Why Washing Rice Before Cooking Is Recommended, and When It Matters

A Hebrew health explainer says the answer to whether rice should be washed before cooking is more complicated than a simple yes or no. For culinary reasons, washing rice helps remove surface starch and can produce separate, non-sticky grains. That is useful for everyday rice, but not for dishes like risotto, paella, or rice pudding, where a creamy texture is desired.

The article cites research showing that washing, even three or ten times, does not significantly change rice stickiness or hardness. Researchers said the texture depends mainly on amylopectin released during cooking, and on the type of rice itself. Glutinous rice is the stickiest, while jasmine and arborio are less sticky and firmer.

On health grounds, washing rice can remove dust, insects, small stones, and husks left from processing. More importantly, a recent study found plastic particles in rice and other foods, and washing removed up to 20% of them. Instant rice, such as single-serve microwave packets, had four times more plastic particles than regular rice, and soaking that type reduced plastic by 40%.

The main health concern discussed is arsenic, a toxic metal that rice absorbs from soil. Washing removes about 90% of arsenic, but it also reduces minerals such as copper, iron, zinc, and vanadium. The article says the impact of losing those minerals is usually not significant because rice is only a small part of most diets. It also notes that the World Health Organization warns about arsenic in food and water, and that arsenic levels vary by growing region, rice variety, and cooking method. Other heavy metals, including lead and cadmium, can also be reduced by 7% to 20% through washing. The piece concludes that washing rice before cooking is recommended and that boiling, not washing, is what eliminates bacteria.