Pre-Germinated Brown Rice for Depression
Japanese researchers recruited forty-one breast-feeding mothers and randomly assigned them to one of two groups. In one group, mothers ate white rice, a dietary staple in Japan, at their meals. In the second group, mothers ate pre-germinated BROWN rice.
After two weeks, the women’s mood was assessed using questionnaires. The group eating the pre-germinated brown rice had far less depression, anger, and fatigue. Laboratory tests also showed better immunological function.
Note that two aspects differed between the two groups:
The color of the rice—white or brown—and
the pre-germination, which is letting the brown rice produce little sprouts—almost like growing bean sprouts at home, except with rice.
I. Why Brown Rice?
A. Brown rice is rich in magnesium and magnesium has been shown to reduce depression. The Cleveland Clinic has a nutrition chart showing that brown rice has 42 mg of magnesium per half cup while white rice has only 10 mg. per half cup.
B. Magnesium has been shown to produce a rapid decrease in symptoms of depression. A peer-reviewed study found that simply taking magnesium for a week—about 125 mg of magnesium glycinate at each meal and at bedtime— led to significant relief of depressive symptoms within a week.
I have included a long quote from the study because the authors indicate that it helps depression with various causes including traumatic brain injury, postpartum depression, and substance abuse.
Also important, magnesium helps with insomnia, a major and debilitating symptom found in depression.
Magnesium was found usually effective for treatment of depression in general use. Related and accompanying mental illnesses in these case histories including traumatic brain injury, headache, suicidal ideation, anxiety, irritability, insomnia, postpartum depression, cocaine, alcohol and tobacco abuse, hypersensitivity to calcium, short-term memory loss and IQ loss were also benefited. Dietary deficiencies of magnesium, coupled with excess calcium and stress may cause many cases of other related symptoms including agitation, anxiety, irritability, confusion, asthenia, sleeplessness, headache, delirium, hallucinations and hyperexcitability, with each of these having been previously documented. The possibility that magnesium deficiency is the cause of most major depression and related mental health problems including IQ loss and addiction is enormously important to public health and is recommended for immediate further study .
B. Why Pre-Germinated Brown Rice?
A. Pre-germination neutralizes the phytic acid found in grains. Phytic acid can bind with healthful nutrients, making them less available. Pre-germinating neutralizes the phytic acid, making these nutrients more available. The authors of one study explain the effects of pre-germination:
GBR is also called as ‘sprouted brown rice’. The process of germination enhances the bio-availability of nutrients by neutralizing phytic acid. Consumption of unsprouted grains can lead to poor absorption to nutrients in the grain. The incompletely digested proteins can irritate the intestines, leading to inflammation and allergic reactions. Neutralizing the phytic acid, releasing the proteins, vitamins, and enzymes allow these important nutrients to be absorbed during digestion.
B. Brown rice also contains a substance known as GABA—gaba amino butyric acid. Cleveland Clinic hosts a webpage on GABA which explains what it is and what it does in which is free of medical jargon:
Gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) is a neurotransmitter, a chemical messenger in your brain. It slows down your brain by blocking specific signals in your central nervous system (your brain and spinal cord).
GABA is known for producing a calming effect. It’s thought to play a major role in controlling nerve cell hyperactivity associated with anxiety, stress and fear.
GABA is sometimes sold in health food stores to help sleep. Indeed, a combination of GABA and l-theanine has been shown tAo improve sleep. Pregerminating brown rice makes the GABA more bioavailable.
Other Reasons for Pregerminating Brown Rice
Soaking, the initial step in germinating the rice, reduces arsenic levels. Arsenic is a water-soluble element, which means that anything raised in water—like rice or fish—will have higher arsenic levels. Broadly speaking, there are two types of arsenic, organic arsenic, which is so tightly bound to other elements that little is absorbed, and inorganic arsenic, which is readily absorbed. Soaking reduces arsenic levels by 40% , and 80% of that arsenic is inorganic. In other words, inorganic arsenic is reduced by 1/3.
Arsenic is everywhere in the environment and the human body is able to tolerates small amounts of it. Nevertheless, it is good to reduce our exposure to it. We can further reduce exposure by buying rice from California, India, or Thailand, AND we should avoid rice grown in cotton-producing states because cotton was once sprayed with arsenic-containing pesticides to kill boll weevils. If former cotton fields have been converted into rice paddies, then that rice will be higher in arsenic.
Lundberg rice, which is grown in California, has very low arsenic levels compared to other American rice. The company also sells various kinds of specialty rice that can add variety to your diet.
Animal research indicates that pregerminated brown rice reduces lead absorption and results in lower levels of cognitive impairment.
Pregerminated brown rice may lead to reduced fasting blood glucose levels in persons suffering from Type 2 diabetes.
Safety Issues
Any fermentation or soaking process could potentially lead to high bacteria levels. To avoid potential problems
a. Also scald equipment with hot water first.
b. Wash hands thoroughly before working with the rice or the utensils.
c. Set the sprouting jar at an angle so that water will drain out. Pooled water will lead to excess bacteria growth and will cause the rice to rot.
d. Be sure to cook the rice thoroughly.
I have been making pregerminated brown rice on and off for several years now and have never had a problem Still, it pays to be safe.
Cook with pregerminated rice the same way you would cook with regular brown rice. It will take slightly less cooking time but be sure to cook thoroughly.
Note 1: You can also buy pregerminated brown rice and pregerminated brown rice flour, but the price is prohibitive, especially after adding shipping costs. Amazon sometimes sells pregerminated brown rice but as of this date, November 8, 2022, it is unavailable.
Next post: How to Germinate Brown Rice.