Black Rice Cake

Black Rice Cake

　　The black rice tree, closely associated with black rice cake, has been recorded in traditional Chinese medical texts since ancient times. It is referred to as "Nanzhu Cao" in the *Illustrated Pharmacopoeia* and "Mifan Cao" in *Compendium of Materia Medica*. According to the *Chinese Herbal Dictionary*, the black rice tree is an evergreen shrub of the Ericaceae family, growing 1–3 meters tall with many branches. Its oval-shaped leaves are purplish-red in color and grow on mountain slopes, roadsides, or in shrubs. The black rice tree is abundant in provinces and regions south of the Yangtze River. Its leaves, roots, and fruits can all be used medicinally. Especially its leaves, which are mild in nature, sweet and slightly sour in taste, belong to the category of tonifying herbs. They can be collected before Major Heat, dried, and used in medicine. Black rice tree leaves can treat chronic diarrhea, nocturnal emission, leukorrhea with red discharge, indigestion, and also have the functions of improving eyesight and darkening hair. Boiling the leaves into a decoction for gargling can treat gum rot.

　　Research has found that the black rice tree leaves contain roughly six types of pharmacologically active components: anthocyanins, flavonoids, phenolic compounds, tannins, triterpenes, as well as various organic acids and inositol. Many of these components are effective in delaying human aging and preventing age-related diseases. Recent studies have also discovered that the pigments in the tender leaves and young branches of the black rice tree are rich in trace elements, particularly iron, manganese, and zinc, which account for approximately 23%–24% each. This shows that black rice can be considered a health-promoting and nourishing food. There is great potential in developing various health foods using the black rice tree.