Germinated brown rice or GABA-rice is an innovation that started to gain significant attention.

Germinated brown rice comes from the process of bringing brown rice into germination.

By itself, brown rice already contains many nutrients such as dietary fiber,  phytic acid, vitamin C, vitamin E and GABA (gamma-aminobutyric acid). Which help prevent diseases such as cancer and diabetes and also helps in controlling body weight.

When brown rice are soaked in water, it will germinates resulting in more nutrients and more GABA.

In addition from a higher nutrient content, a cooked germinated brown rice will have a softer texture – making it easier to consume than regular brown rice which many people have to mixed it with regular white rice before eating.

The study shows that the “rice grain” are composed of husks, which covered the rice. The “inside” of the rice contains germ, bran (seed coat) and endosperm.

Nutrients in the grain are consists of carbohydrate, protein, vitamin B, vitamin E and minerals – which spread around different parts of the grain. There are also content of fat which is founded in the bran.

And when the rice grow, its biochemical changes.

The change will started after the water get into the grain, which will stimulate the enzyme within the grain to start germination process. When the grain germinates, nutrients stored in the grain will be decomposed by biochemical processes. Resulting in carbohydrate with smaller molecules(oligosaccharide) and a “reducing sugar”. In addition, proteins in the grain will be broken into amino acids and peptides.

The grain will also have more accumulation of another chemicals such as gamma-orazynol, tocopherol, tocotrienol, and in particular, the gamma-aminobutyric acid, better known as GABA.

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How to prepare the rice

It is made by putting brown rice in water, heat it with light bulb so the temperature stay around 30 to 40 degrees Celsius. Then leave it for 8-20 hours.
This will make the rice germinates, and cause it to have more GABA.
Due to its exposure to water prior to cooking, GABA rice usually have softer texture than normal brown rice.