has everyone besides me been aware of the concerns regarding brown rice being so contaminated with arsenic? somehow I missed that one. I was talking to a friend's mom a couple weeks ago about how I had pretty much cut gluten out of my diet last fall ('pretty much' means 'except for beer') and she expressed concerns about all of the arsenic in all of the rice products. and I thought.... 'huh?'
well great. something else to add to the list of things that makes me twitchy when grocery shopping. and geez, friends- that list is already longer than I'd like to admit.
ah well, I suppose there are bigger battles and moderation shall be the key as it is with so many other things in life.
(pictured above: arsenic noodles with broccoli rabe, parmesan, and thai peppers. yum)
I've heard of this before but haven't really dug too deep into the issue. I buy mostly organic everything. Does anyone know if the arsenic threat is still there in organic rice?
ReplyDeleteyes it is, unfortunately. I always look for non-GMO/organic rice but apparently the uptake of arsenic (naturally occurring and not) from the soil is the same for any kind of rice. I have heard it is worse for rice from Texas, Arkansas, and, I think, Louisiana.
DeleteUgh! Well, thank you for posting this. Yes, another thing to think about in our food but something that we should all be aware of. And it's generating a great discussion in the comments!
DeleteI too, read about this not too long ago and being gluten-free, rice is a big staple, so darn I said, what's next? It seems it's all bad for us these days depending on which article you read. I too, read that Texas and California are bad, and that India is one of the best places to get rice. Apparently, the arsenic in the soil is worst in places mentioned but it seems to be everywhere. Ugh. I am going to call it arsenic rice from now on too. ;)
ReplyDeleteI also read that rice from India is generally safer.
Deleteand you are so right about depending on what you read just about anything is said to be bad for you~ good grief!
I think when we slow down and pay close attention to how we feel, we are generally pretty good at making proper choices for ourselves and our bodies if our intentions are good and we are honest with ourselves. at least, that's what I'm going with! ;)
I agree 100%! :)
DeleteOne good thing - I read pasta is the least harmful since it is boiled and rinsed. I eat rice (organic) everyday (often multiple times) and I didn't test high for arsenic. My kids actually tested a bit higher, but they were eating and drinking it daily multiple times so we did have to make some changes for them. Your lunch looks good. I'd eat it without a second thought. :)
ReplyDeleteAlso, I think the organic arsenic isn't really a concern - just the inorganic?
Deletehere's a tidbit about that that I just read (from some website called live science.com):
Delete"Atoms of arsenic bond with other elements to form molecules — if carbon is one of these elements, then the arsenic compound is an organic compound. If there is no carbon present, then the arsenic compound is in an inorganic compound. (When the term "organic" is used in this way, it refers to the chemical elements present, and differs completely from the "organic" label that is applied to some foods. Both organic and conventionally-grown foods may contain arsenic, according to the FDA. )
Inorganic arsenic is a known human carcinogen — it is this form of arsenic that is linked with increased risks of cancer and other health effects."
from another site (the lundberg rice site, actually):
"WHAT IS THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN ORGANIC AND INORGANIC ARSENIC?
Inorganic and organic arsenic occur naturally in the environment, with inorganic forms being most abundant. Inorganic arsenic is associated with other metals in igneous and sedimentary rocks, and it also occurs in combination with many other elements, especially oxygen, chlorine, and sulfur. Organic arsenic contains carbon and hydrogen. It should be noted that inorganic and organic are not terms used to indicate pesticide usage, or even human activity, but rather the other metals and elements they are bound to. (Source)
HOW DOES ARSENIC GET IN MY FOOD?
Arsenic has been in food as long as humans have been consuming food. Because arsenic exists in the soil and water, incorporation into most plants and food, including rice, is inevitable. Some studies suggest that human activity can elevate arsenic levels. While arsenic is present in a wide array of foods, including flour, corn, wheat, fruit, poultry, rice and vegetables, as well as beer, wine, fruit juices and water, we support additional research into the pathways for arsenic to be absorbed by plants, and methods to reduce levels of inorganic arsenic in rice."
so, yes I suppose it is specifically the inorganic form of arsenic that is concerning. I'd like to know the sources of inorganic vs. organic arsenic in the soil- are the soils that are higher in the inorganic arsenic soils that were previously treated heavily with certain pesticides or herbicides? is it something about the geology of the area? hmmm.....
good news about the rice pasta! I've never had Claire tested for arsenic levels- what made you do so for your children?
DeleteGoodness me, something else to worry about. These scares are getting more frequent. Your lunch however does look delightful.
ReplyDeleteI often debate in my mind whether I really want to seek out any new information like this, or not. on one hand I feel it is important and often empowering information. but on the other hand...... well, there's only so much we can take on I think.
DeleteI do remember reading that certain areas had high levels of arsenic possibly due to old school insecticides used to spray cotton crops - before they were banned. (And that might be why California's rice is lower).
ReplyDeleteHonestly, I got them tested based on a hunch. They were having some digestive symptoms, and as it turns out - they had developed a sensitivity to rice anyway (they have always been prone to food sensitivities). They were consuming SO much rice, I just figured they might be high. So now we just rotate it and avoid things like the milk and syrup. And go with California - easy to do out here.
I heard the same thing linking inorganic arsenic levels in soils to past pesticide use in cotton fields. at least that may be a somewhat reliable way to lessen one's exposure... by avoiding rice grown in those areas of the country. I'm definitely planning to rotate my grains a bit more now. and seek rice grown either out West or in Asia, I suppose.
DeleteI am right there with you! there is this never ending battle of horribleness coming out of the industrial food chain. It's so complicated this web of where food comes from. It used to be so simple. Food came from your backyard or your neighbors or the forest. Boy I sure would love to sit down to tea with you. I'm sure we'd have so much to talk about! :)
ReplyDelete'NEVER-ENDING BATTLE OF HORRIBLENESS!' (dun, dun, DUN!) I like the sound of that! (well, of course I don't like the implications and the fact that it indeed seems to be true.. but you know what I mean)
DeleteI've been thinking a lot about that lately- about what if we all had to go back to sourcing our food from our own yards or neighboring farms, or foraging/hunting in the forest? Sure I'd miss a lot of things (okay, I'd REALLY miss tea and chocolate and certain tropical fruits) but gosh in some ways it'd be so much better, wouldn't it?
oh tea together would be amazing! maybe some day...
I had read this a while back. I had taken white rice off the menu thinking it was nothing but starch and then brought it back to make up 2/3 of our rice intake (although it has gone down quite a bit). But I have to agree that the amount of stuff that is bad for you these days makes you wonder if you are safe eating anything at all. I think moderation and awareness are key. We've been buying or making a lot of rice "blends" so that when we do eat rice, it,s not the only grain. We are fans of the True Roots company and they have amazing blends with sprouted grains and such. We do our best, you know?
ReplyDeletedoing our best is all we can really strive for, I think. sometimes I have to stop myself and just chill out a bit. because surely in the grand scheme of things..... we're doing alright. way better than alright, even.
DeleteI'm hoping that the research is not strong. I remember when I was a teen and coffee drinking was found to cause pancreatic cancer, they retracted that after 7-10 years....maybe they'll retract the arsenic stance.
ReplyDeleteI do wish growers would limit or stop pesticides herbicides and think about our environment though.
it seems people started really noticing it (or at least a lot of articles and such started being written about the link between rice and arsenic) about 4 or 5 years ago. many crops can assimilate it through the soil but for some reason rice is unfortunately particularly efficient at sucking it up. It is my impression that the science is fairly strong in terms of rice often having high levels of inorganic arsenic (particularly rice grown in fields once treated with certain insecticides and herbicides), and that inorganic arsenic is a known carcinogen. now, how much rice consumption can affect one's personal cancer risk, I don't know.
Deletewouldn't that be nice? hopefully more and more farmers will start realizing the short term so called benefits of using such things are so very harmful in the long term. (and even in the short term!)
I work in a organic store and there are some great quinoa noodles, black bean noodles or lentil noodles out there so you can limit your rice...not eliminate it!
ReplyDeletelentil noodles sound great! I've never seen them but will keep an eye out, thanks~
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