No, rice itself does not contain keratin. While rice is rich in amino acids, the building blocks of protein including keratin, it does not contain keratin directly. This is a key distinction. The amino acids in rice can contribute to hair health indirectly by supporting the body's natural keratin production, but rice does not provide keratin itself.
Several sources confirm this: one explicitly states that "Rice, surprisingly, does not contain keratin, a protein found in hair," https://www.healthshots.com/beauty/hair-care/diy-keratin-hair-treatment-at-home-using-flaxseed-rice-and-aloe-vera/ while others emphasize rice's amino acid content, which is crucial for protein synthesis, including keratin production. https://www.self.com/story/rice-water-for-hair-benefits https://www.quora.com/How-do-I-make-rice-water-for-hair-Does-rice-water-actually-help-the-growth-of-my-hair
It's important to differentiate between the amino acids found in rice and the actual keratin protein. While rice provides amino acids that are used to build keratin, the rice grain itself does not contain pre-formed keratin molecules. Products that list "hydrolyzed rice protein" use the amino acids from rice to create protein for hair care, but this is a processed form, not naturally occurring keratin within the rice grain.
Therefore, the benefits of rice water for hair are mainly attributed to the nutrients and amino acids that promote hair health, not to the direct presence of keratin.
