Rice: To Rinse or Not to Rinse, and Why a Prepper Should Care

Among rice connoisseurs and anyone concerned with eating healthy, there is a huge debate regarding the practice of rinsing rice before cooking.  This post won't do much to resolve the issue, but at least we can understand the arguments and then make the best decision for our family.

Historically, rice was rinsed to remove dirt, organic particles, bugs and bug parts, etc.  We no longer have that concern in this country.  Today, milling processes in some countries include adding glucose, starch, and other coatings to improve the appearance of the rice, and these things should probably be rinsed off.

In the US, 70% of the rice consumed here is enriched with vitamins and minerals.  If this rice gets rinsed, all those vitamins and minerals are washed away.  Some people rinse rice to make it less sticky.  However, there's another reason why some people rinse rice.  It's due to arsenic levels in the rice.

Some people suggest that rice is a source of arsenic poisoning.  The small amounts of arsenic found in rice consumed in a normal, varied adult diet are generally not a concern, but two or three meals a day containing rice for an infant or small child could double their risk of cancer.

Arsenic levels in rice are a factor of the type of rice and where it is grown.  It is not a result of current agricultural processes or processing.  The arsenic is found in the soil the rice grows in, and arsenic levels are especially high in rice grown in Louisiana, Texas, Arkansas, Mississippi, and Missouri.  These areas were historically used for raising cotton and as such were treated with pesticides that contained arsenic.  That arsenic accumulated in the soil, and rice plants, in particular, are quite effective at taking up arsenic.  Basmati rice from India and California has the lowest levels of arsenic.  Due to their diets that include a lot of rice, Asians and Mexicans are more at risk for toxic levels of arsenic in the body.

Arsenic exposure can be lessened by either boiling the rice with excess water and then pouring that water off before serving, or by rinsing the rice several times before cooking.  Unfortunately, both of these methods also wash away the vitamins and minerals. 

So what's a person to do?  Personally, I'll probably buy a few bags of basmati rice grown in California to have on hand for small children.  But honestly, if we have stored a good variety of food, having rice once or twice a week shouldn't cause any health issues.  It might be an entirely different matter for those planning to live on rice and beans alone.

Links to related posts:
Rice
Thiamine Deficiency
DIY Instant Rice

For further reading:
https://www.consumerreports.org/cro/magazine/2012/11/arsenic-in-your-food/index.htm
https://www.fda.gov/media/96071/download
http://www.foodreference.com/html/a-rice-soak-rinse-1208.html
https://www.chowhound.com/food-news/148823/nagging-question-should-you-rinse-rice-before-cooking/
https://purelivingspace.com/blogs/health-wellness/the-rice-debate-what-is-the-best-choice-for-your-health