While many think that cooking rice is a no sweat task, a recent study suggested that many are actually doing it the wrong way and this may pose some health risks.

Put some uncooked rice and water in a pot and let it boil until the water steams out - this is the 'natural', two-step process how most people cook their rice. However, such method, scientists claimed, allows traces of arsenic in rice to stick around. And arsenic, a chemical that contaminates rice because of industrial toxins and pesticides used to enhance growth, is definitely not good for the body.

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In fact, chronic exposure to the hazardous arsenic has been linked to several chronic diseases such as cancer, diabetes, heart attack, and other developmental problems, The Sun reported. In the UK, more than half (58%) of these rice-based products contain high levels of arsenic, based on the study from Channel 4's Dispatches and the Institute for Global Food Security.

Fortunately, carb lovers need not to ditch rice to go healthy after a series of tests revealed a possible way to reduce your levels of exposure to arsenic. And this is through changing the way you cook your rice.

Professor Andy Meharg from the Queens University Belfast carried out three different ways to prepare rice and analyzed it afterwards.

In the first method, he used a ratio of two parts water to one part of rice, and allowed it to steam out. No significant effect found.

The second used a ratio of five parts water to one part rice, then washing off the excess water before being served. The process decreased the arsenic levels in rice to nearly half.

In the third process, rice was soaked to water overnight before being cooked the following day. Surprisingly, arsenic toxin level dropped to as low as 80 percent.

Based from the study conducted, it is safe to say that this is the proper way to cook rice:

1. Soak rice overnight.
2. Wash and rinse rice well until water turns from cloudy to clear and the drain.
3. Cook rice using 'five parts water, one part rice' to pan
4. Bring to boil and turn the heat down.
5. Let it simmer or steam out.

Make sure to keep this process in mind to enjoy a healthy and safer rice meal.