7 Warning Side Effects Of Eating Raw Rice

By Shubhi Kumar
22 Mar 2025, 14:30 IST

Eating raw rice may seem harmless, but it poses serious health risks, including food poisoning, gastrointestinal issues, and more. Tap to read warning side effects and why raw rice should be avoided.

Food Poisoning

Eating uncooked rice can result in food poisoning, which can occur as a result of a bacterium called Bacillus cereus that is associated with food poisoning and causes vomiting and diarrhoea.

Gastrointestinal Issues

Eating raw rice can irritate your gastrointestinal tract, which will leave you bloated and maybe cramping because it's not digestible and has a hard texture.

Pica

Pica is a condition caused by eating non-food-related items. This is a condition in which a craving for consuming uncooked rice can develop and can lead to controlling nutritional deficiencies.

Dehydration

Raw rice will absorb water in the stomach and therefore may cause dehydration by drawing water out of the body and absorbing it. It leads to dry mouth and not urinating out enough.

Nausea

Eating raw rice could irritate the stomach lining and will leave you feeling nauseous and uncomfortable, especially if you have consumed large amounts.

Fever

It can cause an infection fever and chills, as the body is responding to battle off with an infection with the bacteria that has been digested.

Iron Deficiency

Uncooked rice will have things that can inhibit iron absorption like phytates, and consuming raw rice frequently or long-term may lead to iron deficiency anaemia.

Information credit

This information is sourced from the WebMD. However, it is advisable to consult a healthcare professional for personalised suggestions.