Brown rice cures cancer: Should you listen to folklore or wait for science?

"These brown rice varieties are new and their nutritional composition has not yet been scientifically verified. We will be conducting tests on the nutritional levels of these rice varieties in the near future."

Brown rice "matrix"

According to a reporter's survey, many rice wholesale markets in Hanoi sell various types of brown rice (red dragon brown rice, black brown rice, and white brown rice...) that are always advertised as miraculous. At Buoi Market (Tay Ho) and Nghia Tan Market (Cau Giay), red brown rice sells for 30,000 - 35,000 VND/kg, while jasmine brown rice costs 25,000 - 28,000 VND/kg depending on the store. These types of rice are put in sacks and boxes and displayed alongside other types. "I don't know where the rice is grown, I just get it from the rice wholesaler and then resell it," said the owner of Son Thoa store (Buoi Market).

At Nghia Tan market, brown rice (specifically the "dragon claw" variety) and sticky brown rice are sold at a minimum price of 30,000 VND/kg. According to the owner of Ha Cuc grocery store, this is mainly "clean" brown rice produced in Dong Thap and Dien Bien provinces, hence the higher price compared to regular rice. However, this rice is stored in plastic containers without packaging, and without indicating the place of production or expiration date. Some types of brown rice sold at stores and rice dealers are packaged in 1kg and 2kg bags, with indications of the place of production and expiration date, priced from 40,000 to 60,000 VND/kg. Ms. Loan's store (Thai Thinh, Dong Da district) sells black brown rice for up to 60,000 VND/kg.

A new product has just been launched: Vibigaba sprouted rice. According to Ms. Nguyen Thi Thuy Hang (Phuong Nam Foodstuff Joint Stock Company branch in Tu Liem, Hanoi), this brown rice is sprouted by engineers using a technical process transferred from Japan. Ms. Hang said that sprouted rice is specifically for people with diabetes.

People with illnesses can eat a full meal of sprouted rice without worrying about increased blood sugar levels because the sugar content in the rice is halved. The sprouted rice is packaged in half-kilogram and one-kilogram vacuum-sealed bags and sold for 80,000 VND/kg. Once opened, simply store at room temperature.

Furthermore, for customer convenience, many ready-to-eat brown rice products are available, such as brown rice with seaweed and brown rice with sesame seeds, priced from 80,000 to 88,000 VND/kg, like those from Thien Ung Company (Ward 14, District 3, Ho Chi Minh City). These products are advertised as helping consumers lose 3 to 6 kg after one month of eating brown rice.

Be cautious with advertising.

Professor Vo Tong Xuan, a leading expert on rice, believes that brown rice is essentially unpolished rice with an outer bran layer containing several vitamins beneficial to health. Regarding the color of brown rice, Professor Xuan stated that this is also a "trick" for businesses to build brands and promote to consumers. Currently, the rice seed bank at Can Tho University has over 3,000 varieties in various colors such as black, purple, red, etc., so creating different colors for rice is not difficult.

Brown rice is sold at Nghia Tan market (Cau Giay district, Hanoi).

"Advertisements about its effects have not been supported by clinical studies. It's unclear what percentage of patients using this rice recovered from their illnesses. The advertisements are mainly based on those who experienced positive results; those who didn't have positive results have been excluded, so they aren't entirely accurate," said Professor Xuan.

Professor Xuan warned: Consumers should be cautious about such advertisements. They should try the product first, and if it suits them, they can continue using it. According to the rice expert, besides brown rice, some companies also grow organic rice, which does not use pesticides or chemical fertilizers, making it healthier. For example, Hoa Sua organic rice from Vien Phu Trading and Production Joint Stock Company, grown in U Minh (Ca Mau), is certified by an international agency in the Netherlands according to US and EU standards. However, this type of rice is expensive.

According to Dr. Le Huy Ham, Director of the Vietnam Institute of Agricultural Genetics, folk belief holds that eating brown rice has medicinal effects and can prevent cancer. Brown rice contains germ, bran, unsaturated fats, and several substances that may fight cancer.

Dr. Ham stated that there is currently no scientific research to confirm this. However, according to him, folk wisdom is not wrong, but whether eating brown rice helps fight cancer depends on each individual. Each person's physical condition is different, and whether they are suitable to absorb the substances in the bran layer depends on their individual constitution.

Mr. Pham Dong Quang, Deputy Director in charge of the Department of Crop Production (Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development), said that brown rice contains some vitamins that are good for health, but further research is needed to confirm its effectiveness in curing diseases, especially cancer.

"I also support this type of rice because it helps diversify rice varieties, but promoting its medicinal and disease-preventing effects must be based on scientific research to prove it," Mr. Quang said.

According to AloBacsi.vn