Rice Bran Oil Guide: How to Use Rice Bran Oil

Rice bran oil, also known as rice bran extract, is a cooking oil extracted from rice bran, the outer coating of brown rice that is removed when making white rice. Unrefined rice bran oil has a nutty, slightly sweet flavor that can be used for salad dressings and other raw applications. Rice bran oil is also popular for high-temperature cooking applications, such as deep-frying and stir-frying, because of its high smoke point and antioxidants.

Rice bran oil contains about 21 percent saturated, 24 percent monounsaturated, and 37 percent polyunsaturated fats. For comparison, olive oil contains 13 percent saturated and 74 percent monounsaturated fatty acids.

Rice bran oil is made from rice bran, the coating that is a by-product of polishing white rice. Rice grains consist of four main parts: the outer, inedible husk; the oily, nutrient-rich bran; the starchy endosperm; and the tiny germ. Rice bran contains 17 to 23 percent oil by weight. To make rice bran oil, the rice bran is carefully removed from the grain and expeller-pressed to squeeze the oil out of the bran. The resulting oil is then refined through filtration.

Rice bran oil has a smoke point of 490 degrees Fahrenheit. If oil gets heated beyond its smoke point, it starts to break down, producing new compounds that may smell or taste off. Rice bran oil has a higher smoke point than most other vegetable oils, including peanut oil (450 degrees Fahrenheit), canola oil (400 degrees Fahrenheit), grapeseed oil (390 degrees Fahrenheit), and extra virgin olive oil (325–375 degrees Fahrenheit).

Rice bran oil can be used in raw and cooked preparations, but its high smoke point makes it an ideal cooking oil for high-heat preparations.

1. 1. Stir-fry: Use rice bran oil when stir-frying or shallow-frying, techniques that require high heat.
2. 2. Deep-fry: For deep-frying, try mixing a blend of rice bran oil with a more affordable oil, like peanut oil or your favorite vegetable oil.
3. 3. Salad dressing: High-quality rice bran oil can also add a pleasantly nutty flavor to salad dressings.

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