Rice water facts for kids
Rice water is a milky liquid you get from cooking rice. It's made when tiny bits of starch from the rice mix into the water. You can get it by draining the water after boiling rice, or by boiling rice until it completely melts into the water.
People have used rice water for a long time. It can be a simple, thin drink for people who are feeling unwell. It's also been used to help with tummy troubles like diarrhea.
A Long History
For hundreds of years, women in places like China, Japan, and Southeast Asia have used rice water to help their hair.
Ancient Japan's Hair Secret
In Japan, people started using rice water for hair way back in the Heian period (from 794 CE to 1185 CE). During this time, Japanese women were famous for their very long hair, sometimes reaching the floor! They kept their hair healthy and beautiful by washing it with rice water.
The Yao Women's Long Hair
Today, there's a group of people called the Yao people who live in a village in China called Huangluo. The Yao women are known for their incredibly long hair, which can be about 6 feet long on average!
Not only is their hair super long, but it's also said that it takes a very long time for it to start turning gray. Many Yao women don't see gray hairs until they are in their 80s! The Yao women believe that soaking and washing their hair in rice water is the secret to their long, healthy, and dark hair.
