Red Yeast Rice

Type: Herb

Red Yeast Rice is made from fermenting a strain of red yeast called Monascus Purpureus over rice to formulate natural monocolins. Red Yeast Rice contains naturally occurring HMG-CoA reductase inhibitors, natural pigments and fatty acids. Known as Hong Qu in Chinese, it is commonly used for improving blood circulation and balancing our blood lipid levels.

Traditional Uses of Red Yeast Rice

The use of Red Yeast Rice as a medicinal agent can be traced back to the Tang Dynasty in China. It was used to invigorate the body and aid in digestion. During the Ming Dynasty, Red Yeast Rice was commonly used to aid digestion and to treat circulatory problems. Its therapeutic benefits were first noted in the traditional Chinese pharmacopoeia, Ben Cao Gang Mu, during the Ming Dynasty (1368 to 1644).

Red Yeast Rice has been utilised for centuries in China and throughout Asia as both a source of food and as a herbal medicine.

Red Yeast Rice in Modern Society

Red Yeast Rice was introduced in Western society by Dutch scientists who noted its beneficial effects on the people of Java in 1884. It was then introduced in the United States during the later half of the 1990s as a supplement that may significantly reduce serum cholesterol and triglyceride levels in the blood.

Benefits of Red Yeast Rice