Know2eat

Rice bran

Oryza sativa

What rice bran has been studied for

2 associations assessed — 2 with at least some human evidence behind them. Strongest first.

  • 1 Moderate
  • 1 Limited
3 things to know first — allergies, interactions and intake limits

About rice bran

The bran and germ layers stripped from brown rice to make white rice, a milling by-product used mainly for oil extraction and animal feed. Its own enzymes destroy its oil within hours of milling unless the bran is stabilised by heat. The USDA reference entry is for crude bran.

Also known as Nuka, Rice polish

Heart HealthGut & Digestive Health

The evidence in depth

Best supported: Moderate

What each association actually rests on, and the papers behind it. A rating describes the state of the research, not how impressive the food is. How we rate evidence.

Blood lipid profile

Heart Health
Moderate evidence

Several trials of rice bran oil and gamma-oryzanol report reductions in total and LDL cholesterol, and meta-analyses of rice bran oil agree on the direction. Almost all of that work used the oil rather than the bran itself, which is a real gap.

What may be going on: Gamma-oryzanol and the phytosterols of rice bran oil appear to reduce intestinal cholesterol absorption, the same route by which added plant sterols work.

Moderate evidence. Several human studies point the same way, with real caveats.

3 sources

Deep research mode adds each paper’s own conclusion and stated limitations.

Bowel regularity

Gut & Digestive Health
Limited evidence

Has been studied as a fibre source for stool bulking, with a small number of trials reporting improvements. The literature is much thinner than for wheat bran.

Limited evidence. Early human work, or mostly lab and animal research.

1 source

Deep research mode adds each paper’s own conclusion and stated limitations.

Ask about Rice bran

Ask about Rice bran

Answers are written only from the entries on this page — the same nutrients, compounds, claims and citations you can read above. Nothing is added from outside the database, and every answer lists what it was built from.

AI explanations are not switched on for this site, so there is nothing to ask here. Everything above is read straight from the database and does not need them.

Key nutrients

Nutrient content per 100 grams
NutrientAmount% DV
Macronutrients
Calories316 kcal16%
Protein13.3 g27%
Total fat20.9 g27%
Carbohydrate49.7 g18%
Fibre21 g75%
Total sugars0.9 g—
Water6.13 g—
Fats
Saturated fat4.17 g21%
Monounsaturated fat7.55 g—
Polyunsaturated fat7.46 g—
Cholesterol0 mg0%
EPA (omega-3)0 g—
DHA (omega-3)0 g—
DPA (omega-3)0 g—
Linoleic acid (omega-6)7.14 g—
Vitamins
Vitamin A0 µg0%
Vitamin C0 mg0%
Vitamin D0 µg0%
Vitamin E4.92 mg33%
Vitamin K1.9 µg2%
Thiamin (B1)2.75 mg229%
Riboflavin (B2)0.284 mg22%
Niacin (B3)34 mg212%
Pantothenic acid (B5)7.39 mg148%
Vitamin B64.07 mg239%
Folate63 µg16%
Vitamin B120 µg0%
Choline32.2 mg6%
Minerals
Calcium57 mg4%
Iron18.5 mg103%
Magnesium781 mg186%
Phosphorus1677 mg134%
Potassium1485 mg32%
Sodium5 mg0%
Zinc6.04 mg55%
Copper0.728 mg81%
Manganese14.2 mg618%
Selenium15.6 µg28%
Other measured compounds
Beta-carotene0 µg—
Alpha-carotene0 µg—
Lycopene0 µg—
Lutein + zeaxanthin220 µg—
Caffeine0 mg—
Ash9.98 g—

Nutrient values are per 100 g of the USDA reference entry named on this page and vary with variety, growing conditions, storage and preparation.

Source record: Rice bran, crude (USDA FoodData Central, FDC ID 169713).

% DV uses the FDA Daily Values for adults and children aged 4 and over. A dash means no Daily Value has been established for that nutrient.

Bioactive compounds

Compounds present in meaningful amounts. Presence is banded rather than quantified, because whole-food levels vary enormously with variety, growing conditions, storage and preparation.

How preparation changes things

Only effects with real support are listed. If a preparation method is missing, it is because nothing dependable is documented — not because it makes no difference.

  • roastedPreserves oil stability

    Heat stabilisation immediately after milling denatures the lipase that would otherwise destroy the oil, which is what makes rice bran storable as a food ingredient at all.

  • fermentedReduces phytate

    Fermentation, as in the Japanese nukadoko pickling bed, lowers phytate through microbial phytase activity.

Things to know

Allergies, interactions and intake concerns. Every food gets this section — a reference where everything is uniformly good is not a reference.

  • Too much

    Arsenic concentrates in the bran

    Rice takes up more inorganic arsenic than other cereals and it accumulates in the outer layers, so rice bran carries several times the concentration found in white rice. Rice bran syrup and bran-based products have been flagged specifically in food-safety analyses, and the exposure matters most for infants and young children.

  • Worth knowing

    Rancidity within hours unless stabilised

    Lipase released during milling attacks rice bran oil almost immediately, and unstabilised bran becomes rancid in a day or two. Only heat-stabilised bran is suitable as food.

  • Worth knowing

    Very high phytate load

    Rice bran binds iron, zinc and calcium strongly within the meal. Regular large amounts are a genuine consideration for anyone whose mineral status is marginal.