What should you pay attention to when washing rice to limit nutrient loss?

Rice is an essential part of many people's diet. We have a habit of soaking and washing rice before cooking. However, according to the health website Health , improper preparation of rice before cooking can lead to some undesirable results.

Benefits of washing rice

Ms. Kaitlin Sass, a food researcher (USA), said: "Washing rice before cooking helps remove starch, giving the rice a softer texture when cooked."

Accordingly, when the amount of starch is reduced, the rice grains will not be able to stick together, resulting in less lumpy cooked rice.

Additionally, rinsing rice can help remove impurities, such as dirt or small pebbles. It can also remove some microplastics that come from rice packaging. A 2021 study found that rinsing rice before cooking reduced plastic pollution by 20-40%.

Washing rice multiple times can reduce nutrients such as iron or B vitamins.

Note when washing rice

While rinsing rice can improve the texture when cooked and remove impurities, Sass recommends not soaking and rinsing rice for too long. According to her, over-soaking and over-rinsing can lead to some undesirable results.

"Washing or soaking rice multiple times before cooking can cause some of the nutrients in the rice to be lost," says Sass.

Washing rice multiple times can reduce nutrients like iron or water-soluble B vitamins, according to Health .

According to Bass, washing rice can also remove a small amount of fiber and resistant starch. This amount of resistant starch is associated with improved bowel function and helps stabilize blood sugar levels. People should wash rice about 2 to 3 times to both help remove impurities and limit the loss of many nutrients in rice.

Source: https://thanhnien.vn/luu-y-gi-khi-vo-gao-de-han-che-mat-chat-dinh-duong-185240529115122178.htm