Many healthy eaters have never heard of Rice Bran Oil. But this nut-flavored oil is becoming more and more popular because it is easy to cook and brings benefits to the heart.

Rice Bran Oil Nutrition Facts

The following nutrition information is provided by the USDA for one tablespoon of rice bran oil (source).

• Calorie: 120
• Fats: 14 g
• Sodium: 0mg
• Carbohydrates: 0 g
• Fiber: 0 g
• Sugars: 0 g
• Protein: 0 g

Carbohydrates in rice bran oil

Rice bran oil is obtained from bran or the outer layer of rice. Rice (white rice, brown rice and other varieties of rice) are an important source of carbohydrates. But rice bran oil provides zero grams of carbohydrates.

Fats in rice bran oil

Rice bran oil provides three different types of fat.

Most of the fat in this oil (five grams) is monounsaturated fat. Monounsaturated fats – also called MUFAs – are generally considered good fats because they can help raise HDL or “good” cholesterol levels. Experts from the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics recommend that you choose foods with monounsaturated fats instead of saturated fats if possible (source).

Rice bran oil also contains almost five grams (4.8 grams) of polyunsaturated fats. Polyunsaturated fats – also called PUFAs – are also considered healthy fats. Polyunsaturated fats can help lower your LDL (bad) cholesterol. For this reason, health professionals recommend that you get 3-10 percent of your daily calories from PUFA (source).

When consuming one tablespoon of oil, you get 2.7 grams of saturated fat. Saturated fats may increase the risk of heart disease, but experts are rethinking the role of saturated fats in a heart-healthy diet (source).

Protein in rice bran oil

Rice bran oil provides zero grams of protein.

Micronutrients in rice bran oil

You will not benefit from any minerals in rice bran oil, but there are some important vitamins in the product.

If you consume one tablespoon of rice bran oil, you will benefit from 4.4 mg or 22 percent of the recommended daily intake of vitamin E if you eat a 2,000 calorie diet a day. Vitamin E (α-tocopherol) is a fat-soluble vitamin that acts as an antioxidant in the body and helps prevent cells from oxidative damage and strengthens immune health.

One tablespoon of rice bran oil will also provide 3.3 micrograms of vitamin K, another fat-soluble vitamin. Vitamin K, which is essential for blood clotting. There is also some evidence that vitamin K can help improve bone health and prevent atherosclerosis, although further research is needed to confirm these benefits.

Finally, from one tablespoon of rice bran oil, you get 161 mg of phytosterols. Phytosterols can help lower blood cholesterol.

Rice Bran Health Benefits

As rice bran oil became more popular, scientists began to study the health benefits of the product. There is some evidence that this can improve your health.In addition to what nutritionists already know about the benefits of polyunsaturated and monounsaturated fats, they are learning that rice bran oil can provide additional health benefits (source).

In 2012, American Heart Association researchers at the High Blood Pressure Research Scientific Sessions reported that people who cooked with a mixture of sesame and rice bran oils had seen a significant drop in blood pressure and an improvement in cholesterol levels (source).

Scientific scientist Devarajan Sankar, MD, Ph.D. talked about rice bran oil in an interview. “Rice bran oil, such as sesame oil, is low in saturated fat and appears to improve the patient’s cholesterol profile. In addition, it can reduce the risk of heart disease in other ways, including replacing less healthy oils and fats in the diet.” (source)

Replacing less healthy oils, such as saturated fats (butter or animal fats), with healthier oils, such as rice bran oil, can help improve heart health.

Common questions

How is oil extracted from rice bran?

According to a published report, the process of extracting oil from rice bran involves several different techniques, but the most popular is solvent extraction using hexane.The oil is obtained from rice bran, which is a by-product of the rice-grinding process, which turns brown rice into white rice (source).

According to the study’s authors, “the use of hexane in conventional methods has certain disadvantages due to its flammability, toxicity and high temperature involved in the process, resulting in some undesirable components in the oil due to oxidative damage and rancidity development and tasteless. “Hexane can also harm the environment; the use of green solvents is currently under investigation (source).

However, further research has suggested that the use of a commercial solvent (d-limmonene) as an alternative to hexane could potentially eliminate safety, environmental and health problems.

Is rice bran oil gluten-free?

Although there are reports of gluten-free eaters having problems with rice bran-based foods, many varieties of commercially marketed rice bran oil state that their product is gluten-free.

According to the Celiac Disease Foundation, “if a product claims to be gluten-free on a package, then it is most likely safe to eat because the FDA allows you to label” gluten-free only packaged foods with less than 20 ppm gluten. ”The source still recommends that you check the list of ingredients for any food you buy to make sure it is really gluten-free (source).

Can I use rice bran oil on my skin or hair?

Some sources of beauty state that rice bran oil can help promote hair growth, although there is no strong evidence to support this use.Some sources also report that applying oil sources of vitamin E or oil to the skin can help reduce the appearance of scars or improve the skin. However, the evidence to support this benefit is mixed, and topical use of vitamin E can irritate the skin (source).

Which oil is healthier: rice bran oil, olive oil or sunflower oil?

Each of these oils brings benefits to the heart. The best oil for you may depend on how you plan to use the oil.

Olive oil provides a taste that many consider the most attractive of the three oils, but has a lower smoke point and should not be used for deep frying. Sunflower oil and rice bran oil have higher smoke points, but some people do not like the taste of these oils – especially rice bran oil (due to the extraction process).

How to cosume Rice Bran Oil – Cooking tips

Rice bran oil is often used by chefs when frying or frying. Compared to other oils, it has a high flash point (also called smoke point) of 490 ° F. For example, rapeseed oil has a smoke point of 400 ° F and extra virgin olive oil has a smoke point of 320 ° F. Avocado oil has a slightly higher smoke point of 520 ° F. F.

The flash point of cooking oil is important to know because it is the temperature at which the oil begins to produce smoke and harmful fumes. If you want to use cooking techniques that require a higher temperature, it is necessary to use oil with a high flash point. Thanks to its hazelnut taste, rice oil has become one of the most popular oils for cooking at high temperatures.

Store rice bran oil in a cool, dry place. Properly stored, the oil can last for up to one to two years.

Rice Bran Oil Allergies

Rice bran and rice bran oil are generally safe when used by most people. However, some people may develop a rash if they apply rice bran oil to their skindue to the (rare) presence (or exposure) of straw mites in rice bran, rice bran oil or rice bran oil supplements (source).