Brown Rice From The Southern States Could Cause Cancer, Here Are Healthy Alternatives

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Rice is a staple food for millions of people around the world. However, studies have raised concerns about the safety of U.S. rice due to arsenic contamination. Especially brown rice when it’s produced in southern states. Why is this the case and what should you know to prevent unwanted side effects? Keep reading!

The Arsenic Problem: What We Know

Arsenic is a natural element found in soil, water, and air. It exists in two forms: organic and inorganic. Inorganic arsenic is more harmful. Long-term exposure to high levels of inorganic arsenic can cause health problems like skin issues, heart disease, nerve damage, diabetes, and cancer.

Studies have shown that eating five servings of rice a week can expose people to arsenic levels a hundred times higher than what is considered safe. This alarming discovery has raised concerns among consumers, scientists, and health officials, putting the rice industry under a lot of scrutiny a couple of years ago.

Why Is Arsenic Bad For Your Health?

The presence of arsenic in rice is particularly concerning because rice is a staple food for a large portion of the world’s population. Here are some specific health risks associated with arsenic in rice:

• Cancer: Arsenic exposure is a known risk factor for several types of cancer, including skin, lung, bladder, and kidney cancer.
• Heart disease: Long-term exposure to arsenic can lead to heart problems, increasing the risk of heart attacks and strokes.
• Developmental issues: Arsenic exposure in pregnant women can harm fetal development, leading to birth defects and cognitive problems in children.
• Neurological effects: Long-term arsenic exposure can affect the nervous system, causing symptoms like numbness, tingling, and even cognitive decline.

How Does Arsenic Get Into Rice?

Arsenic can get into rice plants in several ways:

• Soil contamination: Arsenic can be in the soil where rice is grown, often because of old arsenic-based pesticides.
• Irrigation water: Water used to irrigate rice fields can contain arsenic, especially in areas with high natural arsenic levels in groundwater.
• Absorption by plants: Rice plants can absorb arsenic from both soil and water, and the arsenic can build up in the rice grains that people eat.

How the Industry Responded

When the news about high arsenic levels in U.S. rice came out, the USA Rice Federation strongly denied the findings. They said the studies were not only wrong but also “maliciously untrue.” However, researchers criticized the industry for ignoring the arsenic problem for years.

The Historical Context

The issue of arsenic in rice comes from old farming practices. Rice is often grown in fields that used to be cotton fields. In these fields, arsenic-based pesticides were heavily used in the past. These pesticides left arsenic residues in the soil. Critics say that if the industry had dealt with this problem earlier, they could have found safer soil and developed rice varieties with lower arsenic levels.

Also read: Why Poor Quality Soil Is Hurting People Like Us Living On A Plant-Based Diet

Lundberg Farms: Leading by Example

Unlike many other companies, Lundberg Farms took action to address the arsenic issue. After a report by Consumer Reports, Lundberg Farms started testing their rice products for arsenic. They shared the results with the FDA and the public. You can find detailed arsenic levels for their products on their website and in the image below.

Lundberg Farms’ testing showed that their rice has lower arsenic levels than the national average for brown rice. For example, their aromatic brown rice, such as brown basmati and brown jasmine, has less arsenic than the average U.S. brown rice. Their red and black rice also show lower levels.

Insights from the Broader Industry

Differences Among Brands

While some brands like Lundberg Farms have made progress in reducing arsenic levels, others have not. Major brands like Uncle Ben’s and Walmart have shown higher arsenic levels than Lundberg’s, exceeding the national average. Even more interesting is that in these test results, the Whole Foods 365 Everyday Value brand scored the worst. Do note these test results are 5+ years old but they’re the most recent ones.

Geographic Differences

A large review of 5,800 rice samples from 25 countries found that U.S. rice has some of the highest arsenic levels in the world, averaging twice the levels found in Asian rice. However, not all U.S. rice is the same. Rice from Texas and Arkansas has higher arsenic levels compared to rice from California, which is similar to rice from other parts of the world.

What Rice To Choose?

Based on their data, Consumer Reports recommends choosing brown basmati rice from California, India, or Pakistan. These varieties tend to have lower arsenic levels. The rice from California was very comparable in terms of arsenic levels to the rice from India and Pakistan (which had very low arsenic levels).

On the other hand, you can also opt for alternative grain forms as mentioned in the quote below:

Brown rice of a particular type always had higher levels of inorganic arsenic than white rice of the same type. But the origin of rice can also affect arsenic levels in addition to type. Brown basmati rices from India, Pakistan, or California are better choices for brown rice. Those brown rices have lower levels of inorganic arsenic than other brown rices from all other parts of the U.S.

Alternative grains to rice such as amaranth, millet, and quinoa all have significantly less inorganic arsenic than rice.

Source

Organic vs. Conventional Rice?

Interestingly, organic rice does not always have lower arsenic levels than conventional rice. This is because the arsenic contamination comes from old pesticide use, not current farming practices. Even though arsenic-based pesticides were banned over 30 years ago, the contamination in the soil remains.

Brown Rice vs. White Rice?

If brown rice has higher arsenic levels, but white rice causes more diabetes, which one should you pick? Interestingly enough, not a lot of information on this topic is out there. In one study, researchers couldn’t come to a strong recommendation (source). However, they did mention:

“The fact that brown rice contains more arsenic than white rice cannot be denied, and the human health risks associated with dietary arsenic exposure are well-established.”.

Source

This seems to suggest that if you had to pick between high-arsenic brown rice or white rice, white rice is the better choice. Still, if you can pick a low-arsenic brown rice (such as brown basmati rice from California, India, or Pakistan) or an alternative grain, that’s even better.

Stefan K.

Stefan has been vegan since 2019 and has been regularly working on his strength since the beginning of 2023. He’s on a mission to help other vegans get stronger and have all of them achieve the quality of life they deserve.