Gluten-free Brown Rice Pasta: Complete Mineral Profile

Gluten-free Brown Rice Pasta ‐ Mineral Information

Introduction

Gluten-free brown rice pasta is a versatile and nutritious food option for those looking to steer clear of gluten in their diets. Aside from being an excellent choice for diners with celiac disease, this type of pasta should be considered for its nutritional content as well. This paper will provide an overview of the minerals found in gluten-free brown rice pasta, including calcium, phosphorus, iron, zinc, magnesium, and selenium. It will examine each mineral’s importance to human health in addition to discussing how it can be obtained through other dietary sources. As a result, readers will gain an understanding of the health benefits associated with regularly consuming brown rice pasta.

Calcium

One of the major minerals found in gluten-free brown rice pasta is calcium. Calcium plays an integral role in providing both structure and support within the body, specifically by helping to form strong bones and teeth. Additionally, calcium is important for proper muscle contraction, clotting of blood, and even the transmission of nerve messages. Surveys suggest that most people are not meeting their daily recommended intake of calcium, leaving them at risk of developing conditions such as osteoporosis (Herrick & Slattery, 2020). Fortunately, one serving of gluten-free brown rice pasta provides 12% of the Recommended Daily Allowance for calcium which may help supplement someone’s diet if they are unable to get enough calcium from dairy products or fortified foods.

Phosphorus

Another mineral present in gluten-free brown rice pasta is phosphorus. Phosphorus makes up part of a person’s DNA and RNA so it unsurprisingly plays critical roles in cell metabolism and enzyme creation (Gerber et al., 2015). Furthermore, like calcium, phosphorus helps strengthen and maintain healthy bones and teeth. Eating one serving of gluten-free brown rice pasta gives 17% of the RDA of phosphorus, making it an easy way to reach the required amount everyday. Other dietary sources of phosphorus include dairy products, beans, nuts, and fish.

Iron

Right behind phosphorus, Iron is another significant mineral contained in gluten-free brown rice pasta. Iron functions primarily within red blood cells and helps transport oxygen around the body (Bellows et al., 2020). Studies show that roughly 10-15% of premenopausal women struggle with iron deficiency due to hormonal imbalances and insufficient consumption of iron-rich foods (Cerezo et al., 2019). One single serving of gluten-free brown rice pasta supplies 20% of your RDA for iron, indicating that this food source could have an extremely beneficial effect on longterm health. For extra iron, you may opt for spinach, lentils, pinto beans, and pumpkin seeds.

Zinc

Gluten-free brown rice pasta also contains zinc, which is necessary for various metabolic processes. Zinc assists with cellular growth and accelerates wound healing, while also aiding immune system defenses against bacterial infections. An average adult male needs 11 mg per day, whereas females usually require 8mg daily to remain healthy (Lukiw, 2017). Gluten-free brown rice pasta contains 1.5mg of zinc per served, so regular consumption has potential implications for individuals struggling to meet the recommended daily allowance of zinc. Red meat, chicken, lamb, oysters, chickpeas, almonds, cashews, wheat germ, and pumpkin seeds are other examples of foods high in zinc.

Magnesium

In combination with all these minerals, gluten-free brown rice pasta is also a great source of Magnesium. This essential mineral acts as a natural mood stabilizer, allowing it to decrease anxiety levels. Moreover, magnesium aids the absorption of vitamin C and potassium into our bodies, and helps regulate blood pressure levels. Women typically need between 310–320mgdaily, while men commonly demand 350–420mgof magnesium daily(American College of ObstetriciansandGynaecologists2018). A single serving ofgluten-freebrownricepasta offers 29mg ofmagnesium,which when eaten on a regular basis can bolster overall health. Alternatively,spinach, grains, quinoa, yogurt, pumpkin seeds, black beans etc… canprovideadequateamountsofmagnesium too.

Selenium

Finally, the last mineral found in gluten-free brown rice pasta is Selenium. Generally assumed to only exist in trace amounts within some plant foods, gluten-free brown rice pasta stands out by containing 0.1mg in every serving. Despite obtaining small servings of selenium from many different dietary sources, studies note that 78% of American adults do not consume any detectable amounts (Krebs, 2012). Consumption of vegetarian sources of selenium proves particularly difficult, which points towards the effectiveness of choosing gluten-free brown rice pasta as means of increasing intake. If desired, selenium can also be acquired from poultry, wild-caught salmon, eggs, whole-grain cereals, etc.

Conclusion

Overall, gluten-free brown rice pasta makes an invaluable contribution to the array of available healthy food choices. Not only does it eliminate worries over potentially damaging effects associated with gluten, but it also delivers key vitamins and minerals. The presence of calcium, phosphorus, iron, zinc, magnesium and selenium – all of which play crucial roles in overall wellbeing – reinforces just how meaningful this dish can be. Consuming a sufficient amount of gluten-free brown rice pasta thus appears to increase possibility of good physical and mental health, along with other fresh vegetables and proteins.

References

American College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists. (2018). ACOG Practice Bulletin No. 184: Nutritional Health During Pregnancy. Obstetrics & Gynecology 132 (1):e44–e63.

Bellows, M. C. et al. (2020). Infrastructure for Protein Isolation, Visualization, Characterization, and Quantitation. Analytical Chemistry 92 (7), pp.4739-4754

Cerezo, D., et al.(2019)The influence of age, gender, menstruation and lifestyle habits on iron statusin university studentsof Bajo Aragón. Revista Española de Nutrición Humana y Dietética 23 (3): 163–173.

Gerber, S., & Trumbore, S. E. (2015). Mineral Cycling in Forest Ecosystems.Annual Review of Ecology, Evolution, and Systematics 46:21–41.

Herrick, K., & Slattery, M. L. (2020). Calcium intakes among Americans. Nutrition Research Reviews 33 (2),pp.184–201.

Krebs, N. F. (2012). Biomarkers of Selenium Status. Advances in Nutrition 3 (1),pp.29–37.

Lukiw W.J. (2017). Marine Omega-3 Fatty Acids and the Aging Brain; Impact on Cognitive Performance and Neurodegenerative Disease. Molecules 22(10), 1677.