Do you love Poita Bhaat?: See what it does to your body

Rice soaked in water or fermented, popularly known as Poita Bhaat in Assam is an extremely popular delicacy of most of the Assamese families. Poita bhaat is prepared from the left-over rice, which is soaked overnight.

The next day it is served with salt, lemon, onion, chilli. Some mashed potatoes and tomatoes can be added to add an extra flavour.

Other than being tasty and easy to be prepared, this dish has tremendous health benefits. It helps strengthen the body's immune system and removes anemia and iron deficiency.

It was a year ago when Dr Madhumita Barua , a professor of the Assam Agricultural University choose "Poita Bhaat" as the subject of her thesis.

Other than being tasty and easy to be prepared, this dish has tremendous health benefits. It helps strengthen the body's immune system and removes anaemia and iron deficiency.

At the end of the 5-year experimentation on Poita Bhaat, it was found that 100 grams of poita bhaat contain 83.91 mg iron, whereas steamed (hot ) rice contains only 3.8 mg iron.

The same amount of poita bhaat contains 850mg calcium, whereas steamed (hot) rice of the same quantity contains only 21 gm. In the 100 gm of poita bhaat there is 839 mg minerals. Vitamin B6 and Vitamin B12 is major component of this food item.

Poita bhaat even produces various important bacterias in the body. It is extremely beneficial for people who have stomach issues and also keep the body temperature under control and balanced.

It also plays an important role in keeping the heart healthy and keeping blood pressure under control. It also reduces in weight reduction.

As the rice is soaked in water overnight, the PH level drops gradually. The presence of lactic acid bacteria, which are considered safe for humans and gives a tangy taste to the dish.