Kala Namak Rice: Know the Health Benefits of “Buddha Rice”

Rice has always been a staple food in our diet, whether it be with pulses, fried, or in kheer. Rice has been one of the first staple foods known to mankind. There are almost hundreds of varieties of rice in India alone and one of them is Kala Namak rice. 

The rice also famously knows as “Buddha Rice” as it was found to be cultivated around the time of Gautam Buddha around 600 BCE. The rice was originally grown in the Terai belt of the state of Uttar Pradesh in and around the district of Siddhart Nagar, Sant Kabir Nagar, Maharajganj, Basti, Gonda, Gorakhpur, and Kushinagar. 

There are several benefits of Kalanamak Rice such as: 

Kalanamak Rice Benefits to Farmers 

• Organic Cultivation: Kala Namak Rice is usually grown without the help of fertiliser, pesticides, and thus is suitable for organic cultivation.

• Low factor Cost: Since the use of fertilisersand pesticides is non-existent the cost comes down and it becomes economical for the farmer. 

• Better Yield: The rice provides 40-50% of more yield in the same area as compared to any variety of rice.

• Disease Resistant: The most important factor is that the rice is highly resistant to several diseases such as stem rot and brown spot which makes the risk factor for a farmer while growing the crop very low. 

Health Benefits of Kalanamak Rice 

• The rice contains antioxidants such as anthocyninwhich is useful in preventing heart disease and also helps in improving the health of the skin. 

• It is rich in Iron and Zinc which are macronutrients and prevent Vitamin Deficiency.

• It has also been found helpful in regulating blood pressure and blood-related problems.

Rice has been awarded the Geographical Indicator tag in 2013 which recognised Siddhartnagar and the adjacent districts for the tag. The GI registry journal also mentioned that grains similar to Kala namak rice were found in Siddhartanagar district Uttar Pradesh.