The Chinese food culture has a long history, but the dietary differences vary greatly. Southerners cannot live without rice, while northerners cannot break their love for staple foods. In some regions of China, such as Shanghai, eating rice soaked in hot water has become a habit for many people, especially during hot weather when they don't feel like eating. But is it good for the body to eat rice soaked in hot water?
Soaked rice in hot water is not good for the body
Although soaking rice in hot water can save time and make the rice soft and moist, making it easier to swallow, this cannot hide the many drawbacks of soaked rice in hot water. Occasionally eating this way is not a problem, but it is not beneficial for the body in the long run.
Soaked rice in hot water has low nutritional value
The rice used for soaking in hot water is usually leftover or cold rice. When rice gets cold, it undergoes a process called "retrogradation", which leads to a decrease in taste and a significant reduction in digestion and absorption rates. Once rice undergoes retrogradation, it not only loses the fresh and delicious taste of newly cooked rice, but also has lower nutritional value. Therefore, it is better to eat soaked rice in hot water less frequently.
Soaked rice in hot water is not conducive to digestion and absorption
The first stage of food processing in the human body occurs in the mouth. Chewing with teeth moistens and crushes the food, allowing it to come into full contact with amylase in saliva and turning it into a bolus. This way, the food can be digested and absorbed to the fullest extent when it enters the gastrointestinal tract. With soaked rice in hot water, there is more water and less rice, so the food is not chewed properly and is swallowed with the water. The saliva and food are not thoroughly mixed, and substances like maltose in rice are not released, affecting the digestion and absorption of food.
Soaked rice in hot water is not good for the stomach
The rice grains in soaked rice in hot water are swallowed with water and enter the stomach through the esophagus, increasing the water content in the stomach and diluting the gastric juice. The unchewed rice grains are difficult to digest in the stomach, increasing the burden on the stomach and reducing the digestive function of the gastrointestinal tract. Long-term consumption of soaked rice in hot water, along with the lack of saliva involvement, is bound to cause gastrointestinal diseases.
Is rice soaked in soup good?
During hot weather, the body's sweat secretion increases, while the secretion of saliva in the mouth decreases. To avoid dry mouth and throat discomfort and ensure a normal amount of food intake, it is acceptable to drink some soup, such as vegetable or meat soup, during meals. However, it is not recommended to soak rice in soup, as it is essentially the same as soaked rice in hot water, which does not promote the digestion and absorption of nutrients.
Suggestion: You can drink a small bowl of soup before a meal to moisten the mouth and stimulate appetite. You can also drink some soup during meal breaks, but wait until the food in your mouth is chewed and swallowed before taking a sip of soup.
