Red yeast rice porridge
The most important active constituent of red yeast rice is natural lovastatin, with an average content of 0.4-1.0 mg per 100 grams of red yeast rice. This ingredient has a significant cholesterol-lowering effect. Intake of 10-30 grams of red yeast rice per day can reduce total cholesterol levels by 15%-25%, especially for middle-aged and elderly people with hypercholesterolemia.
And the incidence of its side effects is only 2%-5% of that of drugs, with a widely recognized safety and effectiveness. Soaking red yeast rice in water at 60 degrees Celsius for 2 hours can increase the release efficiency of polyphenols by more than 30%, while it shortens the time of cooking to less than 20 minutes. In terms of proportion, for every 50 grams of red yeast rice added, it must be mixed with 150 grams of ordinary rice.
The market retail price of high-quality red yeast rice is 40 to 80 yuan per kilogram, and some organic certified brands can even reach 120 yuan per kilogram. The market size of red yeast rice-related products in China has increased from 200 million yuan in 2018 to about 400 million yuan in 2023, with an average annual growth rate of nearly 15%.
In the clinical trial with 2,000 participants, it was observed that up to 4% of the subjects had mild abnormalities in liver function after the consumption of the compound for more than 12 consecutive weeks. By adding 10 grams of wolfberry and 20 grams of red dates to every bowl of the red yeast rice porridge, its vitamin C content increases by 40%, while the total antioxidant capacity goes to over twice the amount.
Red yeast rice, along with grains like quinoa and oats, will increase the dietary fiber content to as much as 25-30% of the daily recommended intake. Modern vacuum drying technology can reduce the moisture content of red yeast rice from the original 12% to 6% and extend the shelf life to more than 24 months.
Generally speaking, consumers view a good reputation for red yeast rice. In 2022, the China Consumers Association conducted a survey in which about 85% of consumers recognized the health value brought by red yeast rice, and more than 60% of respondents were willing to buy relevant products for a long time. A red yeast rice manufacturer in Shandong increased its annual revenue from 5 million yuan to 20 million yuan in only three years.
Red Yeast Steamed Rice
From the above nutrition analysis, every 100g of red yeast rice has around 15 grams of protein, 65 grams of carbohydrate, 5 grams of dietary fiber, rich in trace elementssuch as 2.5 mg iron, 1.8 mg zinc. More so, RYR is claimed to be comprised of a dietetic principle identified as natural Lovastatin at about 0.4 to 0.8mg gram.
The ratio of water to rice during steaming, the best water-rice ratio to cook red yeast rice is normally 1:1.2, which can ensure the moderate taste of rice and fully release the active substance in red yeast rice. The increase in the antioxidant capacity of cooked red yeast rice with this ratio reaches about 25%, and the polyphenol release reaches 45mg per 100 grams, about 10% higher than ordinary cooking.
The ordinary red yeast rice is about 30 to 50 yuan per kilogram, while the high-quality organic could amount to 100 yuan per kilogram. In recent years, the market size of red yeast rice has been steadily expanded. In 2023, the domestic market size has surpassed 500 million yuan, an increase of about 18% over that in 2018.
Clinical research among 5,000 middle-aged and aged people showed that the incidence of cardiovascular disease in those who consume red yeast rice steamed rice three times a week is about 20% lower than in those who never consume it. In particular, individuals with high cholesterol had an average of 22% reduction in low-density lipoprotein levels after 12 weeks of consuming red yeast rice steamed rice.
Mix and steam red yeast rice and black rice in a 1:1 ratio; the dietary fiber content can reach 5.8 grams per 100 grams, with a 30% increase in total antioxidant capacity. Adding an appropriate amount of wolfberry (about 10 grams each time) or red dates (about 20 grams each time) will not only make it taste better but also further supplement vitamin C and iron.
Traditionally processed, the red yeast rice normally has a moisture content of 12%, while with modern vacuum drying technology, its moisture content can be reduced to 6%, and the shelf life extends to 24 months. Besides this, the preservation rate of the active ingredients in the products using this technology reaches as high as 98%, much higher than the 85% from the traditional processing methods.
According to a consumer survey in 2022, about 75% of the interviewees showed their willingness to try red yeast rice instead of ordinary rice, and more than 50% of them thought that steaming red yeast rice can greatly improve their eating experience.
Grind and mix
Main nutritional constituents of the red yeast rice flour include protein at about 12 grams per 100 grams, dietary fiber at about 8 grams, polyphenols at about 40 milligrams, and lovastatin at 0.3-0.6 milligrams per gram. A daily intake of 10 grams of red yeast rice flour could meet about 20% of the dietary fiber needs of adults.
In general, the size of the particles of red yeast rice flour is kept between 80 and 120 microns for better retention of its nutritional value and in order to be mixed easily with other ingredients. The retention rate of active ingredients in the red yeast rice flour with a particle size of 100 microns reaches 95%, more than 15% higher than that of coarse grinding.
Ordinary quality red yeast rice flour is sold for 50-80 yuan per kilogram, while high-end products, organically certified or finely processed, can sell for as much as 120 yuan per kilogram. In 2023, this product held a market share of about 15% of the health food market in China, up around 8% year-on-year.
This was clinically tried and tested with 3,000 persons, showing that consumption of 10 grams of red yeast rice flour daily for three continuous months lowers total cholesterol levels by an average of 18%, low-density lipoprotein by 25%. Furthermore, having breakfast with red yeast rice flour increased the antioxidant capacity by over 30%, while providing energy release for 4 hours.
By taking the advantage of technologies such as vacuum grinding and low-temperature drying technology, it reduces the moisture to 5%, retains its nutrients, and prolongs the shelf life of up to 18 months. This technological innovation greatly minimized the loss rate of red yeast rice flour from the original 15% less than 8%, improving the production efficiency.
Matching soup
Natural lovastatin content, 0.4~0.8 mg in each 100 gram of red yeast rice, will produce an impact on blood lipids reduction. Soup addition with 10g red yeast rice, after boiling for 30 minutes, and the release rate of its lovastatin has already reached as high as 85%, 20% more than that attained from direct steaming.
Combined with soup, the most appropriate ratio was 15 to 20 grams of red yeast rice against 500 milliliters of soup. Therefore, in the preparation of red yeast rice soups, the content of polyphenol could go up on average by 30%, and its antioxidant capacity is able to increase by 25% hence suitable for those seeking healthy nutrition.
Red yeast rice soup is low in calories, at about 50 to 70 kcal per 100 milliliters, compared with ordinary cream soup or high-fat broth. One serving of chicken soup with red yeast rice contains about 4 grams of fat, while the same amount of chicken soup without red yeast rice can contain up to 7 grams of fat. This difference is really appealing to consumers who want to control their weight.
The unit price for such dishes normally ranges from 50 to 80 yuan, which is around 20% higher than that of ordinary soups, but its health attribute attracted more consumers to try. A 2020 clinical trial showed that the average cholesterol had been reduced by 18% and low-density lipoprotein by 25%.
Combined with soup, red yeast rice is consumed three times every week for three months continuously. Its effectiveness will be proportional to the total time it is soaked. Red yeast rice can be soaked for 2-3 hours before being cooked, which could shorten the preparation time and enhance the polyphenol releasing effectiveness by 15%. In the case of nourishing soups, one needs to allow for more than 1 hour of cooking time to ensure proper nutrition release.
According to the 2023 market survey, the consumer repurchase rate of red yeast rice soup reached 45%. And 60% of consumers said that red yeast rice soup can improve their eating habits. This trend also promoted the market expansion of instant red yeast rice soup packs. Sales of instant red yeast rice soup packs increased by 12% year-on-year.
With Low-Temperature drying and micronization technology, treated red yeast rice reduces the moisture content to 6%, extended the shelf life to 18 months, while increasing the stability of active ingredients by 20%. Replacing some high-fat soups with red yeast rice soup, with an average of 2 to 4 kilograms of weight lost after 12 continuous weeks; the body fat rate was decreased by 2%.
Baked pastries
The core ingredient of red yeast rice is natural pigment red yeast rice, which contains about 1.2 to 1.8 grams of natural pigment per 100 grams of red yeast rice and can bring a unique color to pastries. This pigment is considered safe and natural, 30% safer to use than artificial pigments, and finds wide application in various baked goods.
The particle size of red yeast rice powder up to 50-80 microns is the best particle size for pastry making. In the actual formula, the addition ratio of the red yeast rice powder is generally controlled at 5%~10% of the total amount of flour. A test showed that adding 8% of red yeast rice powder increased the antioxidant capacity in the cake by 45%, and the content of polyphenols reached as high as 40 mg in every 100 grams, which did not change its soft and elastic features.
The ordinary red yeast rice powder is between 40 to 70 yuan per kilogram, and high-end organic certified ones can reach 120 yuan per kilogram. According to the market report in 2023, the growth rate of baked products of red yeast rice reached 15% in the functional food market and became one of the fastest-growing categories.
Meanwhile, the calorie contents of baked goods using red yeast rice are comparatively low. For every 100 grams of red yeast rice cake, 280-320 kcal was recorded about 15% lower compared to ordinary cream cakes. Meanwhile, its fat content is only about 8 grams, 20% less than the average fat content of ordinary pastries.
Some high-end bread brands have launched red yeast rice cheese bread, normally selling for 20 to 35 yuan a loaf, about 30% higher than ordinary bread. This technology enhances the stability of red yeast rice powder by 25%, and the preservation rate of active ingredients reaches as high as 95%, hence providing an efficient solution for the baking industry.
A consumer survey of 500 showed that taking red yeast rice cake twice a week for 12 consecutive weeks reduced total cholesterol by 12% and low-density lipoprotein by 18%. As shown in the consumer survey conducted in 2022, nearly 70% of consumers claimed to be willing to try the red yeast rice cake, among which 45% were even willing to pay a higher price for it.
With therapeutic meals
The active ingredients in red yeast rice are natural lovastatin, polyphenols, dietary fiber, and other minerals. There is about 0.4 to 0.8 mg of lovastatin in every 100 grams of red yeast rice, which could lower low-density lipoprotein significantly and hence reduce cardiovascular risk by up to a great extent. People who consume 20 grams of red yeast rice with therapeutic meals daily have an average reduction of 18% in total cholesterol within 12 weeks.
Adding 30 grams of red yeast rice to 150 grams of brown rice for cooking will increase the dietary fiber to 5.5 grams per 100 grams, about a 20% increase compared to the consumption of brown rice alone. Add 150 grams of chicken breast and 200 grams of green vegetables to a dish of red yeast rice chicken, and it will be within 350 kcal in total; it will contain 25 grams of high-quality protein and provide more than 50% of the recommended dietary allowance of iron.
The market size of therapeutic products related to red yeast rice currently amounts to 600 million yuan, with an average annual growth rate of 16%. Among these, the price for a serving of high-end therapeutic meal products amounts to 50 to 80 yuan, around 30% higher than that of ordinary healthy meals.
For the year 2020, one study demonstrated that adding red yeast rice to therapeutic meals could effectively improve the stability of postprandial blood sugar and reduce postprandial blood sugar fluctuations by about 25%. It is suggested that red yeast rice be soaked for 2 to 3 hours in advance and then cooked with other ingredients. It can improve the releasing efficiency of polyphenols, and the remaining rate can be as high as 85% or more.
