Rice is probably one of the most important foods in the world. It is the food base of multiple cultures and is a very versatile ingredient. Within the wide range of elaborations that it allows us, one of the most common technical questions almost always arises: should we wash it or not before cooking?
Like many processes in the kitchen, the answer is: it depends. In some cases it may be beneficial, while in others it is established that it is not necessary. The OCU has detected traces of inorganic arsenic in a study carried out with 136 rice samples. This element is naturally present in this food due to the way it is grown, which makes it absorb arsenic directly from the soil. Although the levels are below the maximum permitted, this body establishes that “washing the rice and discarding the washing water significantly reduces the amount of arsenic. Therefore, it is highly advisable to wash the rice with water before cooking it.”
Bearing in mind that inorganic arsenic is classified as a category 1 carcinogen, and although it sounds alarming, it is enough to wash it to prevent it from having direct repercussions on our health.
Another of the points in favor of washing rice before cooking it has to do with contamination by microplastics. Researchers from the Journal of Hazardous Materials conducted a study that found that “washing rice with water significantly reduced plastic contamination.”
If we value it from the point of view of health, it is worth starting to wash the rice before cooking it. But then the question arises as to whether this will affect the final result of our preparations, which will depend on the amount of starch in the specific type of rice that we are going to use or the recipe that we want to prepare. It is not the same to make white rice than to prepare a paella, or a risotto.
If what we are looking for is a soupy or sweet rice, washing before cooking is not recommended. Medium grain rice such as bomba rice have higher amounts of starch and absorb the liquids and flavors of these preparations well.
One of the most basic preparations is white rice. But it may require more technique and tricks than it seems depending on the type of rice we use, and, of course, if we wash it or not. It is recommended to use long grain rice, such as basmati or jasmine, and wash it before the cooking process, which will ensure that it is less starchy and loose.
