Rice Water for Hair, Does it Really Make Hair Grow?

Growth, shine and volume are some of the benefits that this Rice Water for Hair, one of the favorites on the net, promises.

Rice water as a natural home remedy to grow hair has become a viral phenomenon on the networks. But in Flippity Flop we have asked ourselves, does it really work? In addition to personal perceptions and opinions and the reviews of different youtubers, we wanted to know the opinion of the magazine’s Nutrition specialist, Cristina Noheda.

We are also going to see where the legend of rice water was born, what are its benefits for our hair, if it has them, and how to make it.

Rice is a cereal of great nutritional value, and above all an excellent source of vitamins and minerals

1. Orient, the source of rice water

How could it be otherwise in the case of this cereal, the history of using rice water to promote hair growth is born in Japan and China. During the Japanese Heian period (8th-12th century), the ladies of the court used to spray their hair with water fermented with rice, which apparently stimulated their growth. On the other hand, the Chinese people of Huangluo have become famous online for the very long manes of their women, who for generations have used rice water to grow their hair.

2. Vitamins and nutrients in rice

Cristina Noheda tells us that ” rice is a cereal of great nutritional value “, and above all an excellent source of vitamins and minerals (vitamins of group B, vitamin E, Calcium, Iron, Potassium, Magnesium, Zinc, Selenium…). Furthermore, the grain contains carbohydrates in the form of starch, which gives it an emollient texture that provides a softening and anti-inflammatory action on the skin and mucous membranes ”.

But can rice water really have the same benefits as rice? “The most common way to obtain rice water is by boiling the cereal in water. It is important to bear in mind that when we bring a food to a boil, the “leaching” process begins, by which the food loses part of its vitamins and nutrients. To minimize this loss, we can reduce both the amount of water and the cooking time, thus we will obtain a rice water with more properties ”, clarifies the nutritionist.

Healthy hair is highly dependent on B vitamins

3. What benefits does rice water have for hair?

Is rice water really effective on hair? Or on the contrary, the nutrients in rice only work if it is ingested? “Human hair is porous and therefore capable of assimilating part of the products we use to beautify hair, whether artificial or natural such as rice water” explains Cristina, adding that ” healthy hair depends largely on vitamins of group B, especially B7 (Biotin), B5, B6, B1 and B3, and rice is a food very rich in this group of vitamins. But we have to bear in mind that its astringent effect may not be suitable in case of dry hair. ”

Other benefits that rice water can have for our hair are:

• Promotes faster growth.
• Its appearance also improves, since it gives shine, softness and strength at the root.
• The hair fiber is more elastic, so frizz is reduced and the hair breaks less.
• Helps remove dead cells from the scalp.

4. How to make rice water to grow hair and ingredients.

How does rice water best preserve its nutrients? Fermented, boiled, normal? Our nutritionist points out that “I actually think the most important thing is to choose the type of rice. It is preferable that the water comes from brown rice, since white rice undergoes a transformation process through which it is stripped of the husk and the germ, which are the parts of the grain with the highest load of minerals and essential fatty oils. I would recommend boiled rice water, as it is the best way to remove the arsenic from this cereal. Basmati rice and Jasmine are the two varieties that contain the least amount of this chemical. ”

It is preferable that the water comes from brown rice

How to prepare boiled rice water?

The ingredients you need are:

• 1/2 cup of rice
• 4 cups of mineral or distilled water

preparation:

Pour the water into a saucepan and put it on the fire.

When it reaches the boiling point, add the rice and let it cook for about 20 minutes over low heat.

Strain it and put the water left over from cooking in a bottle.

When it has cooled, store it in the fridge until you are going to use it, you can do it for 7 days.

5. How to use rice water on hair

After washing your hair and while it is wet, apply the rice water and let it act for about 10 minutes. After that time, rinse the hair with plenty of cold or warm water.

Although you will see in the networks that there are those who do not rinse the rice water, our recommendation is that you do it so that it does not dry out the hair, as Cristina Noheda pointed out before.

You can also use it as a mask : wash your hair, pour the rice water over the entire length or only in the areas where you want it to act and leave it to act for about 15-20 minutes. After that time, clarify.

Finally, another idea is to mix the rice water with a few drops of rosemary or lavender oil and apply it all over the hair after washing it, as if it were a conditioner. You let it act for 10 minutes and as in all the previous cases you remove it with water.