How To Remove Arsenic From Rice: Step By Step Method To Cook Rice And Retain Nutrients

Most of the Population In India Consumes Rice. It is known to accumulate arsenic around ten times when compared to other cereals. In rice grains, arsenic is concentrated in the outer bran layer surrounding the endosperm.  Cooking rice in excess water could remove arsenic but the problem is it also removes nutrients.

A new paper, published on October 29, 2020, in Science of the Total Environment shows that, cooking rice in a certain way that removes over 50 percent of arsenic in brown rice and 74 percent in white rice. The new study tested different ways to cook rice to try and reduce the arsenic by using a home- friendly way of cooking rice, the ’Parboiling With absorption method’(PBA). By using this method most of the arsenic was removed and keeping the nutrients alive.

Procedure To Cook In PBA Method:

Step1: Add freshwater (4 cups for every cup of raw rice and boil)

Step2: Add rice and boil for another 5 minutes

Step3: Discard the water with arsenic

Step4: Add fresh water (Example: 2cups for each cup of raw rice)

Step4: Cook rice with low to medium heat with a lid on until the water is absorbed.

If we cook in this method it removes arsenic which causes skin lesions, cancer, diabetes and lung diseases. It is a highly recommended method while preparing food for infants and children.