Brown is better when it comes to rice. New research by physiologist Satoru Eguchi of Temple's School of Medicine suggests that a component in a layer of tissue surrounding grains of brown rice may work against angiotensin II, a culprit in the development of high blood pressure and atherosclerosis. The same tissue layer is absent in white rice. "Our research suggests that there is a potential ingredient in rice that may be a good starting point for looking into preventive medicine for cardiovascular diseases," Eguchi said.