Living Life Well Issue 3 | Page 8

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 [email protected] 4226 4740 8 ONLY GERMINATED BROWN RICE Nothing satisfies me more than rediscovering traditional methods of preparing nutritious tasty foods, and I'm particularly satisfied with germinating my own brown rice. While brown rice, with intact bran and germ, has more nutrition than polished white rice, germinated brown rice, GBR, is more nourishing than any other type of rice. Like all grains, rice has a compound called phytic acid which binds up nutrients in the rice grain, saving them from being lost before the grain has a chance to use them itself. Remember, the rice grain is a seed, and like all seeds it is waiting for the right conditions to sprout into a plant. When the rice grain germinates, the phytic acid is removed making the nutrients in the rice suddenly more bio-available, and this is just when it should be eaten. Scientists have measured significantly higher levels of fiber, vitamin E, magnesium, B vitamins, and GABA (gamma-aminobutyric acid) in GBR. GABA is particularly healthy as it helps regulate blood sugar and blood pressure, increases growth hormone, thus helping weight management, and promotes deep restful sleep. Some scientists claim that GABA helps treat anxiety disorders and may also prevent Alzheimer's and cancer. GBR is such a good source of GABA, it has ten times more GABA than white rice, that some people call it GABA rice. Not only is GBR very nutritious, but it also is delicious. I find the sweet, nutty flavor of GBR more tasty than regular brown rice, and it doesn't feel heavy in my stomach like brown or white rice sometimes does. Even with all of these benefits, GBR is surprisingly not for sale anywhere in the Illawarra. Fortunately, it is super simple to germinate your own brown rice and all you need is brown rice, water, a few kitchen utensils, and a way to keep the rice the right temperature, which is 35-40 degrees Celsius. A very simple way to maintain this temperature is to use a heating pad made for pet reptiles. They are designed to operate continuously in exactly this temperature range (available in pet stores). Steps 1. Soak one cup of brown rice in about two cups of clean water for 8-12 hours. 2. Put the rice in a sieve and rinse it well with clean, preferably filtered, water. 3. Place the sieve over a bowl put them both in a warm place with a clean cloth draped over them to keep the warmth in and bugs out. 4. Rinse the rice every 4-6 hours and watch for a tiny bud to appear on the ends of the grains that show your rice has germinated. It will take only a day or two, then you will have nutritious, delicious GBR that can be cooked up like normal rice or kept in the fridge for up to three days before cooking. GBR not only satisfies my hunger, it also give me the satisfaction of recapturing a hugely wise and traditional food preparation