Rice is generally thought to be part of a healthy diet because it’s a good source of fiber, but not all rice is equally nutritious. Brown rice might have an advantage over white rice by offering protection from high blood pressure and atherosclerosis (hardening of the arteries), say researchers at the Cardiovascular Research Center and department of physiology at Temple University School of Medicine, in Philadelphia. The secret lies in the layer between the white center of the grain and the brown fibrous outer layer, which is milled away to produce white rice; it contains a component that works against angiotensin II, a known culprit in development of these health problems.