ACTRISAVE (BIONAP)

Rice is one of the most important cereal grains and is an excellent source of energy, as it is rich in carbohydrates, especially ^starch1. It also has proteins, vitamins and minerals, as well as a low lipid content, making it an important food for a ^healthy diet1.

In Brazil, white rice is the most widely consumed type, followed by parboiled and brown ^rice1. However, studies show that pigmented cultivars, such as black rice, have higher levels of protein, fiber and phenolic compounds with high antioxidant capacity, making it a more nutritionally interesting alternative for ^consumption1.

Black rice has been cultivated in China for over 4,000 years and could only be consumed by the ^emperor1. In Brazil, the first seeds only arrived in ¹⁹⁹²¹ and today you can easily find it on supermarket shelves.

Black rice extracts are a practical way to take advantage of the nutrients and antioxidants of this variety in a concentrated, standardized and easy-to-administer form.

The Opuntia ficus indica cactus is native to Latin America, from Mexico to Colombia, and was later introduced to the Mediterranean ^basin2. It can be called Prickly pear, Devil's fig, Figue de Barbarie, Prickly pear, Forage palm or Sabra, among others, depending on the region where it is ^found2.

Its flowers are hermaphrodite, with bright, ^showy yellow or yellow-orange petals2. Flowering usually occurs twice a year and depends on temperatures above 20ºC during the ^day2.

For a long time, its flowers were discarded by producers, but today their antioxidant benefits are known, especially due to the presence of gallic acid, a ^phenolic compound2.

Given their benefits and the synergy between their phytochemicals, it can be seen that cactus and black rice are sources of nutrients and bioactive compounds that are interesting for a balanced and healthy lifestyle.

1 - De Lima, A. G. Pigmented rice: nutritional characterization, antioxidant activity and acceptability of preparations. Dissertation, Federal University of Pelotas, 2016.

2 - Teixeira, J. C. S. The nutritional value of Opuntia ficus-indica and the advantages of introducing it into the Mediterranean diet. Monograph presented to the Faculty of Pharmacy of the University of Coimbra, 2015.