Questions: 1. Was Arsenic in Rice something you were aware of before watching this video? 2. Now that you know that some Rice may have relatively high levels of inorganic arsenic, would that change your rice eating habits? 3. If you are, like most of us in Asia, who use a rice cooker to cook rice, would you change the way you cook rice because cooking rice with excess water and then discarding the excess water after cooking (like cooking pasta) have been shown to lower the arsenic levels in rice significantly? Do leave your response below, would be great for everybody to know how others would respond to this Arsenic in rice issue! Cheers Doc I have a blog post where I collated useful and relevant articles, information and studies regarding Arsenic in Rice - www.whatscookingdoc.sg/lifestyle-medicine-notes/all-about-arsenic-in-rice
1. I have heard about this and read many comments on health videos warning as such. 2. No. 3. Dr. Barnard in a video once said he boils rice like pasta but I`ve yet to try it. I think the ones shouting not to eat it the most, are the ones who haven`t given up junk food yet. The ones that don`t eat it often anyway unless its from the local take place with all the sugar, oil, and fried meat :(
I heard about this issue first from Dr. Michael Greger. He did not, however, cover cooking methods as a solution to reducing arsenic levels. He only spoke of the regions where rice is grown with less arsenic, mainly encouraging people to purchase rice from California, a state where they have strict laws about metal contaminants.
Well, I just found out a week or two ago about arsenic in rice from Flav city on RUclips… But yes, now I will change my method a bit on cooking rice, by adding more water… I do not use a rice cooker. But then again, we are not Asian and we do not eat much rice...🤗👍
@@gaymichaelis7581 Good for you :-) Whilst I am getting quite a bit of angst and heat from fellow Asians who love rice for daring to even suggest cooking rice in the 'cooking pasta' way ... :-)
Dr. Chan, why isn't this taught in culinary schools? While preparing a recipe, I delved deeper into researching various foods and came across a video about soaking grains, legumes, nuts, and seeds. It emphasized not just the importance of soaking but also the necessity of roasting them at specific temperatures. I was floored why are we not given this information at a training level?
Because culinary school and medical school do not teach real true nutrition. The standard American diet (SAD) is not true nutrition and not food health safety. Listen to Dr. Sten Ekberg and Dr. Eric Berg for the best of authorities on real food advice.
Sr.Dr Chan Tat Hon, a medical doctor from Singapore. I am very lucky and pleased to have found your channel .Thanks for releasing this info .Excellent !! exposition thank you very much indeed !!
Thanks for this important info. I’ve never thought about arsenic. In Hawaii we eat lots of rice cooked the traditional way in a rice cooker. I’m 83, in good health & hope to live another 10 years still healthy. Lei🌺
That's how plain rice is cooked in Guyana, boiled then strained. My grandparents were rice farmers and ate plenty of rice, they both lived to their mid 90's without health issues.
And we Guyanese still cook it so 🤷 😋 We wash the rice thoroughly, cook it in tons of water then strain in, while in the strainer wash it again in cold water, then put it back into the pot for the extra water to dry out....
I recently started cooking it like that again... I use to cook it that way but then j stopped because it's time-consuming...but j do now but the only thing I didn't strain it...ill do that now...just been worried it would spoil
Before the automatic rice cookers became globally available rice was always cooked like you described, ie: boiled in lots of water and then discarding the starchy water, and then simmering on medium heat till done. We didn’t know why but we just accepted that as the only way rice was cooked, not because of arsenic, of which we were not in the know because many households used the starchy water for thickening other food items such as curries and lentil soup.
@@israelizzyyarrashamiaak766 luziana and Texas in USA and in some places in China high As and Cd. Rice from India and Pakistan are generally safe. Edit: about china it's only some places only
@thezoldics7648 it dosent have anything to do with cooker it's water pollution. But if u drain water from rice it will be safer instead of drying it up
Here in Ghana, I only use locally grown organic brown rice. I soak my rice for 24gts changing the soaking water three to four times. I then cook it in a ratio of about 10-1, or thereabout. Thanks for such an excellent video!
10 parts water to 1 part rice? So, do you drain the water or let it absorb in rice when you cook? I understand it is different for white and brown rice, but I still look forward to your response!
And u think that arsenic is then eliminated? Or like many who say that now there is just a LITTLE poison that I eat every day? Any scientifi c studies don e ? Quinoa is a protein & is very much like brown rice.
I cooked our white jasmine rice this way today & it turned out GREAT. The rice pkg said it was from Thailand. I used 8 cups of water to cook 1 cup of rice. It cooked in boiling water over about 15 minutes, & then I put it in a strainer & ran warm water over it. Thanks for this info.
I was reading on the EWG "Organically-grown and conventional rice both contain arsenic. But arsenic concentrations in rice appear to vary based on the variety and the region where it is grown. White rice -- particularly basmati, jasmine and pre-cooked “instant” rice -- tends to have lower concentrations of arsenic than brown rice because arsenic accumulates in rice bran. Rice varieties grown in California or imported from Southeast Asia are often lower in arsenic than rice grown in other parts of the U.S."
Rice is nice! As a daily rice eater it wasn't easy to switch to the boil-like-pasta method because the rice absorbs the sauces much better when cooked traditionally. However, when left to drain for some.. time...in a metal mesh colander this improves. Thank you, very useful video!
Dr. Chan, thank you for all your efforts regarding a healthier consumption of enjoying rice. MOMENTS...into your presentations, I subscripted, to this channel. Why? I quickly recognized the knowledgable, well planned effort that you prepared; furthermore, I also recognized your ability to express such information to us in a very sincere manner. We thank you sir! Respectfully, Richard
Hi Richard, thank you so much for your encouraging words. I cannot express how much it is appreciated, especially when it can really get quite discouraging putting so much effort and especially heart into making a video, so much so that I have taken a break from and have not posted any new videos for the past 2 months. Thank you for your encouragement, I shall garner enough energy and motivation to start making videos again. Thanks. Blessings, Doc
This is my first time here. I love the way you got straight to the point and stayed on point. I really appreciate the information and intend to follow your advice. Thank you!
1. Yes. I was aware of arsenic in rice but was unsure of which varieties were safer. 2. It did affect my rice eating habits because I didn't know what to do about it. For my Asian family and friends not eating rice was crazy. 3. Yes. I love rice so I plan to change the way I cook it. Thank you. You are amazing.
Me too, although in recent years, my family has diversified our choices of staples beyond just rice, rice remained a regular part of our diet. It is unthinkable for most people I know in Singapore to stop or reduce their rice intake, so I hope this video would at least nudge some to consider changing the way they cook it. But ever since I posted this video a few months ago, I have received a number of comments from people that it is still 'unreasonable' or even 'ridiculous' of me to expect people to stop using a rice cooker and change to cooking rice the way we cook pasta as I suggested in this video. So I went to do some more research on studies available and adapted the rice cooking process hat was recommended in the studies, so that I can still use a rice cooker & yet still reduce the arsenic levesl. Am in process of editing the video, shall post that in the next few days, do look out for it. Thanks for dropping by my channel. Blessings, Doc
Thanks doctor..... glad to know this details.... just want to share... my grandpa eat rice twice a day (using rice cooker and steamer in olden days) since kid till he age 98 years old. He is considered healthy and no cancer , no cholesterol, no diabetes, no hypertension. He recently passed away at age 98 because of natural death , pneumonia to be exact (as he is a smoker) ❤️ from him i see balance diet (chicken fish vege rice ) n eating promptly breakfast lunch dinner at the same timing mostly, simple real food meal are the keys to his longevity .... he does no eat much snack.
Thank you 🎉 My grandma washed rice thoroughly in water, srubbing it with both hands several times. The water is so cloudy. She then par-boils, washes it and boils till the water dries out
I believe the method of cooking rice with high level of water to desired al-denteness of rice and draining the water, also helps to reduce the starch levels of rice, hence improving the glycemic index of the cooked rice
Yes, I agree that rinsing rice about three times then cooking it in the water to rice ratio of 6 to 1 ‘or’ 10 to 1 then draining it thus improving the glycemic index of the cooked rice and also at the same time getting rid of arsenic much better. ~But also “after cooking the rice” then if you leave it in the refrigerator to cool overnight then warm it up eating it the next day, this also does improve the glycemic index of the cooked rice.
@royjohnson465 Absolutely true and if you add a table spoon of apple cider vinegar or the juice of half a lemon when the water starts to boil it brings the glycemic index even more down and your grains will never be sticky. I have been cooking this way for 30 years, and no, you don't taste the vinegar or the lemon juice after it's looked.
This is how I cook my rice, drain & rinse in cold water again. I cook brown & black rice in a pressure cooker as it helps with the anti-nutrients. Great video for awareness!
You should buy different brands of rice and send it to a lab for a trace metal analysis, and find out whether rice from US or Asian countries have more/less arsenic. One of the biggest arsenic rice poisonings came from rice grown in Bangladesh a long time ago. But with most of the rice being grown in less developed and polluted countries like Vietnam, it would be interesting to see if there are major differences + compare the results with the arsenic levels considered to be harmful.
That's how I cook my rice, never knew it could help reduce the arsenic level too,I found out this method reduce the starch content of the rice.Thanks Doc.
Thank you for this video! The way I was originally taught was apparently the right way, but after not cooking for a while, I started messing up my rice. Then someone showed me the ratio to cook it without rinsing, which is how I been cooking it for the last few years. I guess I'm going back to the old way! Thanks again for this valuable info! God bless you! Xoxo 🙏🏾❤
I just recently learned about the high levels of arsenic in rice and rice products. I now eat organic rice specifically grown in California which has very low levels of arsenic if any at all. The downside is that this rice is VERY expensive. I've never tried cooking it with a 10 - 1 ratio. But I will after viewing your video.
Correct, the south central rice growing states have some of the highest inorganic arsenic concentration rates in the world, followed by Spain, and Italy. California rates are much lower. Brown rice is the highest as far as rice type, followed by long grain. The "fragrant" rices such a Jasmine and Basmati from Thailand and India respectively, had some of the lowest. Another way to reduce arsenic is to wash rice extra thoroughly. I wouldn't obsess over it too much unless I was eating it as a large part of my diet, while I greatly enjoy it, my consumption is no more that a few of cooked cups per week, and then that's usually either basmati, jasmine, or arborio (I use for risotto), so I still cook my rice in the traditional method. Also keep in mind that arsenic is a natural element found in most of our environment. Getting your water supply tested (even if municipally supplied) is always a good idea though, when having it done, be sure that they test for arsenic besides the other harmful metals, toxins, and pathogens commonly found in water.
@@p.v.rangacharyulu241 not very safe for people like me with celiac disease unless the chinese packing facility and the rice has never touched equipment that touches wheat rye barley or coucous
If you can find non-organic brown rice from California, you might save some money. From what I've read, organic rice will take up just as much arsenic as regular rice. That being said, who knows how the organic vs non-organic growing process differs so maybe you're avoiding some arsenic by buying organic anyway!
The arsenic comes from the soil and water, not from current use of pesticides or fertilizers. The organic label doesn't help with arsenic. Also, brown rice has much more arsenic than white rice @@OmnipotentEnt
I've always cooked rice with high water ratio, drained it in a strainer, sometimes even rinsing it again and then steaming the excess water out. I always thought I was the odd one out using a somewhat amateur but full proof method because others prefer the other method, but little did I know it is better.
Hey SK, all rice and rice products do have some amount of arsenic in them, it all depends on the source/type of rice used. You can't do anything to reduce the arsenic levels in rice products that require no cooking ( eg. rice crackers, rice milk etc) but you can to rice or rice products that require some degree of cooking with water. The key in reducing arsenic in rice or rice products is in boiling in excess water and then throwing away the excess water used in boiling. Hope this helps. Blessings, Doc from Singapore :-)
Ditto. My son just bought an expensive Japanese “favored” rice cooker. Rice is outstanding but looks like I am sticking to my old methods and passing info on to him. Thank you Dr Chan 🙏🏽❤️. I have allergies to nuts and do use store bought rice milk hmm might have to boil my rice then make my own rice milk too 😊👍🏼.
Wow thank you for this video! I had no idea! And thank you for providing documented evidence of this issue and ways to reduce the risk of disease and side affects! 🙏🏾
Thank you very much for this info. 1. No I was not aware of the arsenic. 2, Yes. I will now boil my rice in lots of water. 3. I do not use a rice cooker but. have put uncooked rice into a sauce. I am in England and use organic red rice from Thailand.
Thank you for sharing. I learned about arsenic in rice and started cooking my rice this way: I soak my rice overnight in water, then wash it thoroughly till the water is clear. I put in a lot of water (but will make sure it’s 1:10 going forward) then I strain the water after it boils snd wash it again snd then finish cooking it - I add a little water if needed. I use structured water in my house which also energetically removes any toxins.
Dr Chan Ijust came across your video today. I am going to start to cook my rice with high levels of water/rice ratio as you suggested. Many thanks. Pls keep making these videos showing ways that we can take care of our health at home with simple changes
You are good at anticipating questions. I have been researching arsenic in rice last few weeks. I just saw another guy who did a segment while standing in a grocery store at the rice section. I have long consumed Lundberg short grain brown, a California rice. But now I've started rinsing much more thoroughly and I parboil for 5 mins at 4-to-1 ratio, then dump that water and cook in rice cooker as usual, but with a little less water than I used to use. If I was very concerned, I would switch over to basmati. But I like the short grain brown best. Organic, of course.
Glad you found the video useful. I am working on a video to demonstrate a method of cooking rice using a rice cooker that will still be able to reduce arsenic levels in the rice substantially 😄
Good amount of information! Reminds me that Indians or the people in India have been cooking their rice by boiling it since centuries... they don’t have a rice cooker as we do.. sometimes doing things the traditional was seems the best way to go...
Good point! I actually didn't realise , until many viewers commented on this video, that this is how many people in India cook rice. I live in a multicultural community here in Singapore with Chinese, Malays and Indians - and we share one thing in common, we love rice, and from young I have always thought that the only and 'proper' way to cook rice is to cook it with a rice cooker!! So naive of me :-) Thanks for dropping by my channel, Blessings, Doc
Those of us who know wheat is a killer, the rice items you listed are all in my breads and crackers. I love rice too. Thank you for keeping us informed.
@@DutchmanAmsterdam I believe that the toxicity is now gone from wheat, rice, white potatoes, beans, all soy products as well as , nuts. I work for the paleiadians and discovered that very recently. Blessings to you and yours dear.
Greetings . In many countries this method of boiling rice 🍚 and throwing out the excess water 💧 have been going on for centuries but after straining the rice they steep it for an additional 20 minutes and also would add beans or spices or sauces and butter 🧈 or oil. Must have a couple of spoons of water 💧 in the pot then add the boiled and drained rice 🍚 and then cover and steep for 20 minutes and enjoy. But it was very nice to be reminded of the arsenic in rice🍚.Thank you. 🌹
I do know there is arsenic in rice and because of that I cut my rice consumption . After watching your video I will follow your advice about cooking rice. I love rice. Doctor Chan. Thank you very much.
I have read that traditionally the rice was traditionally soaked, which makes it more digestible removing the phytic acid. I also read that either soaking it in that 6 to 1 ratio helps remove the arsenic and then you can cook it as before. Or that you can soak it in water with a bit of powdered charcoal which will remove a lot of the arsenic, then rinse and prepare as usual.
I always rinse my rice thoroughly and then soak it for about one hour depending on the amount of rice. I usually add some apple cider vinegar to the water while soaking then I give it a few more rinses before cooking. I do all this to remove the phytic acid. I went through a period where I didn't eating rice for over a year when I heard about the phytic acid in rice.
That's how it's done in Trinidad and Tobago 🇹🇹 Jamaica 🇯🇲 needs to adopt this practice as should Antigua and Barbuda and some other islands and countries in the world 🌍 thank you very much!
I remember when my mom had stomach cancer the Dr. was telling us he was doing a procedure that was created in Japan as because of all the rice they eat they have a much higher chance of getting stomach cancer then in America - Every other cancer form is very low but stomach cancer is very high in Japan
The main culprit is more like the rampant alcohol consumption, from sake to beer. And the mercury from tuna in sushi doesn’t help either. By the way, alcohol consumption has been shown to be associated with higher rates of throat, esophageal, stomach, and breast cancers.
I saw a video where the influencer mentioned consuming wild rice is best because it doesn't have any arsenic. According to him, wild rice is a grass and therefore, doesn't absorb arsenic.
Kudos to you, Dr Chan, for all your valuable and insight sharings. If I'd watched this video just a few days earlier, I would not have bought a new rice cooker! :)
Sally you can use the rice cooker to cook rice and strain it. I keep exeses water , the way doctor mentioned .when almost cooked I strain it to a collander put the rice back and switch on the rice cooker. It will automatically switch off once done. This method is very good for diabetics also. Hope this will help.
Parboil the rice and then proceed to cooking it in the rice cooker as usual. You may have to experiment with how much less water you have to add though.
That’s a fantastic tip. Thank you for sharing that. I don’t eat rice anymore, I’m on keto, but I just started cooking my little senior dog low protein meals using rice as a base. I was worried about the arsenic.
Thank you Dr. Chan, I live in California and we love homemade fried rice at least once a week. I appreciate the lesson here and will now cook rice 10-1. We are never to old to learn something that is good for our health. Blessing to you for sharing your wisdom. ❤️🩹
People thought that I was strange because I did took my rice like that, I prefer my rice to be loose instead of sticky and stuck together, so there is a difference in how the rice comes out. I stopped doing that cooking method because my husband prefers this sticky rice but now I have good enough reason to go back to my old way of cooking.
I am from south indian state tamilnadu.we do the same technique for centuries.but now people have changed the cooking method either using pressure cooker or rice cooker.
Very informative. According to the NIH National Library of Medicine, I prefer rice gowns with less arsenic because cooking rice in excess water reduces many nutrients. Whole grain is also preferable. In California, arsenic levels in rice are regulated to meet lower levels, like in Asia.
The heavy use of synthetic fertilizers, herbicide, fungicide, mulloscicide, herbicides, etc in rice farming( and also vegetable farming) in our country is enough to make me rethink how and how much I consume rice. There are organic ones but they are significantly more costly.
The difference between all those pesticides and arsenic is that all those pesticides are supposedly not carcinogenic or they would not be approved for use (at least in many countries), although of course we have our doubts. However arsenic has been classified as a carcinogen.
This is how traditionally rice is cooked. As growing up saw grandma cooking this way. Later slowly heard things like draining water would drain all nutritions etc etc and people stopped draining the water.
Is it true that using Turmeric (Curcumin) and black pepper with your rice will also lower the arsenic damage to our DNA? A little yellow rice never hurt anyone? Will half cooking the rice with a lot of water, then draining it, and then finish cooking the rice with the needed amount of water get the heavy metal concentration way down without loosing as many nutrients? Rice grown in the Southern U.S. states has much more Arsenic because it is grown on the same soil that Cotton plants were also grown that were treated with chemicals containing Arsenic in the past. I have plenty of time, now that I'm retired, to read up on the foods I eat, especially when they may have been pre-processed by food corporations.
Yes cooking rice in the way you mentioned does help. Also Basmati rice from California, India, or Pakistan is the best choice, according to Consumer Reports data. These types of rice have about one third of the inorganic arsenic compared to brown rice from other regions. Jasmine rice also has much lower amounts.
I've placed butter, salt, broth, herbs, and Turmeric with rice covered and placed in the oven and it's great. I rinse the rice 10 times until the water's clear after soaking it for 15 min or so.
Thank you for this video it's very helpful! I will no longer use a rice cooker! Will have to cook the old tradition way going forward. It's sad but in an Asian family a meal without rice is like no meal at all. Knowledge is power so hopefully everyone will educate themselves n reduce rice intake in the future.
Glad you found the video useful. I think the important thing to be aware of is this - presence of anti-nutrients or carcinogens are present in many foods, it is a matter of degree. Therefore it is important to see all of this kind of information in its full context and not be unnecessarily alarmist, labelling a food as unequivocally 'bad' or 'unhealthy' without putting that in context. This applies to the issue of Arsenic in rice too, millions of people have been taking rice as their staple food for thousands of years, and no doubt there is potential problem of arsenic in rice, especially rice grown in certain areas with arsenic contamination but that does not mean we should be telling people to stop eating rice, instead we should be informing people on how to make better choices - in terms of choosing rice with lower arsenic levels as well as how to cook the rice to lower the levels of arsenic in them. Hope this clarifies. Thanks for dropping by my channel and leaving a comment. Much much appreciated!
Yes, you still can eat rice in Singapore, but you don't have to consume arsenic, it is not necessary for your healthy grown. 🥱🥱 Thank you for the medical advice, Dr.Chan!
Dr. I have a question, is there a test we can do to determine the level of Arsenic in the body? does arsenic accumulate in the body over time? if it does, how does one eliminate the accumulated arsenic? is there an arsenic detox?
Excellent video. I still use the rice cooker but I start the cooking with a lot of water, then let it boil for a few minutes before throwing away the water. Then I put new clean water but just enough to finish the cooking as usual in the rice cooker. Hope that makes sense. Would you think it reduces enough the arsenic?
The key step in all the different studies about reducing arsenic in rice seem to be boiling the rice and then discarding the water used in the boiling, so the process you described would probably be helpful in reducing arsenic to some degree. In fact I am in the process of making a video on how to reduce arsenic levels in rice whilst using a rice cooker because so many people got 'angry' with me for this video for suggesting boiling rice like pasta instead of using a rice cooker! :-) Blessings, Doc
@@TheHabitsDoctor I eat brown rice. I usually let the rice soak in water for a day and then rinse and throw it on the rice cooker. is that good enough?
@@TheHabitsDoctor THANK YOU for sharing- can you include a video about black rice i believe it has the most arsenic. i buy from california since i think arsenic levels are lowest there. i truly appreciate you sharing more on this.
I have always cooked rice the way you are showing. I am glad to know it is a healthy way to cook. I live in Louisiana in the U.S. Rice is a major crop and part of our cultural cuisine.
Arsenic is a poison and I am really not surprised to find another food contaminated with something. I live in Canada, born here of Caucasian descendants and I love rice. I have many recipes where you put all your staples together including the rice to all cook together. I will cook the rice this new way from now on and try to adjust my recipes accordingly. Thank you
Great information! The cooking method described at the end of this video has been used very long time by people groups who consume a lot of rice every day and live long, healthy lives.
Hi Kathy, every step - soaking, washing, rinsing rice before cooking does help reduce arsenic to some degree, but not by very much though. From the study I shared in the video, the key step that reduced the arsenic in the rice to the greatest degree is in boiling the rice in excess water and then draining away the water after that. Hope this helps. Cheers. Blessings, Doc
Yes, soaking does help reduce the arsenic further - there is this study pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/29053420 that looked at that in some detail, and the degree of reduction of arsenic is related to the soaking time and the amount of water that you used to soak the rice, the longer time and the more water used for soaking, the greater the reduction of arsenic, but that's provided the water used in the soaking is not contaminated with high levels of arsenic in the first place. Hope this helps. Thanks for dropping by my channel and leaving a comment. Cheers!
@The Habits Doctor, thank you. Excellent presentation. I look forward to reading the link you provided on the related top. Good to whether the vitamin content does down with rinsing.
Questions:
1. Was Arsenic in Rice something you were aware of before watching this video?
2. Now that you know that some Rice may have relatively high levels of inorganic arsenic, would that change your rice eating habits?
3. If you are, like most of us in Asia, who use a rice cooker to cook rice, would you change the way you cook rice because cooking rice with excess water and then discarding the excess water after cooking (like cooking pasta) have been shown to lower the arsenic levels in rice significantly?
Do leave your response below, would be great for everybody to know how others would respond to this Arsenic in rice issue!
Cheers
Doc
I have a blog post where I collated useful and relevant articles, information and studies regarding Arsenic in Rice - www.whatscookingdoc.sg/lifestyle-medicine-notes/all-about-arsenic-in-rice
1. I have heard about this and read many comments on health videos warning as such.
2. No.
3. Dr. Barnard in a video once said he boils rice like pasta but I`ve yet to try it. I think the ones shouting not to eat it the most, are the ones who haven`t given up junk food yet. The ones that don`t eat it often anyway unless its from the local take place with all the sugar, oil, and fried meat :(
I heard about this issue first from Dr. Michael Greger. He did not, however, cover cooking methods as a solution to reducing arsenic levels. He only spoke of the regions where rice is grown with less arsenic, mainly encouraging people to purchase rice from California, a state where they have strict laws about metal contaminants.
Well, I just found out a week or two ago about arsenic in rice from Flav city on RUclips… But yes, now I will change my method a bit on cooking rice, by adding more water… I do not use a rice cooker. But then again, we are not Asian and we do not eat much rice...🤗👍
@@gaymichaelis7581 Good for you :-) Whilst I am getting quite a bit of angst and heat from fellow Asians who love rice for daring to even suggest cooking rice in the 'cooking pasta' way ... :-)
1. Just yesterday, I saw a video about this. 2. I'll double rinse and try that new cooking method🙂
Dr. Chan, why isn't this taught in culinary schools? While preparing a recipe, I delved deeper into researching various foods and came across a video about soaking grains, legumes, nuts, and seeds. It emphasized not just the importance of soaking but also the necessity of roasting them at specific temperatures. I was floored why are we not given this information at a training level?
So the roasting is done before the soaking I presume?
Because culinary school and medical school do not teach real true nutrition. The standard American diet (SAD) is not true nutrition and not food health safety. Listen to Dr. Sten Ekberg and Dr. Eric Berg for the best of authorities on real food advice.
Sr.Dr Chan Tat Hon, a medical doctor from Singapore. I am very lucky and pleased to have found your channel .Thanks for releasing this info .Excellent !! exposition thank you very much indeed !!
You're most welcome. Thank you for your encouraging words. Blessings, Dr Chan
Thank you Dr Chan for the most useful and well arranged presentation on rice consumption
Thanks for this important info. I’ve never thought about arsenic. In Hawaii we eat lots of rice cooked the traditional way in a rice cooker. I’m 83, in good health & hope to live another 10 years still healthy. Lei🌺
God bless 💗
Which rice cooker is it? help me please 🙏 😊
That's how plain rice is cooked in Guyana, boiled then strained. My grandparents were rice farmers and ate plenty of rice, they both lived to their mid 90's without health issues.
And we Guyanese still cook it so 🤷 😋
We wash the rice thoroughly, cook it in tons of water then strain in, while in the strainer wash it again in cold water, then put it back into the pot for the extra water to dry out....
I recently started cooking it like that again... I use to cook it that way but then j stopped because it's time-consuming...but j do now but the only thing I didn't strain it...ill do that now...just been worried it would spoil
@@coley1902 it wouldn't spoil...make sure you put it back into the pot finally for all the water to dry out
We do same in India. Wash raw race. Cook in load of water..when cooked, refrain leftover water.
@@wendyann3333 Wow. I have never known Asians to use that method. They just use a rice cooker....
Before the automatic rice cookers became globally available rice was always cooked like you described, ie: boiled in lots of water and then discarding the starchy water, and then simmering on medium heat till done. We didn’t know why but we just accepted that as the only way rice was cooked, not because of arsenic, of which we were not in the know because many households used the starchy water for thickening other food items such as curries and lentil soup.
I think arsenic problem is not everywhere. Like India idk reason though. It's high in America
@@Raizelennot California rice but Texas rice is among the worst of the USA rice. Developing countries is the worst globally.
@@israelizzyyarrashamiaak766 luziana and Texas in USA and in some places in China high As and Cd.
Rice from India and Pakistan are generally safe.
Edit: about china it's only some places only
@thezoldics7648 it dosent have anything to do with cooker it's water pollution. But if u drain water from rice it will be safer instead of drying it up
Here in Ghana, I only use locally grown organic brown rice. I soak my rice for 24gts changing the soaking water three to four times. I then cook it in a ratio of about 10-1, or thereabout. Thanks for such an excellent video!
Why do you change the soaking water three to four times?
10 parts water to 1 part rice?
So, do you drain the water or let it absorb in rice when you cook? I understand it is different for white and brown rice, but I still look forward to your response!
@@leaellas8400With that much water she definitely strains it.
What the hell is 24gts?!!!
@@manuwilson4695 I suppose she means 24 hrs.
As middle eastern we boil the rice and then rinse it throughly and cook again 👍
This is genius! Thank you for sharing it.🙏
Huh???
We don’t . We wash it 2 or 3 times then boil it
And u think that arsenic is then eliminated? Or like many who say that now there is just a LITTLE poison that I eat every day? Any scientifi c studies don e ? Quinoa is a protein & is very much like brown rice.
I cooked our white jasmine rice this way today & it turned out GREAT. The rice pkg said it was from Thailand. I used 8 cups of water to cook 1 cup of rice. It cooked in boiling water over about 15 minutes, & then I put it in a strainer & ran warm water over it. Thanks for this info.
" ran warm water over it " -- how much of warm water?.
DID IT TASTE ANY DIFFERENT I LOVE RICE ESPECIALLY JASMINE
OMG some people say cold water and you said warm water you guys let be honest and seriously otherwise we are confused ourselves 😭😢
@ do we need to soak them before and discard that water? Or we can directly cook like pasta?
For those in North America, rice grown in California also has a lower arsenic level than rice grown in other states, particularly Texas.
Yes … if heard that
I was reading on the EWG "Organically-grown and conventional rice both contain arsenic. But arsenic concentrations in rice appear to vary based on the variety and the region where it is grown. White rice -- particularly basmati, jasmine and pre-cooked “instant” rice -- tends to have lower concentrations of arsenic than brown rice because arsenic accumulates in rice bran. Rice varieties grown in California or imported from Southeast Asia are often lower in arsenic than rice grown in other parts of the U.S."
I refuse to buy anything made/grown in Commiefornia. I’ll go without first.
did you test it? No.
@@philkearny5587lmao imagine being this petty, what a small life you must have
I was so happy to see you get straight into the subject matter and not try to hook us into watching. The information is much appreciated!
Glad you found it useful. Blessings, Dr Chan
Rice is nice! As a daily rice eater it wasn't easy to switch to the boil-like-pasta method because the rice absorbs the sauces much better when cooked traditionally. However, when left to drain for some.. time...in a metal mesh colander this improves. Thank you, very useful video!
Rice free from excess starch absorbs the sauces even better, reaching the very core, and sticky rice allows sauces to stick only to the surface
Dr. Chan, thank you for all your efforts regarding a healthier consumption of enjoying rice. MOMENTS...into your presentations, I subscripted, to this channel. Why? I quickly recognized the knowledgable, well planned effort that you prepared; furthermore, I also recognized your ability to express such information to us in a very sincere manner. We thank you sir!
Respectfully, Richard
Hi Richard, thank you so much for your encouraging words. I cannot express how much it is appreciated, especially when it can really get quite discouraging putting so much effort and especially heart into making a video, so much so that I have taken a break from and have not posted any new videos for the past 2 months. Thank you for your encouragement, I shall garner enough energy and motivation to start making videos again. Thanks. Blessings, Doc
@TheHabitsDoctor Thanks for sharing. 👍💚
This is my first time here. I love the way you got straight to the point and stayed on point. I really appreciate the information and intend to follow your advice. Thank you!
Glad you found it helpful. Blessings, Doc
Thank you Dr,I appreciate your time
Learned about arsenic in rice TODAY. Never heard of it before. No media coverage at all in Japan. Useful video.
You are right 👉 this is how my Trinidad and Tobago people 👫 cook 🧑🍳 rice. , they always strained the rice 🍚.
In many parts of Asia too, this was how rice was cooked .....until the advent of modern high tech rice cookers .....
Trini here 😀
Same in Afghanistan!!!!
1. Yes. I was aware of arsenic in rice but was unsure of which varieties were safer.
2. It did affect my rice
eating habits because I didn't know what to do about it. For my Asian family and friends not eating rice was crazy.
3. Yes. I love rice so I plan to change the way I cook it.
Thank you. You are amazing.
Me too, although in recent years, my family has diversified our choices of staples beyond just rice, rice remained a regular part of our diet. It is unthinkable for most people I know in Singapore to stop or reduce their rice intake, so I hope this video would at least nudge some to consider changing the way they cook it.
But ever since I posted this video a few months ago, I have received a number of comments from people that it is still 'unreasonable' or even 'ridiculous' of me to expect people to stop using a rice cooker and change to cooking rice the way we cook pasta as I suggested in this video. So I went to do some more research on studies available and adapted the rice cooking process hat was recommended in the studies, so that I can still use a rice cooker & yet still reduce the arsenic levesl. Am in process of editing the video, shall post that in the next few days, do look out for it. Thanks for dropping by my channel. Blessings, Doc
@@TheHabitsDoctor did you make the video about using a rice cooker for healthy rice?
@@TheHabitsDoctor Hi Doctor! I can't find the video you referenced here that you were making. Could you help me?
Hi can you give me the difference of cooking it this way? Does it taste better than the usual asian way?
@@TheHabitsDoctor Hey did you ever make this video? I use a rice cooker and would love the convenience of it while still lowering my arsenic levels
Thanks doctor..... glad to know this details.... just want to share... my grandpa eat rice twice a day (using rice cooker and steamer in olden days) since kid till he age 98 years old. He is considered healthy and no cancer , no cholesterol, no diabetes, no hypertension. He recently passed away at age 98 because of natural death , pneumonia to be exact (as he is a smoker) ❤️ from him i see balance diet (chicken fish vege rice ) n eating promptly breakfast lunch dinner at the same timing mostly, simple real food meal are the keys to his longevity .... he does no eat much snack.
Same pattern as my mom who died at 100 years three months. Except she died of old age just slipped off during afternoon nap.
Thank you 🎉
My grandma washed rice thoroughly in water, srubbing it with both hands several times. The water is so cloudy. She then par-boils, washes it and boils till the water dries out
I believe the method of cooking rice with high level of water to desired al-denteness of rice and draining the water, also helps to reduce the starch levels of rice, hence improving the glycemic index of the cooked rice
That makes sense Aida.
Yes, I agree that rinsing rice about three times then cooking it in the water to rice ratio of 6 to 1 ‘or’ 10 to 1 then draining it thus improving the glycemic index of the cooked rice and also at the same time getting rid of arsenic much better.
~But also “after cooking the rice” then if you leave it in the refrigerator to cool overnight then warm it up eating it the next day, this also does improve the glycemic index of the cooked rice.
@royjohnson465 Absolutely true and if you add a table spoon of apple cider vinegar or the juice of half a lemon when the water starts to boil it brings the glycemic index even more down and your grains will never be sticky. I have been cooking this way for 30 years, and no, you don't taste the vinegar or the lemon juice after it's looked.
This is how I cook my rice, drain & rinse in cold water again. I cook brown & black rice in a pressure cooker as it helps with the anti-nutrients.
Great video for awareness!
You should buy different brands of rice and send it to a lab for a trace metal analysis, and find out whether rice from US or Asian countries have more/less arsenic. One of the biggest arsenic rice poisonings came from rice grown in Bangladesh a long time ago. But with most of the rice being grown in less developed and polluted countries like Vietnam, it would be interesting to see if there are major differences + compare the results with the arsenic levels considered to be harmful.
3:30 he answers that
Good idea. I’m going to take my rice to my neighborhood rice testing lab. 🙄
Buy Indian rice
California produces a lot of rice....!!!
Brown rice better for you....the white variety is polished, and is the reason ALLLLLL of the Bran and nutrients are missing...!!!
i didn't know about arsenic in rice, this won't change my rice eating habits, but it will change the way I cook it. thanks very much!
That's how I cook my rice, never knew it could help reduce the arsenic level too,I found out this method reduce the starch content of the rice.Thanks Doc.
Thank you for this video! The way I was originally taught was apparently the right way, but after not cooking for a while, I started messing up my rice. Then someone showed me the ratio to cook it without rinsing, which is how I been cooking it for the last few years. I guess I'm going back to the old way! Thanks again for this valuable info! God bless you! Xoxo 🙏🏾❤
uta benoist,
👋👋♥️💙🇬🇷❗
I just recently learned about the high levels of arsenic in rice and rice products. I now eat organic rice specifically grown in California which has very low levels of arsenic if any at all. The downside is that this rice is VERY expensive. I've never tried cooking it with a 10 - 1 ratio. But I will after viewing your video.
Correct, the south central rice growing states have some of the highest inorganic arsenic concentration rates in the world, followed by Spain, and Italy. California rates are much lower. Brown rice is the highest as far as rice type, followed by long grain. The "fragrant" rices such a Jasmine and Basmati from Thailand and India respectively, had some of the lowest. Another way to reduce arsenic is to wash rice extra thoroughly.
I wouldn't obsess over it too much unless I was eating it as a large part of my diet, while I greatly enjoy it, my consumption is no more that a few of cooked cups per week, and then that's usually either basmati, jasmine, or arborio (I use for risotto), so I still cook my rice in the traditional method. Also keep in mind that arsenic is a natural element found in most of our environment. Getting your water supply tested (even if municipally supplied) is always a good idea though, when having it done, be sure that they test for arsenic besides the other harmful metals, toxins, and pathogens commonly found in water.
Just buy rice from China market. Cheaper and healthier
@@p.v.rangacharyulu241 not very safe for people like me with celiac disease unless the chinese packing facility and the rice has never touched equipment that touches wheat rye barley or coucous
If you can find non-organic brown rice from California, you might save some money. From what I've read, organic rice will take up just as much arsenic as regular rice. That being said, who knows how the organic vs non-organic growing process differs so maybe you're avoiding some arsenic by buying organic anyway!
The arsenic comes from the soil and water, not from current use of pesticides or fertilizers. The organic label doesn't help with arsenic. Also, brown rice has much more arsenic than white rice @@OmnipotentEnt
I've always cooked rice with high water ratio, drained it in a strainer, sometimes even rinsing it again and then steaming the excess water out. I always thought I was the odd one out using a somewhat amateur but full proof method because others prefer the other method, but little did I know it is better.
Hey SK, all rice and rice products do have some amount of arsenic in them, it all depends on the source/type of rice used. You can't do anything to reduce the arsenic levels in rice products that require no cooking ( eg. rice crackers, rice milk etc) but you can to rice or rice products that require some degree of cooking with water. The key in reducing arsenic in rice or rice products is in boiling in excess water and then throwing away the excess water used in boiling. Hope this helps. Blessings, Doc from Singapore :-)
You are also washing away the flavours, the rice tastes bland and sad.
Ditto. My son just bought an expensive Japanese “favored” rice cooker. Rice is outstanding but looks like I am sticking to my old methods and passing info on to him. Thank you Dr Chan 🙏🏽❤️.
I have allergies to nuts and do use store bought rice milk hmm might have to boil my rice then make my own rice milk too 😊👍🏼.
@@Sunny74- or drink oat milk.
That's how I grew up cooking rice. Straining it.
Wow thank you for this video! I had no idea! And thank you for providing documented evidence of this issue and ways to reduce the risk of disease and side affects! 🙏🏾
Glad you found it useful. Blessings, Dr Chan
Thnk you much Dr Chan, now i know how to cook rice the right way to get rid off arsenic, you cover this problem well for me, blessings
Thank you very much for this info.
1. No I was not aware of the arsenic.
2, Yes. I will now boil my rice in lots of water.
3. I do not use a rice cooker but. have put uncooked rice into a sauce.
I am in England and use organic red rice from Thailand.
You are welcome. Glad you found it useful. Blessings, Dr Chan
I'm so thankful my moms always cooked our rice like that!
Moms are the best!
Thank you for sharing. I learned about arsenic in rice and started cooking my rice this way: I soak my rice overnight in water, then wash it thoroughly till the water is clear. I put in a lot of water (but will make sure it’s 1:10 going forward) then I strain the water after it boils snd wash it again snd then finish cooking it - I add a little water if needed. I use structured water in my house which also energetically removes any toxins.
Never heard of arsenic in rice. This will reinforce my choice of low carb high fat, second month into it. Thanks for making this video.
Dr Chan Ijust came across your video today. I am going to start to cook my rice with high levels of water/rice ratio as you suggested. Many thanks. Pls keep making these videos showing ways that we can take care of our health at home with simple changes
Thank you for sharing this, I ‘m a Filipino I eat rice every day, I ‘ll try to do what you did. Salamat Doc.
Great that you enjoyed the video. Thanks for dropping by my channel, blessings, Doc
@@TheHabitsDoctor so Asians eat rice 🍚 daily Why aren’t they sick?
What about Brown rice what’s the difference? Thanks
Dr. Chan, I cook rice for my family at least 3 times per week, now I know what to do, and knowledge is key. 🇺🇸 in the house. Thanks for sharing
Thank you for sharing your wisdom and informing us how to take care of our health. God bless you! Saludos desde Florida.
Thanks for dropping by my channel and for your kind comment, much appreciated. Gracias! Blessings, Doc
You are good at anticipating questions.
I have been researching arsenic in rice last few weeks.
I just saw another guy who did a segment while standing in a grocery store at the rice section.
I have long consumed Lundberg short grain brown, a California rice.
But now I've started rinsing much more thoroughly and I parboil for 5 mins at 4-to-1 ratio, then dump that water and cook in rice cooker as usual, but with a little less water than I used to use.
If I was very concerned, I would switch over to basmati.
But I like the short grain brown best. Organic, of course.
Thank you Dr very good information. No more rice cooker. Follow the traditional way of cooking the rice like our grandmas and mums used to cook rice.
Glad you found the video useful. I am working on a video to demonstrate a method of cooking rice using a rice cooker that will still be able to reduce arsenic levels in the rice substantially 😄
@@TheHabitsDoctor That is great!
I am looking forward to watch your video of pasta rice cooking method.
Thank you 😊
Thank you,Sir. I was soaking my brown rice in hot water to remove the arsenic before I put it in the rice cooker. I'm going to cook it your way now ❤
Good amount of information! Reminds me that Indians or the people in India have been cooking their rice by boiling it since centuries... they don’t have a rice cooker as we do..
sometimes doing things the traditional was seems the best way to go...
Good point! I actually didn't realise , until many viewers commented on this video, that this is how many people in India cook rice. I live in a multicultural community here in Singapore with Chinese, Malays and Indians - and we share one thing in common, we love rice, and from young I have always thought that the only and 'proper' way to cook rice is to cook it with a rice cooker!! So naive of me :-)
Thanks for dropping by my channel, Blessings, Doc
Those of us who know wheat is a killer, the rice items you listed are all in my breads and crackers. I love rice too. Thank you for keeping us informed.
Those of us who know or who think we know?
@@DutchmanAmsterdam I believe that the toxicity is now gone from wheat, rice, white potatoes, beans, all soy products as well as , nuts. I work for the paleiadians and discovered that very recently. Blessings to you and yours dear.
Greetings .
In many countries this method of boiling rice 🍚 and throwing out the excess water 💧 have been going on for centuries but after straining the rice they steep it for an additional 20 minutes and also would add beans or spices or sauces and butter 🧈 or oil. Must have a couple of spoons of water 💧 in the pot then add the boiled and drained rice 🍚 and then cover and steep for 20 minutes and enjoy.
But it was very nice to be reminded of the arsenic in rice🍚.Thank you. 🌹
You taught me a lot today!
Glad you found it useful, blessings, Doc
I do know there is arsenic in rice and because of that I cut my rice consumption . After watching your video I will follow your advice about cooking rice. I love rice.
Doctor Chan. Thank you very much.
I have read that traditionally the rice was traditionally soaked, which makes it more digestible removing the phytic acid. I also read that either soaking it in that 6 to 1 ratio helps remove the arsenic and then you can cook it as before. Or that you can soak it in water with a bit of powdered charcoal which will remove a lot of the arsenic, then rinse and prepare as usual.
THNX FOR THE INFO! VERY IMPORTANT TO KNOW🌺✌🏽💚🌺
I always rinse my rice thoroughly and then soak it for about one hour depending on the amount of rice. I usually add some apple cider vinegar to the water while soaking then I give it a few more rinses before cooking. I do all this to remove the phytic acid. I went through a period where I didn't eating rice for over a year when I heard about the phytic acid in rice.
That's how it's done in Trinidad and Tobago 🇹🇹 Jamaica 🇯🇲 needs to adopt this practice as should Antigua and Barbuda and some other islands and countries in the world 🌍 thank you very much!
I remember when my mom had stomach cancer the Dr. was telling us he was doing a procedure that was created in Japan as because of all the rice they eat they have a much higher chance of getting stomach cancer then in America - Every other cancer form is very low but stomach cancer is very high in Japan
The main culprit is more like the rampant alcohol consumption, from sake to beer. And the mercury from tuna in sushi doesn’t help either. By the way, alcohol consumption has been shown to be associated with higher rates of throat, esophageal, stomach, and breast cancers.
Smoked grilled burnt food has more cancer causing agents
I finally found a very educative and healthy channel! Thank you
Glad you found it useful
I saw a video where the influencer mentioned consuming wild rice is best because it doesn't have any arsenic. According to him, wild rice is a grass and therefore, doesn't absorb arsenic.
Wow, good to know Annie.
Just found your channel as I was about to purchase Black Rice. Thank you so much for this very useful information.
Well done. Would be interested in glyphosate in foods too and comparison which would be the worse problem. Cheers.
Thank you. From a non Asian person who loves rice & is grateful for the sharing of information that you provide . What you said makes so much sense!
Excellent presentation, Dr. Chan, and very informative for this rice consumer in Mexico where the rice is imported from the United States.
Yes that would be a shock to find out
I often wondered what the reason was for "rinsing rice before cooking." Had NO idea about the arsenic risk. Learned something today.
Thanks!
I never known about this, Thank You Dr.
Glad it was helpful!
Thank you for sharing your knowledge Doctor. I will definitely share. You got a new Subscriber. May God Bless you.
Thanks for your encouraging words. Blessings. Dr Chan
Thank you, doctor. Very educational, informative, and well done.
Yes I am aware that it is more significant for unpolished rice like brown rice. Past advice I heard was to soak the rice first before cooking
Kudos to you, Dr Chan, for all your valuable and insight sharings. If I'd watched this video just a few days earlier, I would not have bought a new rice cooker! :)
Sally you can use the rice cooker to cook rice and strain it. I keep exeses water , the way doctor mentioned .when almost cooked I strain it to a collander put the rice back and switch on the rice cooker. It will automatically switch off once done. This method is very good for diabetics also. Hope this will help.
Parboil the rice and then proceed to cooking it in the rice cooker as usual. You may have to experiment with how much less water you have to add though.
Thank you for the links! We buy Jasmine rice 25lbs at a time. From Thailand. Very informative.
Glad it was helpful! Thanks for dropping by my channel. Blessings, Doc
That’s a fantastic tip. Thank you for sharing that. I don’t eat rice anymore, I’m on keto, but I just started cooking my little senior dog low protein meals using rice as a base. I was worried about the arsenic.
Senior dogs are so cool.
Dogs can’t digest grains because their bodies lack the enzymes to do it.
I have been eating brown rice for 3months now.For the past over 50years I only ate white rice.I will start to cook the way doctor advice.Thank you 🙏
Thank you Dr. Chan, I live in California and we love homemade fried rice at least once a week. I appreciate the lesson here and will now cook rice 10-1. We are never to old to learn something that is good for our health. Blessing to you for sharing your wisdom. ❤️🩹
I just listened to another guy, who said that rice grown in California has less arsenic in it, because of less in the ground.
Flaw
@@lillemorlagergren8770 .. . Idon't trust and believe Californians .....the most polluted food products....‼🙂
Extremely interesting and useful information. Thank you for your studies on this and for relaying the information to us.
Had no idea it was a problem... and now I will learn how to cook your way... thank you...
Very good and helpful, Dr. Chan! Thank you so much!
Glad it was helpful! And thanks for dropping by my channel. Blessings, Doc
Yes, i agree, now I boil my rice is more healthy. Thank you for sharing.
But I love rice... though I have always rinsed it after cooking and then let it steam a little bit, as it stays more loose that way.
Dr Chang great video. Thanks for sharing your 😮thoughts.
This is so informative and helpful. Thank you so much
People thought that I was strange because I did took my rice like that, I prefer my rice to be loose instead of sticky and stuck together, so there is a difference in how the rice comes out. I stopped doing that cooking method because my husband prefers this sticky rice but now I have good enough reason to go back to my old way of cooking.
I am from south indian state tamilnadu.we do the same technique for centuries.but now people have changed the cooking method either using pressure cooker or rice cooker.
Hello from the state of Maine in the U.S. Thank you for sharing your knowledge. I will always boil my grains now.
Going to boil my rice today instead of using rice cooker
THANK YOU FOR GOOD INFORMATION THAT KEEPS ME FROM SCARED TO EAT RICE WHICH I LOVE SO MUCH! SOORY CAPS BUTTON STUCK
Very clear and helpful information. Thank you Doctor Chan.
Glad it was helpful! You are so welcome. And thank you for dropping by my channel. Best Regards, Doc
Very informative. According to the NIH National Library of Medicine, I prefer rice gowns with less arsenic because cooking rice in excess water reduces many nutrients. Whole grain is also preferable. In California, arsenic levels in rice are regulated to meet lower levels, like in Asia.
The heavy use of synthetic fertilizers, herbicide, fungicide, mulloscicide, herbicides, etc in rice farming( and also vegetable farming) in our country is enough to make me rethink how and how much I consume rice. There are organic ones but they are significantly more costly.
Which country is that?
The difference between all those pesticides and arsenic is that all those pesticides are supposedly not carcinogenic or they would not be approved for use (at least in many countries), although of course we have our doubts. However arsenic has been classified as a carcinogen.
This is how traditionally rice is cooked. As growing up saw grandma cooking this way. Later slowly heard things like draining water would drain all nutritions etc etc and people stopped draining the water.
Thank you so much Dr. Chan I’ve learn a lot today never knew this ! Will definitely follow your advice ! 🙏🏽🥰💕🙏🏽
Thanks Doc. for this very informative video. Will now begin to cook my rice as you have recommended. May God continue to bless you
Is it true that using Turmeric (Curcumin) and black pepper with your rice will also lower the arsenic damage to our DNA? A little yellow rice never hurt anyone?
Will half cooking the rice with a lot of water, then draining it, and then finish cooking the rice with the needed amount of water get the heavy metal concentration way down without loosing as many nutrients?
Rice grown in the Southern U.S. states has much more Arsenic because it is grown on the same soil that Cotton plants were also grown that were treated with chemicals containing Arsenic in the past.
I have plenty of time, now that I'm retired, to read up on the foods I eat, especially when they may have been pre-processed by food corporations.
Yes cooking rice in the way you mentioned does help. Also Basmati rice from California, India, or Pakistan is the best choice, according to Consumer Reports data. These types of rice have about one third of the inorganic arsenic compared to brown rice from other regions. Jasmine rice also has much lower amounts.
I've placed butter, salt, broth, herbs, and Turmeric with rice covered and placed in the oven and it's great. I rinse the rice 10 times until the water's clear after soaking it for 15 min or so.
Thank you very much for addressing this issue and explaining how we can minimize the arsenic concentration. I'll be using the new method.
You're welcome. Glad you found it useful. Blessings, Dr Chan
Thank you for this video it's very helpful! I will no longer use a rice cooker! Will have to cook the old tradition way going forward. It's sad but in an Asian family a meal without rice is like no meal at all. Knowledge is power so hopefully everyone will educate themselves n reduce rice intake in the future.
Thank you so much Dr chan for your sharing . God bless you always ! ❤👍🙌
Thank you for your encouraging words. Much appreciated. Blessings, Dr Chan
Thankyou for bringing out the concern for arsenic in rice!
Glad you found the video useful. I think the important thing to be aware of is this - presence of anti-nutrients or carcinogens are present in many foods, it is a matter of degree. Therefore it is important to see all of this kind of information in its full context and not be unnecessarily alarmist, labelling a food as unequivocally 'bad' or 'unhealthy' without putting that in context. This applies to the issue of Arsenic in rice too, millions of people have been taking rice as their staple food for thousands of years, and no doubt there is potential problem of arsenic in rice, especially rice grown in certain areas with arsenic contamination but that does not mean we should be telling people to stop eating rice, instead we should be informing people on how to make better choices - in terms of choosing rice with lower arsenic levels as well as how to cook the rice to lower the levels of arsenic in them. Hope this clarifies. Thanks for dropping by my channel and leaving a comment. Much much appreciated!
Yes, you still can eat rice in Singapore, but you don't have to consume arsenic, it is not necessary for your healthy grown. 🥱🥱 Thank you for the medical advice, Dr.Chan!
Dr. I have a question, is there a test we can do to determine the level of Arsenic in the body? does arsenic accumulate in the body over time? if it does, how does one eliminate the accumulated arsenic? is there an arsenic detox?
Hair analysis is a good way to check your levels
What a relief! I just got rid of my rice cooker to make room for an instapot, butbI’ll boil my rice from now on.
Excellent video. I still use the rice cooker but I start the cooking with a lot of water, then let it boil for a few minutes before throwing away the water. Then I put new clean water but just enough to finish the cooking as usual in the rice cooker. Hope that makes sense. Would you think it reduces enough the arsenic?
The key step in all the different studies about reducing arsenic in rice seem to be boiling the rice and then discarding the water used in the boiling, so the process you described would probably be helpful in reducing arsenic to some degree. In fact I am in the process of making a video on how to reduce arsenic levels in rice whilst using a rice cooker because so many people got 'angry' with me for this video for suggesting boiling rice like pasta instead of using a rice cooker! :-) Blessings, Doc
@@TheHabitsDoctor I eat brown rice. I usually let the rice soak in water for a day and then rinse and throw it on the rice cooker. is that good enough?
@@TheHabitsDoctor THANK YOU for sharing- can you include a video about black rice i believe it has the most arsenic. i buy from california since i think arsenic levels are lowest there. i truly appreciate you sharing more on this.
I have always cooked rice the way you are showing. I am glad to know it is a healthy way to cook. I live in Louisiana in the U.S. Rice is a major crop and part of our cultural cuisine.
Glad you found it useful. Blessings, Dr Chan
Dr Chan, what are the (potential) problems caused by arsenic that you see in people (or patients) who consume rice daily?
Owww thank you Dr. Chan. I learn valuable informations with each one of your videos. Which makes me hungry, please keep the knowledge coming.
Arsenic is a poison and I am really not surprised to find another food contaminated with something. I live in Canada, born here of Caucasian descendants and I love rice. I have many recipes where you put all your staples together including the rice to all cook together. I will cook the rice this new way from now on and try to adjust my recipes accordingly. Thank you
Great information! The cooking method described at the end of this video has been used very long time by people groups who consume a lot of rice every day and live long, healthy lives.
How about rinsing the rice many times before you cook it? Would this also get rid of arsenic?
Hi Kathy, every step - soaking, washing, rinsing rice before cooking does help reduce arsenic to some degree, but not by very much though. From the study I shared in the video, the key step that reduced the arsenic in the rice to the greatest degree is in boiling the rice in excess water and then draining away the water after that. Hope this helps. Cheers. Blessings, Doc
@@TheHabitsDoctor .. can i boil rice throw away the water n put it in rice cooker to cook as usual?
@@soaptale2353 yeah I’d love to know the answer too
Thank you Dr Chan , your tip on cooking rice is very helpful..
You are welcome, glad you found it useful
Thank you, doctor. One more thing, soaking brown rice in water overnight is said to reduce the arsenic further. Is this true ?
Yes, soaking does help reduce the arsenic further - there is this study pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/29053420 that looked at that in some detail, and the degree of reduction of arsenic is related to the soaking time and the amount of water that you used to soak the rice, the longer time and the more water used for soaking, the greater the reduction of arsenic, but that's provided the water used in the soaking is not contaminated with high levels of arsenic in the first place. Hope this helps. Thanks for dropping by my channel and leaving a comment. Cheers!
Does soaking brown rice overnight reduce cooking time needed?
@The Habits Doctor, thank you. Excellent presentation. I look forward to reading the link you provided on the related top. Good to whether the vitamin content does down with rinsing.