MINERAL COMPOSITION-RICE VS. WHEAT

Abstract

In the last decade, globalization and accelerated consumption have led to a worrying increase in lifestyle-related diseases, among the most serious being diabetes and heart disease. Thus, numerous studies have been developed on reducing the incidence and severity of lifestyle-related diseases with a focus on the mineral content, antioxidant potential and glycemic index of foods. In this context, a number of cereal grains may show promise as medicinal and health foods. Rice and wheat are some of the most important plants in the human diet. They are rich in carbohydrates, protein, minerals (K, Mg, Zn, P and Fe), vitamins (riboflavin, thiamin, niacin and alpha-tocopherol) and dietary fiber. The PCA plot analysis underscores the distinct mineral compositions of rice and wheat flours, highlighting the broader nutritional differences between them. The paper makes a comparative study between data obtained by XRF analysis and average values from different databases on the mineral content of two cereal species: wheat and rice.