Rinsing rice before cooking removes some water-soluble nutrients such as copper, iron, zinc and vanadium. Many people routinely wash rice by placing it in a bowl, adding water until it clouds, then draining and repeating until the liquid clears. This process eliminates more than surface dirt. It also carries away small amounts of essential minerals that dissolve during rinsing, according to a LiveScience report. Each wash reduces the levels of these nutrients slightly.
