Rice Sock

I tried for the first time today, a rice sock warm-up. Works great and is quite a bit easier than the hot water bottle or wet-wrap. Question I have for anyone who has used this is about the rice and moisture. Yes, the rice was uncooked and dry, but I never cooked/warmed-up rice this way in a microwave and was surprised at the amount of moisture that heating the rice gives off. Not a bad thing BTW, but does constant use eventually dry out the remnant moisture in the rice? It seems to dry well (it wasn’t exactly soaked) when cooling off, but I do wonder if it could get all nasty and mildewy inside the sock if the moisture thing kept going on. Any info appreciated ‘cause I’m wondering if it was just my rice. thanx. groa

Groa,
I tried the rice sock too. The only thing that I didn’t like was the smell of half cooked/rosted rice!

I bought a similar type of heating pad (filled with cherry pips - or cherry stones as it’s called by the manufacturer) and works on the same principal (put it in the microwave for a couple of minutes, and hey presto - a heating bag!) - I can’t use this bag for my own purposes, I gave it to my wife (duh!)

BUT, that led me to look for other substitutes, instead of rice.

The best I’ve found are either dry-raw chick peas, or dry-raw lentils.

They don’t “steam-up” like rice!

later,
TroyT

P.S: My mother-in-law saw my “chick-pea-sock” and asked what it was… I said it works like a hot water bottle, etc… and because of the size of the sock.. you can heat it up and wear it like a neck scarf - incredibly efficient if you have a stiff neck or neck problems!!!

Groa,

I’ve been using it for months, since the day I’ve read Bib’s post about it, and I lovveee it. Far easier to use then water hotwrap -
no need to dry yourself up or go to the bath.

There are different types of rice, and just like there’s “whole wheat” there’s “whole rice” (is that the correct term?) which is rice still in its shell (healthier). It captures the moisture, I guess so it doesn’t get dump at all. Haven’t had to replace it. . Also, IIRC, 30 seconds of nuking kills any bacteria,
so if you do it for about a minute you’re probably pretty socks-safe.

cheers,
PEnister

I heated again and the moisture seems quite a bit less therefore I assume it was just naturally occuring moisture leaving the rice one the first heating. Definately seems to be an “after-effect” with this technique kinda like a potatoe that continues to cook after the microwave is off. One minute nuke and one minute set time seems to allow the sock and contents to heat evenly from the effects of heat distributing troughout the rice. Chick peas and lentils! Guess I’ll have to pick up some of those next time I’m at the store:) groa

Bling:
Who wants a lesson on microwaves?
‘Microwave oven’ is a deceiving name, since the waves they produce (microwaves) aren’t micro at all - they are actually quite long waves, nearing radio waves wavelengths…
As far as I can understand, the waves are absorbed by the electrons in the substance that you’re heating which are then excited and release the energy again in a lower wavelength (Infra red) as they drop states again…
This is why, I am guessing, you’re not supposed to put metal in a microwave.. because exciting the electrons in them would probably set up massive voltages (differences in excitation states in different parts of the metal) and you’d get sparks everywhere (from what I’ve heard)
Anyone who’s interested to know; the reason why microwaved food etc is always cold in the middle is because the penetrating power of microwaves (at that energy at least) is not enough to go right through the food.. almost reassuring. and the ‘grating’ on the front door of most models, I *Think* - has holes which the waves are too ‘big’ to fit through. At least I hope so, since I like to watch that plate a’ turnin’… heheh ;)
Forget who said it, but yeah, regardless of the actual heat achieved, 30 seconds or so would blow apart most of the bacteria etc in there..

Just a few answers to some questions nobody asked.
Don’t quote me on any of this though…

I’ve been using the same rice sock for over a year. No problems as far as I can tell. I might try those chick-peas though.

I split this thread and put most of it in the BS Forum, in case the discussion on magnets continues.