If you’re following a low-carb diet, you may have already reduced your rice intake. That’s a pretty smart move, as there is a considerable amount of arsenic in rice. Arsenic is amongst the World Health Organization’s 10 chemicals of major public health concern, causing arsenic poisoning when ingested. Read on to find out how you can better protect yourself and your loved ones today.
What is Arsenic and What’s it Doing in My Rice?
That’s a fair question, and I’m glad you asked. Arsenic is an element found in nature, and it’s hard to avoid it completely. I mean, it’s in the air, the plants, the soil, water, and animals. It can even make its way into the environment through industrial and agricultural sources.
Not all types of arsenic are equally bad either. It can be found as a grey metal, but also as organic and inorganic arsenic. Organic arsenic refers to arsenic attached to carbon and other compounds. This is much less toxic than inorganic arsenic, and they haven’t found it linked to cancer yet.
However, inorganic arsenic, which refers to arsenic attached to chemicals other than carbon, is very toxic and linked to cancer.
According to the International Agency for Research on Cancer, arsenic and inorganic arsenic are cancer-causing for humans, causing lung, bladder and skin cancers. The US Toxicology Program also labels arsenic and inorganic arsenic as carcinogenic. The US Environmental Protection Agency agrees with the above, linking them to the before mentioned cancers as well as kidney and liver cancers. Even two organic arsenic compounds might be carcinogenic to humans.
Arsenic Poisoning Symptoms
So we have a lot of sources backing up our concern over arsenic. Exposure over a short period of time to high levels of arsenic can cause arsenic poisoning symptoms such as stomach problems, muscle weakness, cramping, skin problems and more. Exposure over long periods of time to small amounts of the chemical can cause all these problems, as well as liver and kidney damage, infections and more. Too high of exposure can even be deadly.
So Really… Why is there Arsenic in Rice?
As I mentioned before, arsenic can be found in many sources all around us, even soil and water. The deal with rice is, it absorbs inorganic arsenic with more enthusiasm than other grains and plants. One of the reasons for this is greater exposure to arsenic due to an agricultural environment.
There isn’t yet a limit on how much arsenic is allowed in rice. What we do know is that regular exposure to even small amounts of arsenic can cause problems. I know rice is a popular and filling food in cuisines all over the world, however, it’s better to enjoy a wide variety of grains and alternatives instead of just rice. Not only will that prevent us from developing an intolerance for rice, but it will also lessen our level of exposure to arsenic that would happen with eating rice all the time.
Arsenic in Different Types of Rice & Other Grains
Amongst Rice
As arsenic makes its way into the rice through the environment, arsenic levels in rice depend a lot not only on the type of rice it is but also where it’s grown. This difference also influences how much rice is safe to eat. There is a big difference between the arsenic levels in white rice and brown rice.
Brown rice is lower on the glycemic scale than white rice, and also more nutritious. However, according to ConsumerReports, brown rice has 80% more arsenic than white rice. This is because more arsenic settles in the outer layers of the rice, which are removed to make white rice. We can still enjoy it by having it a little less often and buying the brown rice grown in India, Pakistan, or California USA. Thanks, ConsumerReports.
Speaking of these places, even white basmati rice grown there has 1/2 the amounts of arsenic than rice grown in other places. Sushi rice from the US is also less in arsenic. ConsumerReports also revealed which rice to really watch out for. Rice labeled to be from Texas, Arkansas and Louisiana were found to be high in arsenic.
Also, both organic and non-organic rice has arsenic in it. Organic rice is still purer in other ways. Also, if someone has an intolerance to regular rice, they may not have it for organic rice.
Other Grains
The good news is, other grains do contain way less arsenic than rice does. Amaranth, buckwheat, bulgar, barley and farrow have very little arsenic. Quinoa too has less arsenic than rice.
Rice Preparation Technique to Lessen Arsenic
This is a method my South Asian mother uses to wash rice, and it works to get rid of a lot of the arsenic before it makes its way into our stomach. According to ConsumerReports, we can lessen our exposure to the arsenic by “rinsing raw rice thoroughly before cooking, using a ratio of 6 cups water to 1 cup rice, and draining the excess water afterward.” When washing the rice before cooking, three rinses is usually enough. If you want to cook softer and longer basmati grains, leaving it in water for 1/2 an hour before cooking can do that.
Here are 6 ways to reduce arsenic levels in rice!
Have a Rice and Safe Day
Rice can be good, especially on a gluten-free diet. It’s just about figuring out how much rice is a good and safe amount. Having a variety of foods and a variety of grains in our diet, as well as washing rice properly can help us strike just the right balance. For a chart that helps us figure out how much rice is safe for us, check this link out and scroll to the bottom.
Have a rice and safe day folks!
