Food as Medicine: The New Concept of “Medical Rice”

Abstract

In many countries, rice contributes to health by supplying dietary energy, proteins and fat.
Many different species of rice have been developed in Japan and other rice producing countries.
Some varieties are expected to prevent various diseases, or to be used for dietary therapy. The
health effects of brown rice are empirically well known, and accumulating evidence about the
physiological and pharmacological activity of rice bran strongly supports the use of brown
rice in the dietary therapy. These could be categorized in the new concept, “medical rice”. For
example: medical rice for diabetes (glycemic index<55), medical rice for chronic kidney disease
(CKD) (protein<1/20), medical rice for mental health (high gamma-aminobutylic acid or
γ-aminobutylic acid (GABA), gamma oryzanol (γ-oryzanol) and/or ferulic acid), and medical
rice for cancer prevention (high antioxidant capacity). Organic cultivation is necessary to avoid
toxic substances from fertilizers and insecticides. In response to the enormous increase of medical
costs in many countries, encouragement of healthy longevity by changes of dietary habits
is mandatory. Functional food labeling has started in 2015 in Japan, so the proper food labeling
of medical rice could help people who want to control and/or improve their health status.