Rice cereals, brown-rice pasta, white and brown-rice flours, rice crackers, rice milk, and a whole boat-load of gluten-free products are often consumed daily along with white or brown rice as a side dish.
However, when Consumer Reports investigated over 200 samples of products that contain some of these forms of rice, they found significant levels of arsenic.
Here's what you need to know about rice if you are gluten free:
The dangers of arsenic in rice isn't new.
The problem has been around for years now, especially when referring to contaminated drinking water. Studies done on food have only surfaced within the past few years, but the food industry is blaming arsenic's presence in food and drinks on the fact that arsenic occurs naturally in soil and minerals.
While that's true, that isn't the type of arsenic that Consumer Reports was worried about. Inorganic arsenic – the type found in pesticides, insecticides, herbicides, contaminated water, and other sources – is extremely toxic when consumed in large quantities.
In fact, mounting evidence has shown that even low levels of arsenic consumed over a lengthy period of time can result in serious health issues.
Even so, there is no federal limit for the presence of inorganic arsenic in food or juices – only water.
Arsenic in Rice Isn't a New Problem
The dangers of arsenic in rice isn't new.
The problem has been around for years now, especially when referring to contaminated drinking water. Studies done on food have only surfaced within the past few years, but the food industry is blaming arsenic's presence in food and drinks on the fact that arsenic occurs naturally in soil and minerals.
While that's true, that isn't the type of arsenic that Consumer Reports was worried about. Inorganic arsenic – the type found in pesticides, insecticides, herbicides, contaminated water, and other sources – is extremely toxic when consumed in large quantities.
In fact, mounting evidence has shown that even low levels of arsenic consumed over a lengthy period of time can result in serious health issues.
Even so, there is no federal limit for the presence of inorganic arsenic in food or juices – only water.
Arsenic in Drinking Water Measures Safety
There's no dependable scientific evidence that the arsenic found in rice poses a danger to your health, so it's no surprise that the 34-billion dollar rice industry is claiming that the public's concern about foods with arsenic is over-the-top.
Their business perspective is that the risks of eating rice are minimal compared to rice's benefits. That may be true for the general population, but it isn't true for those on a gluten-free diet.
And with more and more people starting to go gluten free, the arsenic found in gluten-free foods is a major concern.
The amount of arsenic allowed to be in a quart of municipal or bottled drinking water is 10 parts per billion (10 ppb). To put that amount into a gluten-free context, a little more than half a cup of rice will give you the same amount of arsenic currently found in a quart of water.
Consumer Reports used the arsenic levels allowed in water to judge the level of arsenic in rice. The samples they tested included organic products, as well as conventional or store brands, and specifically included the types of products you'd consume on a typical gluten-free diet.
The range of arsenic they found was 11 to 87 percent of the allowable level in water, with the average falling somewhere around 55.
What this showed was that arsenic in food isn't an organic problem, and it isn't a conventional problem either. The current concern isn't for those who eat a well-balanced diet. The concern is for children and those who eat a high-rice diet.
If you eat gluten free or dairy free, the problems associated with arsenic toxicity are accumulative. Even lower levels in a product can be deadly if you consume a variety of arsenic-tainted foods on a regular basis.
Arsenic is a natural occurring semi-metal.
It's tasteless and odorless.
It often contaminates drinking and irrigation water in specific areas of the U.S.
Certain areas of New England, the Southwest, and the Midwest have been found to be the highest in naturally occurring arsenic, but that type of arsenic isn't the problem.
According to Consumer Reports, the U.S. has used 1.6 million tons of arsenic for agricultural and industrial uses with half of that being used on orchards, vineyards, and cotton fields between 1960 and 1980. Although, no longer legal to use, residues continue to contaminate soil and water sources, even today.
While the FDA has taken steps to stop the use of herbicides that contain arsenic, many other arsenic additives are still in use.
Rice and other plants absorb arsenic from soil and water during production. Rice plants are grown in water-flooded conditions, which makes them more likely to take up the arsenic from the water and store it inside the rice.
Although insecticides of the lead-arsenic variety were banned in the U.S. in the 1980s, arsenic is still allowed in animal feed today.
That makes current fertilizers, as well as contaminated water, potentially problematic; but it also means that rice isn't the only problem.
Fruit, fruit juices, vegetables, and potatoes have also been shown to contain various amounts of arsenic.
In earlier studies, Consumer Reports found a significant amount in apple juice and grape juice. There's about 18 percent of the safe level in water for fruits and 24 percent in vegetables.
Lower than rice, but if you're eating the 5 fruits and vegetables per day that's recommended by today's health authorities, including their peel, it could be potentially harmful for children or those on gluten-free diets when coupled with additional sources of rice.
Even so, cereal products that contain rice seems to be the current health concern for most Americans due to the large amount of people who eat cereal everyday for breakfast and, sometimes, snacks.
If you're on a gluten-free or dairy-free diet and using white or brown rice, rice flour, rice milk, rice pasta, potatoes and other produce every day, you don't have to be eating cereal to have high levels of arsenic in your bloodstream.
According to the Center for Disease Control, eating foods that contain low levels of arsenic can cause:
Rice grown in certain localities can be more problematic than in other locations. This has to do with the practice of using arsenic-laced pesticides on cotton crops several decades ago.
In the southern part of the U.S., soil and water sources are still contaminated with inorganic arsenic, even today.
Rice grown in:
As for brown rice, many health authorities consider it more nutritious, so we are often told to eat brown rice instead of white. For that reason, many on a gluten-free diet have switched from using white-rice flour to brown-rice flour in order to take advantage of its higher vitamin, mineral, and fiber content.
However, brown rice is much higher in inorganic arsenic, the toxic type, because arsenic collects in the outer layer of grains. Rice that's had the bran removed is actually less toxic than brown varieties, so simply switching from white rice to brown increases your arsenic consumption.
The message isn't to avoid all forms of rice, but to become more aware of how much rice you're eating.
And with more and more people starting to go gluten free, the arsenic found in gluten-free foods is a major concern.
The amount of arsenic allowed to be in a quart of municipal or bottled drinking water is 10 parts per billion (10 ppb). To put that amount into a gluten-free context, a little more than half a cup of rice will give you the same amount of arsenic currently found in a quart of water.
Consumer Reports used the arsenic levels allowed in water to judge the level of arsenic in rice. The samples they tested included organic products, as well as conventional or store brands, and specifically included the types of products you'd consume on a typical gluten-free diet.
The range of arsenic they found was 11 to 87 percent of the allowable level in water, with the average falling somewhere around 55.
What this showed was that arsenic in food isn't an organic problem, and it isn't a conventional problem either. The current concern isn't for those who eat a well-balanced diet. The concern is for children and those who eat a high-rice diet.
If you eat gluten free or dairy free, the problems associated with arsenic toxicity are accumulative. Even lower levels in a product can be deadly if you consume a variety of arsenic-tainted foods on a regular basis.
How Does Arsenic Get Into Rice?
Arsenic is a natural occurring semi-metal.
It's tasteless and odorless.
It often contaminates drinking and irrigation water in specific areas of the U.S.
Certain areas of New England, the Southwest, and the Midwest have been found to be the highest in naturally occurring arsenic, but that type of arsenic isn't the problem.
According to Consumer Reports, the U.S. has used 1.6 million tons of arsenic for agricultural and industrial uses with half of that being used on orchards, vineyards, and cotton fields between 1960 and 1980. Although, no longer legal to use, residues continue to contaminate soil and water sources, even today.
While the FDA has taken steps to stop the use of herbicides that contain arsenic, many other arsenic additives are still in use.
Rice and other plants absorb arsenic from soil and water during production. Rice plants are grown in water-flooded conditions, which makes them more likely to take up the arsenic from the water and store it inside the rice.
Although insecticides of the lead-arsenic variety were banned in the U.S. in the 1980s, arsenic is still allowed in animal feed today.
That makes current fertilizers, as well as contaminated water, potentially problematic; but it also means that rice isn't the only problem.
Additional Foods with Arsenic in Them
Fruit, fruit juices, vegetables, and potatoes have also been shown to contain various amounts of arsenic.
In earlier studies, Consumer Reports found a significant amount in apple juice and grape juice. There's about 18 percent of the safe level in water for fruits and 24 percent in vegetables.
Lower than rice, but if you're eating the 5 fruits and vegetables per day that's recommended by today's health authorities, including their peel, it could be potentially harmful for children or those on gluten-free diets when coupled with additional sources of rice.
Even so, cereal products that contain rice seems to be the current health concern for most Americans due to the large amount of people who eat cereal everyday for breakfast and, sometimes, snacks.
If you're on a gluten-free or dairy-free diet and using white or brown rice, rice flour, rice milk, rice pasta, potatoes and other produce every day, you don't have to be eating cereal to have high levels of arsenic in your bloodstream.
Health Hazards of High Levels of Arsenic in Your Bloodstream
According to the Center for Disease Control, eating foods that contain low levels of arsenic can cause:
- nausea and vomiting
- abnormal heart rhythm
- nerve damage
- decreased red and white blood cell production
- damaged blood vessels
- stomach pain
- diarrhea
- numbness in your hands and feet
- partial paralysis
- blindness
- warts
- corns
- bladder cancer
- skin cancer
- liver cancer
- kidney cancer
- prostrate cancer
- lung cancer
- immunodeficiency
- Type 2 diabetes
- heart disease
Arsenic is Higher in Brown Rice
Rice grown in certain localities can be more problematic than in other locations. This has to do with the practice of using arsenic-laced pesticides on cotton crops several decades ago.
In the southern part of the U.S., soil and water sources are still contaminated with inorganic arsenic, even today.
Rice grown in:
- Texas
- Missouri
- Louisiana
- Arkansas
As for brown rice, many health authorities consider it more nutritious, so we are often told to eat brown rice instead of white. For that reason, many on a gluten-free diet have switched from using white-rice flour to brown-rice flour in order to take advantage of its higher vitamin, mineral, and fiber content.
However, brown rice is much higher in inorganic arsenic, the toxic type, because arsenic collects in the outer layer of grains. Rice that's had the bran removed is actually less toxic than brown varieties, so simply switching from white rice to brown increases your arsenic consumption.
The Danger in Gluten-Free or Dairy-Free Diets
The message isn't to avoid all forms of rice, but to become more aware of how much rice you're eating.
For most Americans, the amount of arsenic in rice isn't a major issue unless you're consuming a large amount of organic products that use brown-rice syrup as a sugar alternative to high-fructose corn syrup.
Typical grains eaten in large quantities are:
With 1 in 133 Americans estimated to have celiac disease and 6 percent of the population thought to have non-celiac gluten sensitivity, those on gluten-free diets are typically eating or drinking far more rice than the average person.
Rice is in almost all gluten-free products to some degree.
Along with sorghum flour, brown-rice flour is often the main flour substituted in baked goods. This puts those on gluten-free diets at a higher risk for health problems associated with arsenic.
Consumer Reports discovered that a single serving of rice eaten every day can raise arsenic levels in the bloodstream by 44 percent over those who don't eat rice, and those who eat two or more servings per day can have levels as high as 70.
Parents who have had their dairy-free children tested for arsenic, due to a moderate consumption of rice milk, have found this to be true.
Urine tests showed that children had 10 to 20 times more arsenic in their urine than there would have been if the kids had been given water to drink instead.
These numbers are even more problematic when you consider that the amount of arsenic thrown off by the body into the urine is only about half of what you eat or drink.
Whether you are gluten free, or not, here are three things you can do to minimize the risks:
Arsenic is found in the skin of fruits and vegetables, as well as the outer bran found on whole grains. I know this is the opposite of what most nutrition-minded folks recommend, but you'll lower your arsenic risk if you take the time to scrub your produce and peel it whenever you can.
Since I have trouble with too much fiber, I always do this.
When you're new to a gluten-free diet, one of the first recommendations given is to check all of the ingredients on the label for gluten. If you do the same thing looking for rice, rice flour, and rice milk, you'll become more aware of the amount of rice you're eating on a daily basis.
Most people on a gluten-free diet have never thought about the amount of rice or corn that they eat every day. I know I didn't. Not until I started looking at what manufacturers are putting in their gluten-free products.
Most gluten-free options also contain a lot of extra fiber, as well as the rice, so it's been an eye-opening experience for me.
Once you have a better idea of how much rice you're actually eating, try to bring more balance into your meals and snacks. Take the time to seek out gluten-free products and gluten-free recipes that don't contain rice at all.
If you need help in coming up with ideas, do a web search for low-carb recipes and snacks. Since low carbers do not consume rice in any form, low-carb recipes and diet ideas can be helpful to bring more balance to your meals.
Typical grains eaten in large quantities are:
- wheat
- oatmeal
- corn
With 1 in 133 Americans estimated to have celiac disease and 6 percent of the population thought to have non-celiac gluten sensitivity, those on gluten-free diets are typically eating or drinking far more rice than the average person.
Rice is in almost all gluten-free products to some degree.
Along with sorghum flour, brown-rice flour is often the main flour substituted in baked goods. This puts those on gluten-free diets at a higher risk for health problems associated with arsenic.
Consumer Reports discovered that a single serving of rice eaten every day can raise arsenic levels in the bloodstream by 44 percent over those who don't eat rice, and those who eat two or more servings per day can have levels as high as 70.
Parents who have had their dairy-free children tested for arsenic, due to a moderate consumption of rice milk, have found this to be true.
Urine tests showed that children had 10 to 20 times more arsenic in their urine than there would have been if the kids had been given water to drink instead.
These numbers are even more problematic when you consider that the amount of arsenic thrown off by the body into the urine is only about half of what you eat or drink.
What Can You Do to Minimize the Risks?
Whether you are gluten free, or not, here are three things you can do to minimize the risks:
Tip No. 1 Peel your Potatoes, Fruits, and Vegetables
Arsenic is found in the skin of fruits and vegetables, as well as the outer bran found on whole grains. I know this is the opposite of what most nutrition-minded folks recommend, but you'll lower your arsenic risk if you take the time to scrub your produce and peel it whenever you can.
Since I have trouble with too much fiber, I always do this.
Tip No. 2 Check the Label on the Products you Buy for Rice.
When you're new to a gluten-free diet, one of the first recommendations given is to check all of the ingredients on the label for gluten. If you do the same thing looking for rice, rice flour, and rice milk, you'll become more aware of the amount of rice you're eating on a daily basis.
Most people on a gluten-free diet have never thought about the amount of rice or corn that they eat every day. I know I didn't. Not until I started looking at what manufacturers are putting in their gluten-free products.
Most gluten-free options also contain a lot of extra fiber, as well as the rice, so it's been an eye-opening experience for me.
Tip No. 3 Eat a Balanced Diet
Once you have a better idea of how much rice you're actually eating, try to bring more balance into your meals and snacks. Take the time to seek out gluten-free products and gluten-free recipes that don't contain rice at all.
If you need help in coming up with ideas, do a web search for low-carb recipes and snacks. Since low carbers do not consume rice in any form, low-carb recipes and diet ideas can be helpful to bring more balance to your meals.
Comments
Post a Comment