For centuries, people have used rice water as a form of natural gardening (read more about how Shreya’s garden and use of rice water inspired hyve). The use of rice water to irrigate the garden not only helps the overall growth of plants, but also helps reduce the overall waste of water resources. Fermented rice water can also help promote healthy bacterial growth and ensure vitality of the garden.
So, what exactly is rice water? When you rinse rice before cooking, the water that is left over is the rice water. Shreya typically rinses rice 2-3 times and then boils the water. After this step, the cooled water can be used for a number of things including as a shampoo or as a face rinse to help with dermatitis. As a shampoo, it may promote hair growth and hair regeneration. For the skin, because the rice water is high in starch, it can cleanse pores, balance skin and eliminate bacteria.
Some let the rice water sit for 12-24 hours to allow it to begin fermenting with claims that the fermented rice water has a higher amount of antioxidants, which may combat hair and skin cell damage (which is why we often see antioxidants in beauty products).