Scientists Find New Way of Cooking Rice That Removes Arsenic and Retains Nutrients

[Julieanne]

University of Sheffield
November 4 2020

• University of Sheffield study shows cooking rice in a certain way removes more than half of the naturally occurring arsenic compared to rinsing alone
• Study shows no loss of micronutrients for both brown and white rice during the recommended ‘home-friendly’ process
• Scientists call for further research on how to remove arsenic in areas of poor water quality and regional rice varieties

Read more: https://scitechdaily.com/scientists-...ins-nutrients/

[Islander]

Since even organic rice contains some level of arsenic, I was curious to learn how to remove it. I already practice rinsing rice before I add it to the cooking water, to remove excess starch that leads to weight gain. Now I see there an extra five minutes in the preparation will remove at least half of the arsenic. That's certainly an incentive to try this new method. Thanks for finding it, Julie!

[Islander]

Well hello again. As luck would have it, rice was on the menu tonight so I went right to work and put that cup of rice on the boil. Drained it… Rinsed it… Let it drain some more in the strainer… Then put it back on the stove. The instructions tell us to cook as usual but I thought it was wise to use a bit less water since the rice was already thoroughly soaked.
Result: one hot mess. Hot wet mess. It made me rethink any concerns I might have entertained about arsenic. The rice had increased in volume even more than it had after the first boil, and finished all wet and soggy and unappetizing. Of course I used it anyway… Food is never discarded in this house! I covered the leftovers in the pan and shoved them in the refrigerator in the hope that the remaining rice would possibly absorb a bit more of the moisture by tomorrow...

Anyway, be warned. After the five minute boil, prepare the rice as usual but you might try cutting the normal amount of water in half, see how that works.