Red yeast rice--rice fermented with a reddish yeast (Monascus purpureus)--has been used for thousands of years as an Asian dietary staple, a natural food coloring and a traditional Chinese remedy. More recently, red yeast rice has come into the spotlight as a potent cholesterol-lowering supplement.
Culinary Uses
Red yeast rice is eaten in Asian communities as a grain like ordinary rice. It is also used as a natural way to color a variety of foods, including Asian alcohols, pickled dishes and, most famously, Peking duck.
Traditional Chinese Medicine
Since as far back as the Tang Dynasty in 800 A.D., red yeast rice has been used to aid in digestion and improve blood circulation.
Cholesterol Treatment
Strong scientific evidence supports the role of red yeast rice in lowering cholesterol. A 2008 Mayo Clinic study showed that in combination with fish oil and lifestyle changes, red yeast rice lowered cholesterol even more than statin drugs, the standard treatment for high cholesterol (see Resources).
Other Medical Uses
Additional studies suggest red yeast rice may promote bone formation, counteract diabetes and provide cardiovascular benefits.
Considerations
Because red yeast rice contains a naturally occurring substance found in prescription statin drugs, there has been an ongoing dispute over whether it should be regulated as a drug or a dietary supplement.
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