Why is rice washed before cooking? Know its scientific reason

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Ahmedabad. 21 June 2023 Wednesday

When making rice, you may have noticed that the rice is washed first. People believe different reasons for washing rice before cooking but even today people do not know the scientific reason behind it. From chefs to housewives, it is believed that washing rice before cooking reduces the starch content of rice, as starch is not considered good for health. Most people avoid cooking rice in a cooker and steaming it in an open pot is advised because when rice is prepared from rice in flour, the starch rises on top of the rice.

Rice is not washed to prepare recipes such as risottos, paella, rice pudding, as these recipes require a sticky effect, although this may also reduce the type of rice, health benefits or warning, and cooking time. According to one study, glutinous rice, medium grain rice and jasmine rice varieties are not due to starch but amylopectin which is released during cooking. So this has nothing to do with washing rice. Glutinous rice has been found to be the most glutinous and tough.

Most of the people consider it necessary to wash the rice before cooking for reasons of hygiene so that the dust, insects, garbage, small pebbles etc. on the rice are separated. Apart from this, rice contains a slightly higher and undesirable amount of arsenic metal which is very dangerous. According to the study, washing rice removes 90% of bio-accessible arsenic. According to research, the microplastics found in the instant rice that are coming nowadays are in many forms, washing it before cooking removes 40% of the microplastics from the rice. Washing rice also removes nutrients like copper, iron, zinc. So washing rice is considered harmful for the health of people who eat only rice.