Is It Normal for Black Rice to Lose Color? One Article Explains It All

Black rice is jet black in color with a white interior; when cooked into porridge it turns dark brown, has a chewy bite, is crisp and resilient in texture, has a unique flavor, tastes richly aromatic, and is extremely high in nutritional value. It has the effects of nourishing yin and tonifying the kidneys, strengthening the spleen and warming the liver, improving eyesight and invigorating blood circulation, and boosting the body's resistance. However, many people will notice that black rice loses color, so let's take a look below at whether it is normal for black rice to lose color!

Is It Normal for Black Rice to Lose Color?

It is normal for black rice to lose color. The black color of the outer layer of natural black rice is a water-soluble pigment (anthocyanin), which becomes less stable the higher the water temperature, meaning that black rice will lose color during the cooking process. Also, after soaking black rice for a period of time, the water will turn purplish brown, which is actually normal too. When washing black rice, to reduce the pigment dissolving in the water, it is recommended to rinse it gently in cold water. There is one more thing to note: although black rice does lose color, it is not severe in cold water. If you put black rice into water and it changes color immediately, then there is probably something wrong with that black rice.

How to Tell Real Black Rice from Fake

1. White vinegar test: Take a few grains of black rice and drip white vinegar onto each of them separately. After a few minutes, if red appears, this proves it is real black rice, because the anthocyanin in the outer layer of black rice reacts chemically with acid, producing a color similar to red wine.

2. Smell test: Take a small amount of black rice in your hand, breathe a puff of warm air onto it, then immediately smell it. High-quality black rice has a normal, fresh fragrance, while rice with a slight off odor, sour or foul smell, moldiness, or a rotten smell is generally of substandard or poor quality.

3. Scrape the surface layer: If you do not know whether black rice is real or fake and suspect it has been dyed, the test method is to scrape off the entire outer layer of the black rice and observe the color of the grain. If it is white, then it is real black rice; otherwise, it may be dyed black rice.

The Health Benefits of Eating Black Rice

1. Nourishing effect: Black rice has a good nourishing effect on patients with chronic illnesses, patients in the recovery period, and young children. It is beneficial to children's bone and brain development and promotes the recovery of postpartum women and those weakened after illness.

2. Cancer prevention and anti-cancer: Black rice is high in protein and amino acids, and also contains a variety of vitamins and trace elements such as iron and selenium, among which selenium also has anti-cancer and cancer-preventing effects.

3. Extending life: Black rice can significantly increase the content of hemoglobin in the human body, which is beneficial to the health of the cardiovascular system. Regularly eating black rice can darken the hair, moisturize the skin, and prolong life.

4. Tonifying the kidneys and darkening the hair: Black rice has the effect of nourishing yin and tonifying the kidneys and blood, and can be used to effectively treat conditions such as premature graying of the hair. Traditional Chinese medicine holds that to darken the hair one must tonify the kidneys; when the kidneys are healthy, the hair will naturally be black and lustrous.

5. Preventing and treating anemia: Black rice is rich in iron, and eating black rice has a certain effect on relieving and improving anemia.