An increasing number of people are starting to pay attention to a healthy diet in order to feel energetic and well. Some supplement their diet with artificial minerals. But there are more natural ways: When one prepares rice using mineral water that is rich in minerals, the rice absorbs these additional minerals. Laboratory analyses conducted by the Gerolsteiner Brunnen GmbH & Co. KG at the request of Rickmers Reismühle GmbH have shown this. "Rice that has been cooked in Gerolsteiner mineral water contains more minerals than the uncooked rice. Gerolsteiner's mineral water is very rich in minerals - especially calcium and magnesium - due to the exceptional geological conditions at its source in the Volcanic Eifel", explains Dr. Thomas Hens, head of quality assurance at the Gerolsteiner Brunnen GmbH & Co. KG.
Minerals are - like vitamins - essential nutrients. The human body is incapable of producing them on its own, but needs them to keep the metabolism running smoothly. Calcium and magnesium are regarded as real "power agents". Calcium provides for strong bones and teeth. Magnesium strengthens the nerves and maintains muscle activity.
The laboratory experiment was conducted using Gerolsteiner sparkling water and Rickmers bali ® Parboiled long grain rice (cooking time 8 minutes) and bali ® Parboiled long grain rice with wild rice (cooking time 20 minutes). At a rice and water mix ratio of one part rice to two parts mineral water the rice contains approximately 70 percent more calcium after being cooked with Gerolsteiner sparkling water than it does after being cooked with distilled water. The magnesium content rises by almost 16 percent and that of potassium by approximately 15 percent.
The parboiled long grain rice with wild rice absorbs even more minerals: After being cooked in Gerolsteiner sparkling water it contains almost double the amount of calcium (plus 100 percent) in comparison to the rice cooked in distilled water. The magnesium content is a good third above that of the rice prepared with the distilled water, and the potassium content approximately 14 percent. Dr. Thomas Hens: "This shows that preparing rice using mineral water rich in minerals, such as Gerolsteiner, is a simple and effective approach to a more healthy way to cook".