What's Wrong With Rice?

White rice is an easily digested grain that’s often endorsed by the low-carbohydrate community because it can be transformed into a source of resistant starch—which fuels the growth of beneficial gut bacteria—after it’s cooked and cooled.

When eaten immediately after cooking, a single cup of white rice contains almost 55 grams of carbohydrate—more than many primal diet enthusiasts consume in an entire day. Setting concerns about its high carbohydrate content aside, white rice has an even bigger problem—it contains arsenic.

Arsenic is a known carcinogen that’s both tasteless and odorless, so it can be difficult to detect in food. Contaminated groundwater is the most common cause of arsenic poisoning. Countries that have high levels of arsenic-containing groundwater include the United States, India, China, and Mexico. In addition to cancer, long-term arsenic exposure can lead to diabetes, heart disease, birth and developmental defects, and neurotoxicity.

Arsenic in rice has been a concern since a 2012 study conducted by Consumer Reports found high levels of this toxic heavy metal in every brand of rice it tested. According to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, “Rice has higher levels of inorganic arsenic than other foods, in part because as rice plants grow, the plant and grain tend to absorb arsenic more readily than other food crops.”

In fact, rice has 10 to 20 times more arsenic than other cereal crops because it is grown in flooded fields, an environment that encourages arsenic absorption.

Some types of rice do have less arsenic than others. Here’s a brief synopsis of what we currently know:

• Basmati rice is lower in arsenic than any other kind of rice.

• Brown rice contains more arsenic than white rice since it’s concentrated in the husk. In addition to storing more toxins, the hard outer shells of all grains can irritate the digestive tract. And they contain anti-nutrients —nutrients that bind to other nutrients (like vitamins and minerals), preventing their absorption.

• Levels of arsenic are the same in organically and conventionally grown rice.

• Rice cakes and crackers can contain arsenic levels higher than those in cooked rice.

• The levels of arsenic found in rice milk are significantly more than what’s legally allowed in drinking water.

The Consumer Reports study (referenced above) found California basmati rice to be the least contaminated of all varieties evaluated. Lundberg Family Farms (a California company) is my go-to brand because they regularly test their rice and publish their results.

Keep in mind that all rice (including wild rice) can contain arsenic. To remove arsenic from your rice:

1. Soak it overnight. This will open up the grain, allowing the arsenic to escape.

2. Drain the rice and rinse it thoroughly with fresh water.

3. For every part rice, add 5 parts water and cook the rice until tender. Don’t allow it to absorb all the water (boil dry).

4. Drain the cooked rice and rinse it once again with hot water to get rid of any arsenic remnants left in the cooking water.

What do you think? Do you like white rice enough to go to the extra work or is it time to try some other alternatives? Which ones?