How to make rice safer to eat
The reduction of toxic metals of various rice types by different preparation and cooking processes - Human health risk assessment in Tehran households, Iran.
Not medical advice. For informational purposes only. Always consult a healthcare professional. Terms
Washing and soaking rice before cooking can wash away some bad stuff like arsenic and lead. Boiling it in lots of water works better than just cooking it in a pot.
No biological mechanisms were identified in this study. This may be an epidemiological, observational, or survey-based study that reports associations rather than proposing causal biological pathways.
Systematic Reviews & Meta-Analyses
Max 100Randomized Controlled Trials
Max 90Cohort Studies
Max 72Case-Control Studies
Max 58Cross-Sectional Studies
Max 44Case Reports & Case Series
Max 30Expert Opinion & Narrative Reviews
Max 528 / 44
Evidence Score
A snapshot of a population at a single point in time. Can identify correlations and prevalence, but cannot determine the direction of cause and effect.
Not medical advice. For informational purposes only. Always consult a healthcare professional. Terms
Washing and soaking rice before cooking can wash away some bad stuff like arsenic and lead. Boiling it in lots of water works better than just cooking it in a pot.
No biological mechanisms were identified in this study. This may be an epidemiological, observational, or survey-based study that reports associations rather than proposing causal biological pathways.
Systematic Reviews & Meta-Analyses
Max 100Randomized Controlled Trials
Max 90Cohort Studies
Max 72Case-Control Studies
Max 58Cross-Sectional Studies
Max 44Case Reports & Case Series
Max 30Expert Opinion & Narrative Reviews
Max 528 / 44
Evidence Score
A snapshot of a population at a single point in time. Can identify correlations and prevalence, but cannot determine the direction of cause and effect.
Publication
Authors
Sharafi K, Yunesian M, Nodehi RN, Hossein Mahvi A, Pirsaheb M, Nazmara S
Related Content
Claims (5)
If you soak your rice in water overnight and then throw out that water before cooking, you’ll end up with rice that has less of the harmful arsenic your body can absorb.
Washing and soaking rice helps reduce harmful lead and cadmium to safe levels, but it doesn’t cut down arsenic enough to make it safe from cancer risk.
Washing rice before cooking and using lots of water (like boiling it like pasta) removes more harmful metals like arsenic and lead than just cooking it in a small amount of water — so rinsed cooking is better at making rice safer to eat.
Soaking your rice for longer—like 12 hours instead of just 1—can wash out more of the bad stuff like arsenic and lead, making your rice safer to eat.
If you live in Tehran and want to eat less toxic stuff from your rice, try washing it really well and letting it soak in water for five hours before cooking it — this might help wash away harmful metals.