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Rice and Arsenic
Background
Background
To answer the question we have to start with arsenic, the toxin element that rice is prone to contain!Arsenic is a heavy metal, very toxic to the human body.There are two types of arsenic:
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organic arsenic - Arsenic associated with carbon, is mainly assimilated in plants and animals.
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Inorganic arsenic - found in rocks, in the soil in certain areas, and in some “regions” of the globe - dissolved in water and in drinking water. This is the more dangerous arsenic that causes most of the health damage.
It has been known for several years that rice has a tendency to absorb and concentrate arsenic.
The main dietary sources through which we may be exposed to arsenic:
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Contaminated drinking water - in certain areas of the world (mainly South America and Asia) Drinking water is contaminated with non-organic arsenic, which is the most dangerous.
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Food from the sea - fish and seafood contain significant amounts of arsenic, but it is mostly organic arsenic which is much less toxic. There are some exceptions like oysters and specific types of algae that concentrate inorganic arsenic.
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Chicken meat - the poultry industry uses growth catalysts and drugs containing non-organic arsenic. The authorities in most countries of the world allow the use of these drugs. Therefore, even conventional poultry could be a significant source of non-organic arsenic.
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Rice and rice products - it turns out that of all the land crops, rice has a tendency to absorb arsenic from the soil and drinking water, much more than any other crop, most of it non-organic arsenic, which is more dangerous.
Wheat, quinoa, buckwheat and all types of vegetables that will grow in the same soil, will not concentrate large amounts of arsenic like the rice.
How Does Arsenic Get to Rice?
Arsenic Contamination in Rice
The degree of contamination of arsenic in rice depends on the area where the rice is grown (whether the soil contains a little or a lot of arsenic) and the water used (water contaminated with arsenic or not).
This 2008 study found a “global “normal” range of 0.08−0.20 mg per kg.
At the higher range, this result is equivalent to 200 micrograms of arsenic in 1 kg of Rice. (1 milligram = 1000 micrograms).
Suppose we ate only 100 grams of rice. (100 grams of dry rice will weigh close to 300 grams after cooking. 300 grams of cooked rice is about 2 cups of rice - a reasonable and average portion. Vegetarians who do not eat a portion of meat or another main dish at a meal, often eating more than that at a meal.)
If 1 kg of rice contains 200 micrograms of arsenic, then in a portion of rice prepared from 100 grams of dry rice, there are 20 micrograms of arsenic.
Let's say a 6-year-old child, weighing 20 kg, ate this portion for lunch (2 cups of cooked rice), he received 3 times the maximum allowed daily amount of arsenic, above which it was found that there is an increase in the risk of malignant diseases.
(For those interested, here is the calculation - a child weighing 20 kg, multiplied by 0.3, which is the level from which it is found in studies that there is an increase in risk, gives 6 micrograms of arsenic. In a portion of 100 grams of rice, as we saw in the example, there are 20 micrograms of arsenic, that is, 3 times the level that he is allowed to be exposed to in a day).
If a girl or a woman weighing 50 kg, ate this portion of cooked rice (prepared from 100 grams of dry rice), then in that portion of rice she received 1.5 times the "safe" daily amount of arsenic and if a man weighing 70 kg, ate 100 grams of rice, he received from that portion the “allowed” arsenic daily amount.
We put "safe" in quotation marks because the review by the European Food Safety Authority examined only the exposure from which there is an increase in the risk of malignant diseases. It is certainly possible that even at lower doses of arsenic there is an increase in the risk of heart disease, diabetes or damage to the fetus. We do not have reliable and accurate information on this subject.
How Does Arsenic Get into Rice?
Today, the land and water in large parts of the earth are contaminated with large amounts of non-organic arsenic due to human activity.
The main sources that pollute the earth with arsenic are the use of pesticides (some of which contain arsenic), chemical fertilizers for agriculture, preservatives for the wood industry (some of which contain arsenic), industrial waste, mining activity, electricity generation using coal (this is also the main source of mercury in the atmosphere today and in our water sources) and refineries.
Why exactly does rice accumulate arsenic?
Rice is the most problematic of all because rice is grown by flooding the rice fields with very large amounts of water. No other crop is grown using such large amounts of water. If this water contains arsenic, the rice will be exposed to arsenic far more than any other crop from the water itself, and the soil that nourishes it.
Note that exposure to arsenic in food does not cause any symptoms or immediate medical problems. Even occasional random exposure to food containing a large amount of arsenic will not cause any harm. The problem is chronic exposure with high frequency for many years (and we eat quite a lot of rice and rice products...).
The European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) published a comprehensive review on the toxic effects of exposure to arsenic in food and summarized all the scientific data known to science up to that moment.
After analyzing many dozens of studies, the researchers write that even with an exposure of 0.3 micrograms of arsenic per kilogram of body weight per day, there is an increase in the risk of skin cancer, lung cancer and bladder cancer.
Already from this figure, you understand that children are in the greatest risk group, due to their low body weight. We note that the standard of the World Health Organization (WHO) allows exposure of up to 2.1 micrograms of arsenic per kg of body weight per day. But this is an old standard. After the comprehensive review of the European Food Safety Authority from 2009, the standard that is correct to refer to is the findings of this comprehensive review (exposure of more than 0.3 micrograms of arsenic per kg of body weight already increases the risk).
WHO (World Health Organization) concludes that “Long-term exposure to arsenic from drinking-water and food can cause cancer and skin lesions. It has also been associated with cardiovascular disease and diabetes. Early childhood exposure has been linked to negative impacts on cognitive development and increased deaths in young adults.7 Dec 2022”
Arsenic Contamination in Rice
Reducing Arsenic in Rice
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Use tested for arsenic rice - Read more
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Choice of rice variety. From reading studies on the subject done in different countries, it became clear to us that the aromatic rice varieties (such as basmati rice and jasmine rice) have a reduced tendency to concentrate Arsen.
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A lot of water. According to studies, thoroughly washing the rice before cooking can remove 10-28% of the amount of arsenic in the rice (some of the arsenic is from rice grains that have been crushed or were broken and scattered as powder on the rest of the rice grains. Thorough washing will remove this powder and significantly reduce the amount of arsenic. [REF, REF]
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This study found that washing rice reduced the amount of arsenic only in basmati rice and not in other rice varieties, so here is another reason why basmati rice should be preferred [REF]. Not only does it contain lower levels of arsenic to begin with, its washing is also more beneficial than washing other rice varieties.
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Cooking the rice in a large amount of water can also significantly reduce the amount of arsenic in the rice. It is advisable to cook the rice in water that has undergone quality filtration, such as reverse osmosis. The usual cooking method for rice is 2 - 2.5 cups of water for each cup of rice. The correct and healthy way to cook rice is with a much larger amount of water. About 6 cups of water for every cup of rice and at the end of cooking, pour the remaining water.
The studies found that this cooking method can remove together with washing the rice about 57% of the amount of arsenic! [REF] About half of the amount of arsenic would come out with the water left in the pot and spilled at the end of cooking.
The following study found that normal cooking with a ratio of 2 cups of water per cup of rice did not reduce the arsenic level while cooking with a ratio of 6 cups of water reduced the arsenic level by 35-45%! [REF]
This means that while cooking at a temperature of 100 degrees, the rice also knows how to emit arsenic into the water! (but only if there is a lot of water). Of Course cooking in water contaminated with arsenic increases the amount of arsenic in the rice portion. According to the studies, the rice also knows how to absorb arsenic from the water, while cooking! [REF] That is why it is critical to cook with high-quality filtered water.
Watch Other Rice Based Foods
Nowadays, we are exposed to rice not only when we eat a portion of cooked rice. Below is a list of other foods that contain rice and of which you should be careful:
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rice
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crispies and rice snacks for babies Rice
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breakfast cereal - rice based
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syrup - used to sweeten as a substitute for fructose-rich thyroid syrup or other sweeteners. May be found in any industrial product [52]
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Rice flour (as a product by itself or as an ingredient in products, and in gluten-free pastries)
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Rice noodles, rice papers for rolling
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a rice drink (milk substitute)
Summary, conclusions and recommendations
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The diversity of the diet - for people who usually eat a lot of rice, it is definitely worth diversifying their diet and instead of rice, also eat buckwheat, quinoa, amaranth, millet and more. A varied diet will ensure not only the reduction of exposure to one or another poison, but also the supply of a variety of essential substances for health.
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The type of rice - learn what variety of rice among the rice varieties available to you, is the variety that absorbs the least arsenic. Basmati rice looks like a good start, with the advantage that its glycemic value (the rate of increase in blood sugar after eating any food) is low compared to jasmine rice or other varieties of rice.
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Washing - be sure to wash the rice well before cooking it with plenty of water.
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Cook the rice with a lot of water. About 6 cups of water for every cup of rice. This method will significantly reduce the amount of arsenic in your rice. The familiar cooking method - two cups of water for every cup of rice does not reduce the amount of arsenic in the rice!
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Regarding whole or white rice - we must tell the truth. At least with regard to the basmati rice, which is the cleanest variety, whole rice contains tens of percents higher arsenic level above white rice.
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We recommend avoiding eating rice crispies. Many people eat rice crispies on a daily basis, as a substitute for bread. The studies show as mentioned that rice is polluting and eating rice products should be avoided on a daily basis. In particular, whole rice crackers should be avoided.
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Avoid giving babies products based on rice. Prefer buckwheat porridge, homemade almond milk, etc.
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Avoid rice milk. Prefer to prepare homemade almond milk, or at least soy milk (organic, non-genetically modified and without added sugar).
Watch Other Rice Based Foods
Reducing Arsenic in Rice
Summary, conclusions and recommendations
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