Is Your Rice Toxic?
Did you hear the news about arsenic being found in rice?
Arsenic!?!?
Obviously, this is not good. Recently I read the article Arsenic in Your Food by Consumer Reports and it helped explain how my rice could be toxic.
What is arsenic?
Arsenic is a naturally occurring mineral, but it isn’t a safe one! “It’s a carcinogen known to cause bladder, lung, and skin cancer in people and to increase risks of cardiovascular disease, immunodeficiencies, and type 2 diabetes.” – Consumer Reports
Why is it in rice?
For many, many years arsenic was used in agricultural products. Those products were banned in the 1980’s, but the ground is still contaminated. Rice is being planted in areas with high levels of arsenic in the soil. Since rice is grown in “flooded” fields, it soaks up the arsenic much easier than other types of crops.
Is it in all rice?
Arsenic levels are the highest in rice grown in the southern USA. This rice is being grown on fields that previously grew cotton and cotton fields used to be heavily hit with arsenic containing agricultural products. Rice is also grown in California and abroad, but rice from those locations contain lower levels of arsenic. Notice I didn’t say that rice is free from arsenic in those areas.
Arsenic has been found in regular rice and in processed rice products such as: cold & hot cereal, rice milk, rice cakes, and more. It is also present in organic rice. Bummer.
What am I doing about it?
First and foremost, I am not feeding Noah any rice cereal. My personal pediatrician’s office is recommending that parents avoid rice cereal and I’m going to heed that warning! Rice cereal has very little nutritional value. Noah isn’t missing out on anything.
I am not buying any brown rice. Brown rice is much better for you than white rice, but it is also higher in arsenic. White rice comes from the same plants as brown rice, but it has been “cleaned” more. Some of arsenic is removed in that “cleaning” process.
I am reading the labels on my white rice before I buy it. Since this appears to be a bigger issue with rice grown in southern USA, I am choosing to buy rice that is grown in California or abroad. Of course, there is no guarantee that foreign rice is 100% safe.
I am trying to space out my rice based meals. We tend to eat rice often. It is cheap. It is easy. There are lots and lots of yummy things you can eat on top of rice. I honestly don’t want to say goodbye to some of my favorite rice based dishes. Instead, I am trying to be smarter about my meal planning to limit how much rice we eat in a week.
Lastly, I probably should experiment with other types of grains. There are several other options out there: farro, couscous, quinoa, and barley. I don’t have much experience with those types of grains.
What are your thoughts on arsenic being found in rice? Have you made any changes in your diet?
Disclosure: I am not a medical professional. This post is based on two articles by Consumer Reports, Arsenic in Juice & Arsenic in Your Food, and my personal opinions.
This post is being linked to Your Green Resource.
quinoa is delicious and easy – cook like rice, even in the rice cooker! i need to do it more often. freezes well, too!
Thanks so much for spreading the word about arsenic in rice. The more that know the better. I started a petition in Feb after the Dartmouth study came out demanding regulation of arsenic in rice and rice by products. Please help and spread the word about the petition. http://chn.ge/xJGMe5 Anna
Cute website. I suggest you hyphenate “baby-steps.”
Thanks for the info on rice. Will have to further investigate. I have heard that contaminants–such as mercury and arsenic–are particularly high in China-grown rice, but–as I say–I have not yet done anything like an exhaustive investigation. Preliminarily, I will say that I’ve always just assumed that “rice is rice.” Yet, when I had some health problems a few months ago, a friend grabbed me some special “Jasmine” brand from Thailand, and I must say that it turns out very fluffy, and seems to have a higher nutritional content. More costly but, just how much, I do not know
.
On the issue of brown rice…you might want to re-think your decision, as brown rice is much more nutritious, as the “germ” has not been milled away. I usually will cook, say, 1:4 proportion (of brown to white), as straight brown is pretty heavy for me.
(Nope, the website is not yet “up and running.”)
Oh, in the way of substitution, I suggest you include potatoes, as they are alkaline forming and (at least for me) very appealing (and easily digestible), .e.g., in forms such as garlic mashed potatoes, baked, ground beef and onion (with sour cream) mashed potatoes, and in soups, of course. Also, yams and sweet potatoes.
Just another idea: For breakfast, I will often use a little herb grinder to work on oatmeal and some good quality mixed nuts. A short time in boiling water, then milk and wheat germ added (along with fresh fruit), and you have a very decent and nutritious hot breakfast (very appetizing and protein rich)..and a nice change. No, no sugar!! No need…and especially as most of us are (more or less) addicted to sugar.
May I add one more note (which you may already be “hip” to)?
Nowadays, MANY products in the market contain “modified corn starch.” Even many brands of sour cream and yogurt (gasp!). Most canned soups too. I suggest you stay away from these, as the MCS may play a part in cardiovascular disease. Some regular sour cream is OK. A little animal fat is OK too (We used to think it was all bad, and we have since learned.) But not lard, nor “trans-fat.” And olive oil–and grape seed oil–are EXCELLENT oils (about the best).
Over and out!!
Dr. H. ; )
We also love rice, especially since my husband is half Korean and grew up eating it three times a day! But since learning about the arsenic issue a couple years ago we also try to limit our intake. Definitely hard to give up the nutrition of brown! But we have found farro to be a great substitute that the whole family really likes. We still do sticky white rice periodically but I add lots to it to up the nutrient factor.
These are some great informations that I wasn’t aware of.I didn’t know that brown rice which is considered healthier alternative contain arsenic.
I think I need to try quinoa some day couse I think is exellent alternative for rice.