Rice is a significant source of dietary energy worldwide, accounting for approximately 20% of the total consumption. The act of washing rice is a controversial issue with conflicting views; some consider it to be an unimportant and time-consuming process, while others believe that it is crucial for enhancing the quality of the cooked rice.
Consuming unwashed rice before cooking may not have any immediate negative consequences, but it carries potential hazards such as exposure to chemical pesticides, heavy metals, industrial byproducts, and other toxins. The necessity of washing rice depends on its origin and processing.
If you rinse prewashed and enriched rice, you may lose the added vitamins and minerals that enhance its nutritional value. However, if you don’t wash other types of rice, you may be at a higher risk of consuming pollutants and other harmful substances that the grains might have come into contact with.
Why Do You Wash Rice?
Most people who rinse their rice before cooking do so without understanding the reason behind it, except that it is a common practice. The primary justification for this is that washing rice before cooking can impact the final product’s texture and appearance, but there are also more critical reasons to consider.
There are three compelling reasons to rinse your rice:
Remove Excess Starch
Rice is commonly transported and kept in a dehydrated state inside sacks. During the handling or movement of these sacks, the grains of rice tend to rub against each other, leading to the disintegration of some grains and resulting in loose starch that covers the remaining grains.
When the extra starch in rice is not removed, it can result in a sticky and gluey texture when cooked. However, washing away this starch before cooking leads to fluffier rice with more defined individual grains and a fresher taste, which some believe can also increase its shelf life.
Before consumption, rice undergoes a lengthy process of processing and distribution, during which it may come into contact with various forms of dirt, dust, rocks, and insects. To prevent any unpleasant surprises that could spoil your meal, it is advisable to quickly rinse and inspect the rice before cooking.
Reduce Exposure to Heavy Metals and Additives
When producing and distributing rice, it is possible to mix talc with the rice to prevent mold caused by moisture. Although this is not common practice for most domestically processed rice in the U.S., talc is still used during the process of removing bran from brown rice to create white rice, also known as polished or milled rice.
Although the safety of talc is a topic of discussion, it has the potential to include asbestos. The U.S. Federal Drug Administration asserts that talc used in cosmetics is free from asbestos, but there are no indications of similarly strict regulations for talc utilized in rice polishing.
Heavy metal contamination is another factor that poses a risk when consuming unwashed rice. Rice plants absorb water-soluble arsenic, lead, and cadmium from polluted groundwater that floods rice paddies. Studies in China have indicated that industrial wastewater is a major cause of this problem.
It has been discovered that rice cultivated in states such as Arkansas, Louisiana, Missouri, and Texas, which were previously used for cotton production, contains higher levels of arsenic compared to other regions globally. This could be due to the use of pesticides containing arsenic on cotton fields in the past. The rice grown in these states constitutes 76% of the total rice consumed in the United States.
Eating unwashed rice in large amounts can be a serious hazard to one’s health and wellbeing. A 2018 study discovered that washing the grain before consumption significantly decreases the amount of contaminants present.
When preparing rice for cooking, it is important to understand the distinctions between rinsing, washing, and soaking.
Rinsing
Typically, this involves rinsing rice grains with cold water to swiftly eliminate any dirt, undesirable substances, or contaminants.
To ensure that unwashed rice is clean, a simple method is to use a fine mesh colander or strainer and rinse it under the faucet until the water flowing out from beneath the rice is transparent.
If you don’t have a strainer, an alternative method is to place your rice in a spacious bowl, pour enough water to submerge the rice, and stir it with your hand or a tool. Discard the water and repeat the process until the drained water runs clear.
Washing
Washing rice involves a more elaborate process than just rinsing.
To ensure the cleanliness of your rice, put it in a spacious container and pour enough water to cover it by about the length of your finger. Rub the grains with your hand for one to two minutes, then discard the murky water and repeat this process three to five times.
Soaking
Reducing exposure to toxins can be achieved more effectively by soaking rice than washing it. Additionally, soaking rice initiates the rehydration process of the grains, which ultimately reduces overall cooking time. It is important to note that various types of rice necessitate different soaking durations; for instance, short grain rice such as arborio should not be soaked.
Once you have washed the rice, pour an ample amount of water to cover the grains, ensuring that the rice will absorb it. It is crucial to add enough water to keep the rice submerged; otherwise, it won’t soak correctly.
Depending on the variety of rice, you can leave the covered bowl at room temperature for a duration ranging from fifteen minutes to twelve hours.
When it comes to unwashed rice, washing or soaking does not eliminate any nutrients except for excess starches, and even if it did remove some usable nutrients, it would still be advisable to get rid of any hazardous pollutants.
Enriched or fortified rice is the only exception. Although white rice is a crucial food source in many regions, the process of removing the bran from brown rice to produce white rice eliminates some of the natural nutrients found in less processed types of rice. This has prompted manufacturers to reintroduce nutrients such as iron, folic acid, and vitamin A into white rice after processing.
Nutrients lost during the processing of rice can be restored by adding a powder or spray to the final product, but the powder is more likely to be washed away than the water-resistant spray. The rice is cleaned before being enriched, and it’s important to check if your rice has already been prewashed.
Which Types of Rice Should You Wash?
Due to the potential danger of heavy metal contamination, it is widely believed that washing rice is always necessary. However, many Americans skip this step since a considerable amount of the rice they consume has already been prewashed and fortified.
Online discussions have arisen regarding the appropriateness of washing rice, with arborio rice being the only type consistently advised against pre-cooking washing due to its high starch content necessary for achieving the signature creamy texture of risotto.
Aside from that, it is consistently advised to wash all varieties of rice to enhance the texture, taste, safety, and overall excellence of your dish.
You can also check this video about “What Happens When You Eat Unwashed Rice?”
