Guys, it’s deja vu. It happened to our dear apple juice. Now it’s our popular staple, rice and its by products. Tests conducted by Consumer Reports Magazine state that considerably amounts of inorganic arsenic have been found in rice (especially brown rice), baby rice cereal, rice cakes, rice milk and other products containing rice.
Other Scottish researches conducted revealed that far less amounts have been found in basmati or jasmine rice. (I know what I’ll be eating sometimes)Clearly, there is cause for concern with all and sundry. And as a result those in the science arena have recommended that:
- we as consumers should limit consumption of rice and its by-products
- serve baby rice cereal to kids once per month
Dr. Oz was one of the first public officials who broke the news in regards to the presence of arsenic in apple juice. And, once again he has stepped forward at the forefront to advice on how we as consumers should handle the news of arsenic in rice. He recommends:
- substituting rice for other carbs like quinoa, barley, etc that have less arsenic
- if and when we’re going consuming rice, we should use more water per ratio to rice. For example, one cup of rice to 6 cups of water and then drain the excess water.
For me, I’m concerned. No one likes to hear about chemical in their food. The little that I understand is that organic arsenic is naturally found in food along with inorganic. It seems like a small amount is not harmful; however, it’s the huge amount that is cause for concern because arsenic in large quantities can cause cancer.
We have heard about apple juice; now, rice and by products. What next? I choose not to be fearful but consume in moderation and follow the recommendations of Dr. Oz and others in the community who have consumers’ interests at heart.
Whenever I cook rice, brown or other, I generally rinse before I bring to a boil. Knowing what I know now, I’ll be rinsing thoroughly for a few times to eradicate any remnants of unwanted substance. Then, I’ll follow suit with Dr. Oz’s recommendations.