"Food is the first necessity of the people, and safety is the first priority of food" is a common saying, yet in daily life, people often overlook safety and health. When what to eat is no longer a problem, how to eat becomes an increasingly important topic. Good eating habits can affect your entire life. Boiling rice in boiling water is better for nutrition.
Sometimes, doing things the easy way doesn't guarantee good results, and this is true for cooking rice in cold water. After being soaked in cold water, rice absorbs a large amount of water and expands, causing most of the nutrients in the aleurone layer to dissolve in the water. As the water temperature rises and the water evaporates, the vitamin B1 dissolved in the water partially escapes and is destroyed by heat in the alkaline water. Furthermore, the drinking water of many urban residents has purifying agents and bleaching powder added during the purification process. Although these are harmless to the human body and can kill bacteria in the water, they can also directly break down and destroy vitamin B1, leading to a loss of nutrients in the cooked rice.
The best way to cook rice is to add it to boiling water. This way, the rice absorbs water while being heated. The proteins coagulate upon heating, keeping the grains intact. Some of the gelatinized starch escapes into the broth, giving the congee a sticky texture. Moreover, during the boiling process, some of the coagulated proteins can protect vitamin B1, preventing it from dissolving excessively in the water. When the water resumes boiling after the rice is added, the heat is reduced to a simmer, decreasing the steam. This method preserves 30% more vitamin B1 than cooking with cold water, and the resulting rice tastes better.
To get fragrant rice, you don't necessarily need new rice; you can use tea water to cook it for a meal that is excellent in color, aroma, and flavor. Cooking rice with tea water also has benefits such as cutting grease, freshening the breath, aiding digestion, and preventing diseases. Middle-aged and elderly people who often eat rice cooked with tea water can soften their blood vessels, lower blood lipids, and prevent cardiovascular diseases. Additionally, tea polyphenols can block the synthesis of nitrosamines in the human body. Amines and nitrites are substances widely found in food. At 37°C and with appropriate acidity, they can easily form carcinogenic nitrosamines. Cooking rice with tea water can effectively prevent the formation of nitrosamines, thereby achieving the goal of preventing digestive tract tumors.