Brown Rice Protein Powder

Brown rice protein powder is an excellent source of protein, containing essential and branched chain amino acids. It assists with weight loss, muscle growth, and improved strength. It’s also an effective supplement for treating obesity, diabetes and has anti-oxidising effects.

Brown rice protein powder has been touted by fitness experts, sports nutritionists, and other professionals for its incredible qualities, but understanding what makes it so effective requires understanding the science. In this article, we look at all of the details to help you decide whether it is the right supplement for you.

Brown Rice Protein Power Explained

Organic whole-grain brown rice has been identified as a source of protein, packed with essential amino acids and branched chain amino acids, which make up 37% and 18% of the total protein, respectively (1).

How Brown Rice Protein Powder Is Made

One of the reasons for these high concentrations of protein and amino acids comes down to how brown rice protein powder is made. By grinding up the rice into flour, manufacturers can make brown rice protein powder. Starches (carbohydrates) can be separated from the protein when an enzyme is added to the powder. This separated protein is referred to as a rich protein isolate.

Benefits Of Taking Rice Protein Powder

As we’ve mentioned, there are many great benefits to supplementing your diet and exercise routine with brown rice protein powder. And there have been plenty of studies to prove the efficacy of these benefits.

Comparable To Whey Protein For Weight Loss, Muscle Growth, Power and Strength

The rich protein isolate in brown rice protein powder, when consumed after exercise, has been shown to decrease fat mass, while increasing lean body mass, skeletal muscle hypertrophy, power, and strength, as is the case when supplementing with the protein isolate found in whey protein (2).

One study that investigated these effects showed that groups of MMA fighters who supplement their diet with either brown rice or whey protein powder could maintain their body composition and fat-free mass during high volume and intensity training. That study found that there was no substantial benefit of choosing brown rice protein over whey or vice versa (3).

An eight-week study showed that daily isonitrogenous doses of 24g whey or brown rice protein powder in conjunction with resistance training programs led to similar body composition and performance outcomes (4).

Furthermore, an attempt by sport nutrition scientists found that increased gains induced by training yielded benefits in speed skeletal muscle regeneration due to the presence of branched chain amino acids (leucine, isoleucine, and valine).

Branched chain amino acids are an excellent catalyst for protein metabolism, neural function, and blood glucose and insulin regulation, stimulating skeletal muscle protein synthesis. However, leucine is the only branched chain amino acid that could effectively stimulate muscle protein synthesis when taken independently (5).

Furthermore, vigorous exercise induces a net negative protein balance, and the consumption of branched chain amino acids can assist in creating a net positive protein balance. This is primarily a function of the leucine in the supplements. Research shows that protein intake should be based on the concentrations of leucine in the supplement (6).

It is also important to note that brown rice protein is packed with these branched chain amino acids, making it one of the best plant-based protein supplements, along with soy and pea protein powders, due to similar concentrations of leucine, isoleucine, and valine in the latter two.

Research suggests a dosage of between 2-3g (or 0.05g per kilogram of body weight). Any additional intake will not yield better outcomes after this threshold.

Potential Anti-Diabetic Effect

Brown rice protein powder can also help to manage and protect you against diabetes. Studies have shown that a brown rice protein powder supplement has lowered the glycaemic index of healthy subjects by 12.1% and diabetic subjects by 35.6% (7).

The decreased glycaemic index, better glycaemic and insulin responses have been observed in multiple studies (8, 9, 10), and research indicates that a brown rice protein supplement can be an effective treatment in healthy, diabetic, and overweight subjects.

Potential Treatment For Obesity And Type 2 Diabetes

Brown rice contains a lot of γ-oryzanol (Orz), which directly acts on pancreatic islets and enhances glucose-stimulated insulin secretion (GSIS) (11).

This component of brown rice has been shown to be an effective treatment for obesity and diabetes because insulin controls the glucose levels in your body after eating.

May Help With  Dyslipidemia And Protect Against Other Cardiovascular Diseases

Dyslipidemia (elevated total or low-density lipoprotein cholesterol levels) can increase your risk of developing cardiovascular diseases and suffering a stroke (12). Diet plays a critical role in the cause of dyslipidemia.

Our modern diets with high levels of fats, sugars, and processed grains are not conducive to managing dyslipidemia. However, there is evidence to support the assertion that brown rice protein powder can effectively combat dyslipidemia and lower cholesterol.

A study showed that feeding mice pre-germinated brown-rice along with a high-fat diet over 16 weeks led to an improved lipid profile (significantly decreased level of triglycerides, total cholesterol,high-density lipoprotein and non-high-density lipoprotein (12).

In a clinical study involving sixty Vietnamese women (aged 45–65 years) with impaired glucose tolerance, the impact of germinated brown rice and white rice intake on blood glucose and lipid profile was evaluated. Following four months of intervention observed an improvement in blood glucose and lipid level in the pre-germinated brown rice diet group compared to the white rice group (13).

A randomised control trial on 11 diabetic patients also reported a significant reduction in serum total cholesterol and triglyceride level following consumption of pre-germinated brown rice for 14 weeks compared to the white rice group (14).

Randomised clinical trials conducted to evaluate the effect of brown rice consumption on inflammatory markers, and cardiovascular risk factors have demonstrated that brown rice consumption can significantly reduce inflammatory markers (CRP) and other risk factors (weight, BMI, waist, diastolic blood pressure) associated with cardiovascular disease (15).

Potentially Assists With Lowering Cholesterol

As other studies have indicated, you can reduce cholesterol levels through brown rice protein powder consumption.

One study demonstrated that brown rice proteins could nourish blood vessels, regulate insulin secretion, improve liver and kidney functionality, reduce emotional unrest, mitigate increases in blood cholesterol, and even prevent chronic alcohol disease (16).

Furthermore, Rice Bran Oil (RBO), which is found in brown rice, helps to reduce atherogenic levels and increase high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol. The RBO-induced cholesterol-reducing activity occurs due to a decrease in the absorption-reabsorption of cholesterol, along with reductions in the plant sterols in cholesterol metabolism.

A study of hamsters fed with the unsaponifiable matters of rice bran observed that this led to greater fecal fat and neutral sterol excretion, and, therefore, fat digestibility (16).

May Assist With Obesity

Another study demonstrated the effects of a diet consisting of brown rice on visceral obesity and endothelial function. It found that insulin resistance, total cholesterol, and LDL-cholesterol levels were reduced after the consumption of brown rice and concluded that it might be beneficial.

This is due to the lowering of glycaemic response and can also potentially protect postprandial endothelial function in subjects with metabolic syndrome, and the study also indicates that there are similar long-term benefits (16).

γ-oryzanol (Orz) also has several benefits, acting as a chemical chaperone and decreasing high-fat diet-induced endoplasmic reticulum stress in the hypothalamus. This, in turn, leads to a significant shift in preference from fatty to healthy foods, satiating cravings that can set those following strict diets back (17).

Another study found that an improvement of body weight and adiposity occurs as a result of rice protein’s role in modifying triglyceride metabolism (18).

Anti-Oxidant Effect

In addition to the benefits we’ve discussed, brown rice protein powder can have anti-oxidising benefits, due to the prevalence of phenolic acids – a commonly found antioxidant. It offers protection against oxidative damage and can reduce your risk of developing associated illnesses, such as cardiovascular disease, type 2 diabetes, obesity, and even cancer (19).

Is Rice Protein A Complete Protein Source?

Plant-based protein sources such as brown rice protein can have lower concentrations of essential amino acids and do not qualify as complete protein sources. In the case of brown-rice protein, all nine essential amino acids are present, but not in high enough concentrations to be considered a complete protein.

In contrast to dairy protein, plant protein sources are more often lower in one or more essential amino acids failing to match the requirements of a complete protein. The case is very similar for soy and pea protein isolates (20).

Brown rice and some other plant-based proteins are labeled as complete proteins due to the presence of essential amino acids, but it isn’t necessarily correct.

For example, brown rice protein has only 31mg of the essential amino acid, lysine, per gram – however, the amount of lysine required to be considered a complete protein stands at 51mg per gram. Red meat, pork, poultry, cheese, cod, eggs, and soybeans are far better sources of lysine, while pea protein also yields a concentration of 71mg per gram of lysine.

However, due to the relatively higher levels of methionine in brown rice protein and relatively lower levels in pea protein, it would yield optimal results to take both in conjunction for a complete protein profile (20).

The Different Types Of Rice Protein Powders

Considering the shortcomings of brown rice protein in terms of its lysine concentrations, there are plant-based blends of brown rice protein powders that contain pea and hemp protein in order to diversify its amino acid profile (20).

However, due to the presence of lysine in other foods, if you have a diet consisting of good lysine sources, it may not be necessary for the additional supplementation.

It is important to make these considerations, particularly if you follow a plant-based diet before deciding on whether to purchase a pure brown rice protein powder or a blended supplement.

Is There A Difference Between White Rice And Brown Rice Protein?

There is a marginal difference between brown rice and white rice protein, with the former containing slightly more than white rice, which is why most rice protein powders will be made from brown rice. They also have very similar amino acid profiles. Brown rice protein may have better health benefits, but, in general terms, both white and brown rice protein powders are comparable (20).

Does Rice Protein Powder Have Any Side Effects?

Some protein powders can contain added ingredients that could trigger allergic reactions, but brown rice protein itself is hypoallergenic. It is therefore better to err on the side of caution and read the labels of any brown rice protein powder that you buy to ensure it doesn’t contain any ingredients that could cause an allergic reaction.

Due to the natural occurrence of arsenic in water, soil, and rocks, plant-based protein supplements could contain trace amounts, but the concentrations vary in different areas (21).

Plants also take in heavy metals via air, water, and soil, which can be retained even after the manufacturing process, but research indicates that heavy metals do not pose an increased non-carcinogenic carcinogenic risk (21).

Summary

Brown rice protein powder contains several essential amino acids, including branched chain amino acids, which yield numerous benefits when supplemented with a healthy diet and regular exercise.

Among the benefits of supplementing your diet and exercise with brown rice protein powder are weight loss, muscle growth, improved power and strength, anti-diabetic effects, lower cholesterol and risk of cardiovascular disease, reduced risk of obesity, and anti-oxidising effects.

However, due to relatively low levels of lysine, brown rice protein powder is not technically a complete protein. You can compensate for this by consuming it in conjunction with pea protein powder. Also, note that the differences between brown and white rice protein are minimal.