Sushi, spicy Uzbek pilaf, delicate Italian risotto or refined English rice pudding... They are all united by His Majesty rice.
It is the main ingredient in our favorite dishes. But what do we know about this ancient grain crop?
Rice can easily be called a legendary product. Its first varieties appeared about 10 thousand years ago in Asia, and scientists from all over the world are still arguing which country has the right to be called the birthplace of this cereal - India, China or Thailand.
According to the processing method, rice is classified as follows:
Brown whole grain rice. It is obtained after minimal processing, thanks to which all the nutrients of the grains are preserved.
White polished rice is the variety that we find most often. The grains of this type are even, smooth, translucent and snow-white.
Parboiled rice is a golden grain with an amber-yellow hue, which is processed using a special technology. Such grains of rice never stick together, and even if the dish is reheated, they remain tasty, aromatic and crumbly.
Rice elite
A day would not be enough to list all the varieties of rice. Therefore, let’s look at those that belong to the rice elite:
Basmati is the "world king of rice". This is an elite, expensive variety that is grown in the Himalayas. Its grains are the longest of all existing ones. It also attracts gourmets with its pronounced nutty taste, delicate texture and unique oriental aroma.
Jasmine - "Thai fragrant rice". It is grown in the countries of Southeast Asia. This is a special tender rice with a soft, crumbly structure, it has a surprisingly subtle milky aroma, which is reminiscent of jasmine.
Among the unprocessed varieties, brown, red, wild and black rice are especially valued.
The wild one grows only in North America. Its grains have a light nutty aroma and a pleasant sweetish taste. It is rich in dietary fiber, vitamins, folic acid, and contains valuable minerals.
Arborio is a translucent medium-grain rice originally from Italy. It was created, it would seem, by nature itself for preparing risotto and soups. The Italian variety of paella is similar to it - the famous Spanish dish with seafood is prepared from it.
Red rice has been known since the times of Ancient China. Once upon a time it was elite, intended only for the imperial table, but today everyone can try it. Red rice is distinguished by its rich nutty aroma and record fiber content.
There is also brown, glazed, puffed, puffed, dessert rice and many, many others.
Black rice is another ingredient in the delicacies of ancient Chinese emperors. It breaks all records for the amount of vitamins, amino acids and valuable elements. Black rice grains are incredibly beneficial for the nervous system and facial beauty, strengthens the immune system and blood vessels, and is useful for illness and anemia.
"Have you eaten your rice yet?"
In China, Cambodia, Thailand and all Southeast Asian countries, the words "breakfast", "lunch" and "dinner" are literally translated as "rice in the morning", "rice at noon" and "rice in the evening". In Japan, "eat" and "rice" are represented by the same character. Therefore, the traditional greeting in these parts is the question: “Have you eaten rice yet?” The correct response to this, regardless of whether you actually ate or not, is: "Yes, thank you. How about you?" And in Asian countries it is believed that whoever has more rice is richer. This is where the ancient tradition of sprinkling rice grains on the bride and groom arose - wishing them well-being and wealth.
A universal cure for all diseases
Rice contains a lot of microelements necessary to maintain immunity and brain function. This grain crop is a source of essential amino acids; it does not contain gluten, which means it does not cause allergies. Gastroenterologists also love to include rice in the diet. The fact is that a decoction of these grains has a mild enveloping effect and helps any wounds in the stomach to heal faster.
Rice is also used for cosmetic purposes. It is added in the form of flour to masks for aging, tired and dull skin. And this has been known since ancient times. Women of the imperial families of Asia applied rice powder to their faces.
Secret component of the Great Wall of China
Over the course of centuries and millennia, the Great Wall of China was built, destroyed and restored, but most of its fragments have survived to this day. And the secret of such strength is that to hold the blocks together during the Ming Dynasty, a special cement mortar was made from slaked lime and glutinous boiled rice.
At the end of the 20th century, residents of a small Japanese village, Inakadate, decided to attract tourists, and they came up with the idea of decorating rice fields-terraces. Every spring, local farmers come up with the plot of a new natural picture and realize their idea using rice varieties of different colors. In addition to classic oriental motifs, images familiar to the whole world began to appear on the fields - for example, Napoleon or the Mona Lisa. Now this village is visited by thousands of tourists.
Take a closer look. One grain can hide as many secrets as thousands of people will not tell you. Pay attention to what's in front of you, sometimes it's truly amazing.
Let us remind you that the Observer previously published a recipe
Today, rice is the most common grain and the most popular food product in the world. This invaluable crop feeds most of the world's population. The homeland of rice is the territory of modern Vietnam and Thailand. It was there, 9 thousand years ago, that the first center of cultivation of this crop appeared, and from there rice spread throughout the world: first to India, China, Malaysia and Indonesia, later to Japan, the Mediterranean, America and, finally, to Russia. Thanks to its unpretentiousness, low cost, ease of cultivation and good nutritional properties, it has spread widely throughout the world, and in many countries it forms the basis of the diet.
The most interesting facts about rice.
Rice loves moisture so much that its shoots sprout directly from the water. The fields for growing this crop are specially turned into man-made “swamps” and drained only during harvesting. This protects the seeds from exposure to the sun and protects them from weeds.
The word “rice” came into Russian only in the last decades of the 19th century. Before this, the cereal was known as “Saracenic millet”.
Rice stems grow up to one and a half meters high.
Rice is one of the oldest crops that humans began to grow. Residents of East Asia began sowing rice fields 9 thousand years ago.
Rice is very rich in carbohydrates - their share in cereals reaches 70%.
Since ancient times, rice has gained its position as the most important food product in China and the southeastern countries.
Not only cereals are obtained from rice, but also starch, oil and flour. Since flour in its pure form is of little use for baking bread, most of it is sent to cosmetics factories to be turned into powder.
In the cuisines of various nations of the world there are hundreds of rice-based dishes - pilaf, risotto, paella, Japanese flatbreads and sweets, and partly sushi.
In Europe, alcohol is obtained from rice; in Asia, rice wine and other traditional drinks (for example, Japanese sake) are made from it.
Puffed rice, which resembles popcorn in its structure, is often added to confectionery products.
Rice straw is also not a waste - it is used to make rice paper and cardboard.
In Islamic countries, there is still a measure of weight equal to one grain of rice - it is called aruzza.
Rice is considered one of the most important agricultural crops in the world, as it feeds more than half of the world's inhabitants.
The stem of ripened rice should turn completely yellow and the seeds should turn white.
Most people add 2 cups of water to every 1 cup of cereal when cooking rice, but it has been discovered that this cooking method can lead to diabetes, heart disease and even cancer. The fact is that due to harmful emissions into the atmosphere and pesticides in the soil, rice contains arsenic. To get rid of it, it is recommended to soak the cereal in water overnight and then cook it, or add 5 glasses of water per glass of rice, and then drain the excess liquid.
In Asian countries, an abundance of rice is considered a sign of wealth, which is why the tradition of showering newlyweds with grains arose.
One in six people on the planet is involved in rice cultivation, an industry that employs more than a billion people and provides food for over 700 million rice lovers every year.
In Japanese, the word "rice" and the verb "to eat" are represented by the same characters. In Chinese, the name of any meal is related to rice, for example, the word “dinner” literally translates as “rice in the evening”, and “breakfast” is “rice in the morning”.
Rice is part of many diets for those who want to lose weight, since 100 grams of this grain contains only 82 kilocalories.
Rice - round and long, white and brown - has firmly established itself in Russian kitchens, but only 300 years ago few people in Russia had heard of it. But do you know everything about this amazing plant? Below is a selection of interesting facts, you can test your erudition.
Fact No. 1: unpretentious and whimsical at the same time
Rice is considered an unpretentious cereal, since it can grow in the same place for an indefinitely long time, without requiring fertilizer, but giving a fairly decent harvest, however, it is very demanding of moisture and quickly dies if the soil is allowed to dry out.
Fact #2: Associated with cracked heels
There is a legend that explains how rice came to earth. Rice was considered the food of the gods, and only once did a person manage to try this dish. However, the man was not allowed to take grains of rice with him and was sent to earth without them. So no one else would have known the taste of rice, but this man’s heels were rough, with cracks - and several white grains were stuck in them. With love and special care, the man grew these grains and gradually rice became available to everyone.
Fact #3: Rice and Wealth
In Japan and Asia it is believed that whoever has more rice is richer. This is where the tradition of sprinkling grains of rice on newlyweds arose - wishing them wealth.
Fact No. 4: From India to Russia
India is considered the birthplace of rice, since it is there that most wild forms of this plant grow. Ancient irrigation canals and remains of rice in clay shards dating back to the 7th millennium BC were found there. It has been proven that rice was grown in China in the fifth millennium BC. Rice came to Europe already in the 4th century AD - it was brought by the ships of Alexander the Great. Peter the Great brought rice to Russia under the name “Saracenic millet.” It was only at the end of the 19th century that this cereal became popular in Russia under the name “rice”.
Fact #5: Hang it by the ton!
It is estimated that approximately 700 million tons of rice are eaten worldwide each year. To provide such an amount, approximately 1 billion people are employed in the cultivation and processing of rice, that is, every sixth inhabitant of the planet.
Fact No. 6: vitamins and microelements
Rice is a very healthy grain. It contains a lot of vitamins, including groups B, E, PP and carotene. Rice contains a lot of microelements, even such as selenium, iodine, calcium and iron - necessary for maintaining immunity and brain function. Rice is a source of essential amino acids, which means it allows the human body to build proteins without the use of animal food, and therefore saturated animal fats, that is, rice gives the body energy without the risk of atherosclerotic plaques. Rice does not contain gluten, which means it does not cause allergies.
Fact No. 7: not one or two
There are more than seven thousand varieties of rice in the world, and this despite the fact that wild rice does not refer to rice itself, but is only its “distant relative.”
Fact #8: White or Black?
Europeans are accustomed to white rice. However, black is considered more useful, as it contains twice as much vegetable protein and a lot of plant fiber, which normalizes intestinal function. And there are more antioxidants in black rice than in oranges and grape seeds.
Fact No. 9: eat rice - eat rice
In China, the words "breakfast", "lunch" and "dinner" are literally translated as "rice in the morning", "rice at noon", "rice in the evening". In Japan, the verb "to eat" and the noun "rice" are represented by the same character.
Fact #10: Rice is a staple food
Europeans do not eat rice that often, but in Asia rice accounts for 70% of the calories people get from food. Every second person in the world has rice as a product of their daily consumption. The average Asian person consumes 150 kg of rice per year, while the average European consumes only two.
Fact #11: For those on a diet
100 grams of rice contain only 82 calories, so rice can be consumed by those who want to reduce their weight with virtually no restrictions.
Fact #12: National symbol
Rice is the national grain of Japan, which is eaten three times a day and manages to prepare more than 500,000 dishes using rice.
Fact #13: Sanded or Steamed?
In stores you can equally often find polished and steamed rice. It is better to choose steamed one, as it retains up to 75% of the nutrients. Milled rice loses more than 60% of its beneficial vitamins and minerals during processing.
Fact No. 14: Geography of Rice Production
Thailand is the leader in rice production. Next, in order of importance, are: Vietnam, India, Pakistan, Italy, Spain, America, Japan, China and Russia.
Fact No. 15: strictly according to the calendar
Rice is still grown using ancient technologies, according to which rice fields are flooded with water at a certain period of time and drained only for weeding and harvesting. Those who cultivate rice fields wear special sandals to prevent their feet from getting dirty and damaging the crops.
Fact #16: You can’t grow rice without work.
The labor costs for growing rice are very high. They are 40 times more than for growing corn and 50 times for wheat.
Fact No. 17: Cook correctly
Cooking rice is very simple. Rinse it in cold water, pour it into a saucepan, and lightly add salt. Then add water so that it covers the rice by two centimeters. Cover with a lid. After the rice boils, cook for exactly 10 minutes. Then let it sit for another 10. You are guaranteed fluffy rice that retains maximum nutrients.
Fact No. 18: cures all diseases
Gastroenterologists are very fond of rice. The fact is that rice water has a mild enveloping effect and helps to heal well and quickly any damage to the gastric mucosa, including ulcers.
Fact #19: Rice classification
Rice varies in length by:
Extra long grain – more than 7.5 mm;
- long-grain – more than 6.16 mm;
- medium grain – 5.16-6.15 mm;
- short grain – no more than 5.15 mm.
Fact #20: Rice as jewelry
For the first time people began to write on rice grains in Turkey and India. In Istanbul, in the Topkapi Palace museum you can see through a strong magnifying glass an entire letter written with a hair on a grain of rice. Now you can order a souvenir - a decoration made of rice with the name of the person to whom it is given, written on one piece of rice. Unfortunately, you cannot wear such jewelry, you can only admire it.
There are things that are unnecessary to explain - it’s easier to show something. Look at these two characters: 御飯. In the Japanese language they play exactly the same role as in Russian - zhito, which means unground wheat or rye grain and comes from the word “to live”. And "gohan" is boiled rice. Exactly the same hieroglyphs indicate any food. The importance of rice in the life of the Japanese is very clear.
A rice field for a resident of Japan is what a wheat field is for a resident of Russia, Ukraine or Belarus. There is, perhaps, not a single corner of the country where a rice field is not green, giving the landscape a special flavor. And how many poems, songs, paintings and other works of art are dedicated to light green rice sprouts in ankle-deep water!
Until recent decades, the peasant labor of growing rice was hard and unhealthy, but necessary. Currently, only 5% of the country's population is employed in the agricultural sector of Japan's economy. But these five percent, armed with modern technology exclusively produced locally, provide half of all fruits and almost nine-tenths of all vegetables on the Japanese table. And 100% rice!
Rice appeared on the Japanese islands along with settlers moving from Southeast Asia, the Korean Peninsula and Taiwan. Rice culture in Japan is at least three thousand years old. And it was rice that led to the final transition of the then population to a sedentary lifestyle. Moreover, at first the Japanese ate rice unpeeled - they simply fried it over a fire. They did not immediately master the art of peeling rice from the husk...
The rice fields look interesting with the appearance of the first shoots. Continuously moving pinwheels are installed above the sprouts to scare away birds. Often the border of the field is decorated with a special kakashi doll, like our scarecrow; its task is to repel insect pests. A stone statue of the “god” or “spirit” of the field, Hatake no Kamisama, is placed near the field or near the village; it has a distinctive phallic shape and is decorated with fertility symbolism.
Japanese rice is special, completely different from Russian or Indian. The snow-white oval grain of rice does not become soft when cooked, but retains its original shape, while simultaneously releasing a sticky substance.
This gluten binds one grain to another. How else do you think it was possible to make both the o-nigiri rice ball and the famous sushi throughout the culinary world?
The cost of the cheapest type of rice in Japan is about ¥500 per kilogram (more than 160 rubles). Expensive to say the least. But the Japanese never save on buying rice, because they consider it the basis of a good table. They try to purchase the highest quality varieties.
A Japanese eats a standard 2 kilogram package of Japanese rice in less than a week - after all, rice is included in many dishes.
On each package it is written what kind of rice it contains, where and in what month it was grown, what its properties are. The Japanese have their own preferences regarding where to grow rice. Its most popular varieties grow in Niigata Prefecture, which is deservedly called the “rice place” of Japan. Well, among the Niigata varieties, the most favorite is koshihikari.
Rice is grown all over Japan, that's true. But in the country, over three-quarters of the territory is occupied by hills and mountains. Therefore, the area under rice does not exceed 13% of all fertile Japanese land. And when the average annual temperature drops, typhoons hit the islands and the rice harvest is low, a food crisis occurs. In this case, rice is imported into Japan from India and Thailand. Its taste is completely different, and it is completely unsuitable for preparing traditional Japanese dishes.
The Russian will be very surprised to learn that the Japanese who came to his country took a supply of rice with him. After all, you can buy it at any grocery store! But the peculiarity of Japanese rice is that it can be eaten as an independent dish; ours, alas, is only suitable as a side dish. But the attitude of a Japanese towards rice to a Russian, who was brought up on a careful attitude towards bread, is perfectly understandable. The Japanese will definitely eat all the rice to the last grain - so as not to offend either the rice itself or the owner of the table.
Growing rice
There are more than ten varieties of rice. They vary in texture, taste and nutritional value. Brown and wild rice are considered healthier because these varieties contain more nutrients and dietary fiber. White rice can cause high blood sugar levels. The presence of rice in the daily human diet has its advantages and disadvantages. It is important to consider them because with the growing popularity of oriental cuisine, rice is becoming an increasingly common food item. Unlike buckwheat grains, rice can hardly be called a product that would be recommended for those people who want to lead a healthy lifestyle.
Short grain brown rice
SFGATE has a lot of interesting information about the three main varieties of rice. Brown rice is distinguished by the fact that it retains the bran and sprouts of the grain. White rice is polished during processing and loses these elements.
White rice
Long grain white rice
White rice comes in short grain (“round”) and long grain (“long”) varieties. Short grain rice is very starchy and becomes soft and sticky when cooked, making it excellent for sushi. Short grain rice is also used to make paella and risotto.
Long grain rice (the famous varieties “jasmine” and “basmati”) contains less starch, so the boiled grains are drier and do not stick together. White rice is a good source of magnesium, phosphorus, manganese, selenium, iron, folic acid, niacin, and thiamine. It doesn't have much dietary fiber, and its fat content contains predominantly Omega-6 fatty acids, which are thought to promote disease.
Brown rice
Long grain brown rice
Brown rice also comes in short and long grain varieties. It takes about twice as long to cook as white rice because brown rice has less starch. Brown rice is a whole grain and therefore contains about 4 times more dietary fiber than the white variety. Fiber reduces the rate at which carbohydrates are converted to glucose, helping stabilize blood sugar levels. It has more minerals, especially magnesium, than white rice.
Wild rice
Wild rice
Wild rice is even more nutritious than brown rice. It contains more protein and vitamin A, as well as folic acid. Wild rice contains less starch, which means its glycemic index is lower. It contains more Omega-3 fatty acids, which allows it to inhibit disease processes. However, wild rice (compared to brown rice) contains fewer minerals.
Brown rice is preferable, but you shouldn’t get carried away with it either.
Although brown rice has a lower glycemic index than white rice, no variety of rice can be considered a low-glycemic food. If you have diabetes, you should not eat a diet that contains a lot of rice. Short grain white rice in particular should be avoided. Brown basmati rice has a lower glycemic index and contains more vitamins and minerals. Therefore, it is often chosen by connoisseurs of a healthy lifestyle. For arthritis, wild rice is the only variety that will not exacerbate the disease. Any rice is a carbohydrate food that cannot be the basis of a healthy diet.
Brown Basmati Rice
The nutritional value of long grain brown rice has been reviewed in detail by NutritionData. Nutrient content is based on 100 grams of cooked long grain brown rice. The percentage of daily intake is given in parentheses.
Wild rice and Himalayan red rice
Energy value:
total - 111 kilocalories (6%);
from carbohydrates - 94.7 kilocalories;
from fats - 7.5 kilocalories;
from proteins - 8.8 kilocalories;
Carbohydrates:
in general - 23.0 grams (8%);
dietary fiber - 1.8 grams (7%);
sugar - 0.4 grams;
Fats and fatty acids:
total fat - 0.9 grams (1%);
saturated fat - 0.2 grams (1%);
monounsaturated fat - 0.3 grams;
polyunsaturated fats - 0.3 grams;
Omega-3 fatty acids - 14.0 milligrams;
Omega-6 fatty acids - 309 milligrams;
Proteins and amino acids:
protein - 2.6 grams (5%);
Vitamins:
vitamin K - 0.6 micrograms (1%);
thiamine - 0.1 milligrams (6%);
nicotinic acid - 1.5 milligrams (8%);
vitamin B6 - 0.1 milligrams (7%);
folate - 4.0 micrograms (1%);
pantothenic acid - 0.3 milligrams (3%);
choline (vitamin B4) - 9.2 milligrams;
betaine - 0.5 milligrams;
Minerals:
calcium - 10.0 milligrams (1%);
iron - 0.4 milligrams (2%);
magnesium - 43.0 milligrams (11%);
phosphorus - 83.0 milligrams (8%);
potassium - 43.0 milligrams (1%);
sodium - 5.0 milligrams;
zinc - 0.6 milligrams (4%);
copper - 0.1 milligrams (5%);
manganese - 0.9 milligrams (45%);
selenium - 9.8 micrograms (14%);
Sterols:
cholesterol - 0 milligrams (0%);
Other:
alcohol - 0.0 grams;
water - 73.1 grams;
ash - 0.5 grams;
caffeine - 0 milligrams.
Purchase and storage
Rice must be chosen based on what dishes will be prepared from it. The most popular: “long rice”, its grains do not stick together when cooked. “Medium grains” and “short grains” are sticky, they are good for pureed soups and thin porridges.
The freshness of rice can be determined by the absence of the smell of mold and dampness.
Rice should be stored in a tightly sealed glass container in a dry place.
Useful properties and applications
Rice is one of the most effective cleansers for the intestines, stomach, genitourinary area, joints - rice absorbs poisons, cholesterol, fatty acids, salt deposits, biopathogenic microflora from the tissues and organs of the body, as a result of which it is the most wonderful means for cleansing the body. Improves complexion, has a calming effect, improves sleep, eliminates bad breath, and restores appetite well after a serious illness or prolonged fasting. Quickly restores strength after a serious illness. Quenches thirst, useful for kidney and bladder diseases. Enhances lactation in nursing mothers.
Treatment of osteochondrosis
Even in very advanced cases, the rice diet helps. It lasts 42 days, but is not at all burdensome and very useful. This is how it is done.
Number six half-liter jars and put 2 tbsp in each. spoons of well-cleaned and sorted rice. Pour water over the rice, cover the jars with gauze (from dust).
After a day, drain the water in jar No. 1. Transfer the rice to a saucepan and pour 0.5 liters of boiling water. Cook for 5 minutes. Eat rice. After such a breakfast, do not eat or drink for 4 hours - just until lunch. In jar No. 1 again put 2 tbsp. spoons of washed rice, add water and place behind jar No. 6. Change the water in the remaining jars and do this daily.
On the second day, do the same procedure with jar No. 2, which will take place behind jar No. 1. And so on - exactly 6 weeks.
The diet is effective, and it will not only help you get rid of “extra” salts, but also lose excess weight. A rice diet can cause complications in the kidneys, so it must be combined with a decoction or infusion of lingonberry leaves.
Treatment of the gastrointestinal tract
When treating diseases of the gastrointestinal tract, pour one cup of rice into seven cups of water and boil. Take a decoction of 0.3 cups every 2 hours. The decoction has a beneficial effect on the large intestine (stops diarrhea if you eat well-cooked rice; rice cooked with milk cleanses the intestines well; enemas from red rice decoction help with intestinal ulcers) - it is recommended for the treatment of patients with chronic diseases of the digestive tract.
When treating diseases of the esophagus, prepare rice cream:
Wash a glass of rice, dry it, fry it in a frying pan over medium heat until it turns golden brown and begins to emit a subtle aroma reminiscent of the smell of nuts. Place the rice in a saucepan, add 10 cups of water, a pinch of salt and bring to a boil. Close the lid, reduce the heat and place on the flame spreader. Cook for about 1.5 hours until half the water has evaporated. Let the rice cool, then fold it into a napkin and squeeze the cream out of the paste. Serve the cream warm. It is especially recommended for people who have difficulty swallowing, as well as for breaking fasting.
Rice cooked with butter is very good for the stomach.
Cleansing the body
The simplest remedy is raw rice.
To cleanse the body of various inorganic and pathological deposits in the vessels, joints, tissues and cavities of the body, you need to take 3 kg of rice, pour it into an 8-10-liter enamel pan and rinse it daily with running cold water for 20-25 minutes. Do this procedure for a week or more until the water during rinsing is no longer cloudy. Dry the rice and put it in a jar or paper bag. Cook the washed rice in portions (1 tablespoon - 30 g) in boiling water for 20-25 minutes, stirring occasionally so that the grains do not stick to the bottom. In this case, it is advisable to change the water 1-2 times. When the rice is ready, it should be washed with boiled water. You need to eat this rice warm, on an empty stomach. Do not drink water while taking it, as the rice will begin to absorb salts from it. Before eating rice, you should cleanse your intestines. After such a breakfast, you can eat and drink no earlier than 4 hours later. To increase the effectiveness of this cleansing, you need to eat 1-2 apples an hour before breakfast (they, like rice, remove salts well). If after such a breakfast you feel hungry, that’s good, rice has begun its cleansing work. During the treatment period, you should avoid meat, smoked meats, fat, salt, spicy foods, and alcohol. Treatment can be carried out for no more than 3 months; the course should be repeated, if necessary, no earlier than after 2 years, since long-term consumption of such rice leads to desalting of the body (salts necessary for the body begin to be excreted).
Application in cosmetics
Rice flour is used in masks for aging, tired and dull facial skin. Women of the imperial families of Asia applied rice powder to their faces, this distinguished them from commoners.
For freckles
Rice flour is used to remove freckles and cleanse the face and body: rice flour gruel, boiled in melon juice, when applied topically, removes freckles and age spots on the face.
Facial skin cleansing
Cleaning is done as follows: moisten the entire face with water, then put 1 tbsp on the palm of your left hand. a spoonful of ground rice, which must be mixed with water until a paste forms. With your right hand, gradually apply the paste onto the skin of the face, while lightly rubbing the chin, nose, forehead and cheeks. As soon as you feel that the entire mass is moving freely on the skin, it must be immediately washed off with water. After this procedure, a pleasant feeling of cleanliness and softness of the skin appears. Washing oily skin with milled rice has an exceptionally good effect, especially if you rinse it off with hot water (36°C) and then rinse your face with salted cold water. This procedure can be performed at night for a month. For oily skin, it can be repeated after 1-2 weeks, and in between, use sour milk and yolk.
Curd peeling mask
Take 1 teaspoon of ground rice, mix it thoroughly with 2 tbsp. spoons of cottage cheese and 1/2 teaspoon of olive oil. It is advisable to warm the mixture before use. Spread the finished mixture over the skin, hold for 15-20 minutes, then rinse with warm water and apply nourishing cream. The mask is ideal for rough, acne-prone skin. It nourishes, refreshes, brightens and has a regenerating effect.
Anti-wrinkle mask
Dilute rice flour in milk, cucumber or lemon juice. You can beat the flour together with egg whites or honey to a dough-like mass. Keep on your face for 10-15 minutes, then rinse with warm water.
