Does rinsing rice thoroughly cause loss of nutrients such as vitamins and minerals, and how should you wash rice so that the rice cooks cleanly and deliciously? (Linh, 20 years old, Bac Giang).
Many people believe that washing rice too thoroughly will lose nutrients such as fiber, vitamins, iron, zinc… that are beneficial to the body. If you don’t wash the rice, you won’t be able to clean the dirt stuck in the rice.
In fact, rice contains a lot of calcium, vitamins, and minerals. Therefore, you should not wash or rub too hard to lose the important nutrients of the rice grains.
However, washing rice helps you remove microplastic particles contained in rice due to the transportation, packaging, and storage process. Washing rice also helps remove dirt, sand particles, gravel particles… mixed in the rice. Rice contains a very small amount of inorganic arsenic, which can be removed by washing the rice.
In addition, the nutritional value of rice depends on the variety, soil conditions, climate, and cultivation, not just the way it is washed.
You should not knead the rice for too long or too thoroughly. Do not soak rice for too long before cooking. You should only wash the rice, stir gently, and decant the water to remove pests and grit. Remove any debris or grit before cooking. Wash your hands thoroughly when rinsing to limit dirt from sticking to it.