Fact Check: Reheating Rice in a Rice Cooker is Dangerous for Health

Dream - There is a circulating narrative that consuming rice reheated in a rice cooker is dangerous for health.

A post circulating on Facebook claims that consuming rice reheated in a rice cooker is dangerous because it is toxic and causes diabetes.

Here is the narrative of the post:

"RICE POISON

Take out the rice from the rice cooker when it is cooked. If it is more than 12 hours, it becomes a trigger for diabetes.

Habits that Become Triggers for Children to Suffer from Cancer and Diabetes

Today I am quite shocked. How not, because it turns out that the habit that I have considered trivial all this time, is a dangerous act for my children. In other words, I love my children but I am the one who gives them poison every day. With this information, I am very grateful to Zara's school (my kindergarten-aged child) for bringing in a health consultant, Mr. Anto from the Indonesian Cancer Consultant Institute.

He once explained the difference between Myoma, Tumor, Cyst, and Cancer. But in this article, I just want to retell Mr. Anto's explanation that shocked me.

DANGER OF RICE FROM MAGIC COM

This is the first fact that shocked me. But luckily, that sentence was only the opening sentence from Mr. Anto. Because in fact, rice from a magic com can be eaten. However, with the condition that it should not be kept in the magic com for more than 12 hours while continuously being heated.

"Because rice that is continuously heated in a magic com, after more than 12 hours, it will turn into poison,” said Mr. Anto as a warning. So, when cooking rice and it is already cooked, he suggests taking out the rice from the magic com and transferring it to a rice container.

He continued, “Good rice is rice that is eaten when it is cold, not warm rice. Because cold rice has a lower sugar content.” That's why many children suffer from diabetes now. Because they are used to eating warm rice from a magic com. Unlike people in the past who cooked rice in a pot and when it was cooked, they would put it in a rice container. Therefore, the rice is not continuously heated.

My family and I often eat out. So sometimes I cook rice but no one eats it, so the magic com keeps running. Sometimes the rice is only touched the next day. Hm... the point is, I often leave the rice in the magic com for more than 12 hours. Now, since the clarification, after the rice is cooked, I immediately turn off the magic com and let the rice cool down.

Hopefully, this is beneficial. LIMIT RICE AND SUGAR MEANS LIMITING DISEASES IN OLD AGE.

"CARBOHYDRATES AND SUGAR ARE THE MOTHER OF ALL DISEASES." (JOHAN YAN)

YOU MAY NOT EXPECT THAT BESIDES A BLOATED STOMACH, EXCESSIVE INTAKE OF RICE AND SUGAR WILL MAKE YOUR BODY HAVE EXCESS:

1. TRIGLYCERIDES, 2. CHOLESTEROL, 3. HYPERTENSION, 4. CORONARY HEART DISEASE UP TO ... 5. DIABETES MELLITUS ...

DR. YU ZONGXIAN EMPHASIZES, IF THE PERSON RECEIVING THIS NEWS CAN CONTINUE TO SEND IT TO 10 OTHER PEOPLE, THEN AT LEAST ONE LIFE COULD BE SAVED ...

I HAVE DONE MY TASK, HOPEFULLY YOU CAN ALSO HELP DO YOUR TASK. THANK YOU!!!

Don't keep it, it's useless to keep it. Who knows, it might save our friends, acquaintances, and relatives 👍🌈👍 hopefully it is useful ❤❤."

The content uploaded by the Facebook account named Bob Sadino has been shared 1,900 times and received 123 comments from netizens.

So, is it true that reheating rice in a rice cooker is toxic and dangerous for health?

Dr. Em Yunir, a staff member of the Metabolic Endocrine Division at the Faculty of Medicine, University of Indonesia (FKUI), said that there is no research data on this matter, so its truth is unknown.

“Whether or not (the rice) is heated is relative. I don't have much data on it, whether it really becomes toxic when heated?” he said, as quoted from liputan6.com fact-check.

The same thing was said by Dr. Cindiawaty Pudjiadi, a clinical nutrition expert at RS Medistra, who mentioned that she has also not found any research on this matter.

“Maybe after 12 hours there is no more heating, so the possibility of bacterial contamination could occur. However, I have not found any research on this matter,” she said.

Em Yunir said that the news is less credible because there is no fundamental research behind it, and it is only a testimonial from someone, making it subjective.

“This doesn't need to be feared by the public. The important thing in consuming rice is that people are aware and adjust it to their needs, so it is not excessive,” he said.

He added that as long as the amount of rice consumed is in accordance with the needs, then it is actually safe.

In addition, on the klikdokter.com website, a patient asked dr. Anita Amalia Sari about the effects of rice being left in a rice cooker for too long.

“There is no limit to how long rice can be stored in a rice cooker and generally it does not cause health problems,” said dr. Anita

Reheated rice does have a higher glycemic index, but not significantly higher compared to cold rice.

Glycemic Index (GI) is a measure of the effect of a food containing carbohydrates on blood sugar levels.

Foods with a high glycemic index raise blood sugar levels more than foods with a low or medium GI.

Conclusion

Eating reheated rice from a rice cooker is not dangerous for health. The news claiming that eating reheated rice in a rice cooker is dangerous is not true. The narrative does not match the actual facts.