Arsenic In Rice

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16 Dec 2020

This article is part 3 of a 5-part series: (1) Effects of Too Much Arsenic Exposure, (2) Arsenic in Chicken, (3) Arsenic in Rice, (4) Arsenic in Seaweed and (5) How To Lower Arsenic Levels.

Some of my friends wonder why I have stopped consuming rice (both white and brown).

Dr Michael Klaper

In the video below, Dr Klaper explains why he rarely eats rice now.

(4 mins) Brown Rice vs White Rice & Arsenic Concerns

Dr Joel Fuhrman

(2016) Arsenic: The Dark Side of Rice

In his book Eat For Life (416 pages, 2020), Dr Fuhrman explains:

Consumer Reports

Articles:

(2022) Why You Should Consider Alternatives to Infant Rice Cereal
(2021) Baby Food and Heavy Metals: What Parents Should Do Now
(2020) FDA Sets Limits for Arsenic in Baby Rice Cereal
(2020) Consumer Reports applauds FDA for setting limits on arsenic in infant rice cereal
(2017) Infant Rice Cereal Has Worrying Levels of Arsenic, New Study Shows
(2014) Analysis of Arsenic in Rice and Other Grains (26-pages PDF)
(2014) How much arsenic is in your rice?
(2014) Consumer Reports Issues New Consumption Guidelines Based On Analysis of Arsenic Levels in Rice Products & Other Grains
(2012) Arsenic in your food

Videoss:

(5 mins, 2014) Why Your Child Should Eat Less Rice | Consumer Reports

(2 mins, 2012) Arsenic in rice and rice products | Consumer Reports

Environmental Working Group

Articles:

(2021) Congressional Investigation: Popular Baby Foods Contain High Levels of Arsenic, Lead, Cadmium and Mercury
(2021) Arsenic in baby food: N.Y. attorney general launches probe into four major brands
(2021) EWG urges Congress to quickly set limits on toxic metals in baby food
(2021) FDA announces voluntary recall of infant rice cereal after tests find high arsenic levels
(2015) Why Arsenic Might Be in Your Baby Food
(2015) Congresswoman DeLauro Takes on Arsenic in Rice
(2015) EWG Applauds Rep. DeLauro's Bill to Protect Americans from Arsenic in Rice
(2014) Rate Your Plate Series: Should You Worry About Arsenic in Rice?
(2014) Arsenic Is In Rice - Should you worry? A great article that traces the history of arsenic in rice from 2010-2014.
(2012) Getting Arsenic out of Your (and Your Kids') Diet
(2012) Reducing Arsenic in Your Diet

FDA in USA

(2020) FDA In Brief: FDA Takes Action to Limit Inorganic Arsenic Levels in Infant Rice Cereal

Food Safety Agency, UK

(2018) Arsenic in rice: Advice on safe levels of arsenic in rice and rice milk

(2016) Statement on potential risks from arsenic in the diet of infants aged 0 to 12 months and children aged 1 to 5 years by Committee on Toxicity, UK Govt. This report recommends that children less than 5 years of age should not be

(2018) Foods to avoid giving babies and young children by NHS, UK explains: "Children under 5 years old should not have rice drinks as a substitute for breast milk or infant formula (or cows' milk after 1 year old) as they may contain too much arsenic."

(2 mins, 2018) FSA Explains: Arsenic in Rice

Dr Michael Greger

In 2017, Dr Greger published a long video series explaining that arsenic in rice is a serious concern. As of September 2021, Dr Greger recommends against rice consumption for that reason. He explains that we have many other grains and pseudo grains available to us!

Dr Greger says that if we really really want to consume rice (any rice: white or brown), then (a) Have only a few servings per week (see videos below for details), (b) Make sure rice was sourced from regions with least arsenic in rice (see videos below for details), and (c) Use arsenic reduction cooking techniques (see videos below for details).

What's wrong with arsenic? Arsenic is an IARC Group 1 carcinogen; it is known to cause cancer. We should avoid consuming arsenic.

Articles:

(2018) Arsenic in Rice by FoodRevolution is a relatively quick read and insightful. For details, we may watch Dr Greger's videos.
(2020) Which Rice Has the Least Amount of Arsenic: Black, Brown, Red, White, or Wild?
(2020) Which Brands and Sources of Rice Have the Least Arsenic?
(2020) How to Cook Rice to Lower Arsenic Levels.
(2021) Do the Pros of Brown Rice Outweigh the Cons of Arsenic?
(2012) How Much Arsenic In Rice Came From Chickens?
(2020) Is White Rice a Yellow-Light or Red-Light Food?
(2020) How Much Arsenic in Rice Is Too Much?
(2020) How Risky Is the Arsenic in Rice?
(2020) Arsenic in Rice Milk, Rice Krispies, and Brown Rice Syrup
(2020) Arsenic in Infant Rice Cereal
(2020) The Effects of Too Much Arsenic in the Diet
(2020) Where Does the Arsenic in Rice, Mushrooms, and Wine Come From?

In this blog article, Dr Greger cites this research paper: Arsenic in rice: a cause for concern by members of ESPGHAN Committee on Nutrition, J Pediatr Gastroenterol Nutr, 2015 Jan;60(1):142-5. The abstract of this research paper:

"Inorganic arsenic intake is likely to affect long-term health. High concentrations are found in some rice-based foods and drinks widely used in infants and young children. In order to reduce exposure, we recommend avoidance of rice drinks for infants and young children. For all of the rice products, strict regulation should be enforced regarding arsenic content. Moreover, infants and young children should consume a balanced diet including a variety of grains as carbohydrate sources. Although rice protein-based infant formulas are an option for infants with cows' milk protein allergy, the inorganic arsenic content should be declared and the potential risks should be considered when using these products."

The paper above is by ESPGHAN, which is European Society for Pediatric Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Nutrition. Check out Agenda of ESPGHAN Committee on Nutrition.

(2017) How Much Arsenic in Rice is Too Much?

(5 mins) Transcript. Dr Greger's summary: "What are some strategies to reduce arsenic exposure from rice?"

(2017) How Risky is the Arsenic in Rice?

(7 mins) Transcript. Dr Greger's summary: "Getting rice down to the so-called safe water limit for arsenic would still allow for roughly 500 times greater cancer risk than is normally considered acceptable."

(2017) Where Does the Arsenic in Rice, Mushrooms, & Wine Come From?

(6 mins) Transcript. Dr Greger's summary: "What happens when our crops are grown in soil contaminated with arsenic-based pesticides and arsenic drug-laced chicken manure?"

(2017) Which Brands and Sources of Rice Have the Least Arsenic?

(5 mins) Transcript. Dr Greger's summary: "Arsenic levels were tested in 5,800 rice samples from 25 countries."

(2017) Which Rice Has Less Arsenic: Black, Brown, Red, White or Wild?

(5 mins) Transcript. Dr Greger's summary: "Brown rice contains more arsenic than white rice, but the arsenic in brown rice is less absorbable, so how does it wash out when you compare the urine arsenic levels of white-rice eaters to brown-rice eaters?"

(2017) Arsenic in Infant Rice Cereal

(7 mins) Transcript. Dr Greger's summary: "When it comes to rice and rice-based products, pediatric nutrition authorities have recommended that arsenic intake should be as low as possible."

(2017) Arsenic in Rice Milk, Rice Krispies, and Brown Rice Syrup

(7 mins) Transcript. Dr Greger's summary: "I recommend people switch away from using rice milk."

(2017) How to Cook Rice to Lower Arsenic Levels

(6 mins) Transcript. Dr Greger's summary: "Boiling rice like pasta reduces arsenic levels, but how much nutrition is lost?"

(2017) Cancer Risk from Arsenic in Rice and Seaweed

(8 mins) Transcript. Dr Greger's summary: "A daily half-cup of cooked rice may carry a hundred times the acceptable cancer risk of arsenic. What about seaweed from the coast of Maine?"

(2017) Do the Pros of Brown Rice Outweigh the Cons of Arsenic?

(5 mins) Transcript. Dr Greger's summary: "Are there unique benefits to brown rice that would justify keeping it in our diet despite the arsenic content?"

Dr Greger argues that many other whole grains are so nutritious that we may choose to greatly reduce or completely eliminate rice consumption in view of potential arsenic content in rice today. If we really really wish to eat rice, we should eat only a few servings a week, buy rice grown in regions known to have least arsenic and employ arsenic reduction cooking techniques.

(2009) Arsenic in Rice

(1 mins) Transcript. Dr Greger's summary: "Ways to decrease one's arsenic intake from rice."

(2017) Is White Rice a Yellow-Light or Red-Light Food?

(5 mins) Transcript. Dr Greger's summary: "Do the health benefits of rice consumption outweigh any potential risk from the arsenic contamination?"

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