Yes a little. I always cook rice in the oven. Soaking allows for a pre-absorption and turns the rice totally opaque and I believe there is some science that the nutrients are more bioavailable, but I'd have to check that. I also rinse before soaking. Rinsing rice is basically to remove the arsenic that has been found in lots of rice and other undesirable traveling abnormalities. Cheers.
Interesting - cooking the soaked rice in the oven - can you describe how (temperature and amount of water) please?