Two kinds of rice — brown and half-milled— may reduce the risk of heart disease and high blood pressure by interfering with a protein linked to those conditions, research suggests. "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," said Satoru Eguchi, an associate professor of physiology at Temple's School of Medicine. Eguchi and colleagues said their experiments show that an ingredient in brown rice appears to combat a protein known as angiotensin II that contributes to high blood pressure and clogged arteries.