Is Your Rice Cooker Harming Your Health?

Having a rice cooker at home is truly a great help. As rice is a staple in many families, making numerous servings of rice without any hassle is a huge convenience. Rice cookers have become an essential device with its range and ability to cook rice and even a variety of one-pot meals as well. 

While having an electric rice cooker may be heaven-sent, it can also generate a few issues that can affect one’s health. These issues are things that one can’t possibly know in advance. In this article, we’ve rounded up some problems that one can encounter with the use of a rice cooker. Let’s dive in to find out what they are.

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Electric Rice Cooker Problems that Can Affect the Health

You may or may not encounter these health problems with every cooker out there. While these rice cooker problems are not obvious or cannot be predicted to happen, the risk of them taking place can be lessened. 

Arsenic Poisoning

From a research study done, it’s been found that rice absorbs high levels of arsenic. A toxic metal, arsenic occurs naturally in soil and groundwater. In its inorganic form, it can be toxic and can cause cancer in humans. 

As rice is grown in flooded conditions such as paddies, this chemical can leave soil and creep into the grains instead. It had been thought that cooking would be able to remove arsenic in food however, the way a person cooks grains can be critical.

The “steam out” method used in rice cookers doesn’t virtually eliminate any of the arsenic as the water is all reabsorbed. 

Moreover, the type of grain matters as well. Organic grains contain arsenic as much as conventionally grown rice, brown rice even has higher levels of the matter. Basmati rice is the only grain that has lower levels of the poison. 

Don’t panic and don’t throw away all your grains just yet as there are ways to correct this rice cooking mistake. Here are three ways of cooking rice for the family without it being toxic: 

• The first method requires two parts water to one part grains.
• The second way involves using five parts water to one part grains and washing off the excess water before serving.
• The last method is to soak your grains overnight before cooking it the next day. 

Low-Quality Electric Rice Cookers Risk Leaking Electricity

Using a low-quality cooker can lead to electric shock if it leaks power to the metal part of the pot. You’ll know if your cooker leaks electricity if you notice that the bottom of your pot is burnt. This means that the electricity does not focus on the heat sink. This is highly dangerous for any user.

To avoid this, always get products that are made with durable and quality materials. Low-quality products don’t often meet the industry standard, leading to problems in the kitchen. You don’t have to get the most expensive, top-of-the-line product. Any affordable one, as long as it is made with premium materials and by trusted brands will do. For suggestions, you can check out our reviews to help you out.

Unsafe Non-Stick Coating

Having an inner pot lined with a non-stick coating is highly important as it ensures that your cooked rice won’t be difficult to take out. While many high-quality and trusted products out there do have genuine nonstick surfaces, there are low-quality products that are only painted with a gloss that looks similar to a nonstick surface. 

Inner pots that have painted-on nonstick surfaces peel off in a short time and will contaminate the rice. This is a health hazard that can cause abdominal pain or food poisoning. One thing you can do to ensure you have a genuine nonstick pot is to buy a cooker that’s made with high-quality materials. 

With our few tips, you may be able to avoid and reduce the risk of harm in your kitchen. Always ensure that the product you’ll buy has a clear origin, has positive reviews, and is from a trusted brand.