Washing rice before cooking seems simple but many people do it wrong.

Many people have the habit of washing rice thoroughly before cooking - Illustration: D.LIEU

So what is the correct way to wash rice before cooking?

Wondering how to wash rice?

Since childhood, Ms. Loan (Hanoi) has had the habit of washing rice thoroughly before cooking, washing the rice until the color of the rice gradually fades. She shared that this is a method passed down from her mother, with the purpose of removing dirt and bacteria in the rice, helping the rice to be whiter and cleaner when cooked.

However, recently many of her colleagues shared that if the rice is washed too thoroughly, it will cause the loss of nutrients and fiber in the outer layer of the rice. This made Ms. Loan wonder: "Have I been doing it wrong all this time?".

Sharing about this issue, Ms. Nguyen Thi Lam, former deputy director of the National Institute of Nutrition, said that currently, depending on the type of rice, housewives can consider whether or not to wash the rice.

Ms. Lam said that in the past, rice was mainly grown and consumed within the family. Through the process of harvesting, drying, and milling rice, people realized that rice could contain a lot of dust, even gravel when drying in the yard. Therefore, the previous habit was to carefully pick the rice, remove the sand, and wash it thoroughly before cooking.

In addition, Vietnam's hot and humid tropical climate is a favorable condition for bacteria and mold to grow. Along with air pollution, rice is at risk of being contaminated with dust and bacteria, so washing rice before cooking is necessary.

"I still have the habit of washing rice before cooking. Especially for rice bought at the market, I still advise everyone to wash the rice gently to remove bran and dirt.

However, nowadays there are some types of rice that do not need to be washed before cooking. For example, rice that has been dried and then vacuum-packed, called clean rice, does not need to be washed.

Or germinated brown rice, rice that is germinated and then dried and vacuum-packed, only needs to be cooked and does not need to be washed," said Ms. Lam.

Still should wash rice before cooking

Doctor Nguyen Huy Hoang, Hyperbaric Oxygen Center, Vietnam-Russia Tropical Center, Ministry of National Defense, also said that scientists believe that rice should still be washed before cooking.

Because washing rice can remove microplastic particles that stick to the surface of rice during transportation and packaging. Washing rice also helps remove sand, gravel, bran, dust, and dirt particles in the rice if any.

"Rice contains very small amounts of inorganic arsenic, washing rice will help reduce this substance. In addition, washing rice before cooking will also help the rice grains to be softer and less sticky when cooked," said Dr. Hoang.

A common mistake many people make is washing rice until the water is clear before cooking.

According to experts, fiber and valuable vitamins and minerals are mainly located on the outside of the rice grain, not inside. Therefore, if you wash the rice thoroughly until the water is clear before cooking, you will inadvertently lose the nutrients in the rice.

According to Dr. Hoang, people should be careful not to wash rice for too long or too thoroughly because this can cause the nutrients in the rice to be lost. In addition, experts say people should also wash their hands thoroughly before washing rice to avoid contamination.

Source: https://tuoitre.vn/vo-gao-truoc-khi-nau-com-tuong-don-gian-nhung-nhieu-nguoi-lam-chua-dung-20240617133515411.htm