Sonamasuri Rice Benefits: How Good is it For Our Health?

Rice is a staple food in Indian households. With thousands of rice varieties grown in Indian paddy fields, sonamasuri rice is one of the most popular ones. Used to prepare delicacies like sweet pongal, idli, pulao and more, this mouth-watering rice is also eaten with sambar, dal or rasam.

Mainly grown in the states of Andhra Pradesh, Telangana and Karnataka, the rice is famous for its aroma that can make anyone drool. This rice variety is also exported to countries like Australia, Canada, Europe, among others.

Types of Sonamasuri Rice

Two types of sonamasuri rice are available in the market. One is the par-boiled rice which is soaked, half-boiled in the husk, dried and then sold in the market and the second is raw rice that is sold by drying paddy to about 10-11%.  Raw rice has higher nutritional benefits that par-boiled rice as in the latter, the nutrients as washed away by washing, boiling and drying.

These two types of rice are further divided into white rice and brown rice. Sonamasuri brown rice benefits outweigh the benefits offered by white rice. Sonamasuri brown rice has:

• More nutrients as it has the whole grain unlike, white. Brown rice has the germ, bran and endosperm.
• This allows it to have more nutrients, vitamins and minerals as these are mainly found in the germ part of the rice, which is removed in white rice.
• 100gms of cooked brown rice provides 1.8gms of fibre whereas cooked white rice provides only 0.4gms of fibre, according to SELF Nutrition Data. This is true for all rice varieties.

Nutritional Information

Here are the sonamasuri rice benefits in a serving of 1 cup or 45gms (please note these values may differ from brand to brand).

Source

How Good is it For Our Health?

Sonamasuri rice benefits are many. Here are some of the ways in which it aids good health:

1. Lower Calorie Count

A big sonamasuri rice benefit is that it has lower calories than many other rice varieties like basmati. Brown basmati has 177 calories in a cup, according to nutritional data. We have seen that sonamasuri has 160. If you are looking to lose weight, then this variety is ideal for you.

2. Almost No Fat

Again this is great for anyone who is looking to lose weight or maintain fitness. This rice variety is fat-free.

3. Enough Carb Content

According to Harvard Medical School, carbohydrates are our body’s energy source. In the absence of carbs, our body starts using protein as one of the other sources of energy. This prevents the protein from working as a building block for cells and muscles. Fat too is an inefficient source of energy. Sonamasuri rice has enough carb content (36g in a 45g serving) which makes it healthy. Thus, in light of such stats, sonamasuri rice benefits cannot be underplayed.

4. Sodium-Free

Throughout the day, we eat a lot of foods that are high in salt. This means that we eat a lot of sodium throughout the day. The recommended daily amount of sodium is about 500mg and too much sodium can lead to heart diseases, stroke and high blood pressure, according to Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health.  One of the many sonamasuri rice benefits is that it has absolutely no sodium. This will help in balancing your daily sodium intake and in preserving your health.

5. High Vitamin C

Since it provides for approximately 5% of the daily Vitamin C requirement, the sonamasuri rice benefits cannot be overlooked. If you eat more than one cup of rice, it may provide up to 10%. The recommended daily intake for Vitamin C is 90mg for men and 75mg for women, according to the National Institutes of Health.

6. Sufficient Starch Content

This medium-grain rice has an excellent starch content, higher than most other rice varieties. As we mentioned before that this rice variety has a high amount of carbs, most of these carbs are starch, from where we get fibre. This fibre aids in digestion, giving bulkier stools and easier digestion.

According to the British Nutrition Foundation, one-third of our daily food intake should be starchy foods like sonamasuri brown rice or white rice.

The Golden Rice

Also referred to as ‘sonamasoori’ or ‘golden ivy’ this rice variety is a hybrid of two rice species – sona and masuri. Forming an important part of South Indian cuisine, this rice is ideal for everyday use. Its aroma is as powerful as that of basmati, but it is generally sold cheaper in the market.

If the sonamasuri rice benefits appeal to you, make sure you buy rice that has a high purity percentage and is not broken. If you want then finest of this variety, then go for the one that is slightly aged. To experience a distinct, tastebud-tingling flavour, make the switch and get sonamasuri rice home today!