides a full feeling, important to help keep from overeating. Fiber also promotes a healthy digestive system
- Sensitivities - Since a lot of people suffer from sensitivities to wheat, dairy, and soy, rice makes a great alternative. It also calms irritated or inflamed gastrointestinal tracks
- Bodybuilders and Athletes - Rice protein in combination with others such as egg, whey, milk, or soy provides a complete protein that builds strong, lean muscle mass. It's also a good side for a meat meal. Extreme athletes need massive amounts of protein compared to the more sedentary, and combinations ensure that they get plenty of every amino acid and other nutrients
- Health - Anyone interested in pursuing a low fat, low carb, low sugar, high protein food benefits from rice and rice protein powders
We can easily see the important role protein plays in our lives. Since it's difficult to obtain everything we need from one source, the more we can learn about individual protein sources and also combining a variety of them, the healthier we'll be. Adding rice protein to the mix certainly makes good sense.
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