For many Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) families, dinner often starts with a pot of rice. Whether it’s paired with stir-fried vegetables, grilled fish, curry or soup, rice is a staple that has been part of family meals and cultural traditions for generations.
A new report from Consumer Reports isn’t telling people to stop eating rice. Instead, it says a few small changes can help lower long-term exposure to inorganic arsenic, a naturally occurring toxic element found in every rice product the nonprofit recently tested.
Consumer Reports analyzed 52 rice products, including white, brown, basmati, sushi and ready-to-eat rice. Every product contained detectable levels of inorganic arsenic, though the amounts varied. About 42% of the products had levels the organization said could be a concern if eaten regularly over many years.
Health experts say the biggest concern isn’t enjoying rice with dinner now and then. Instead, it’s the cumulative exposure that can come from eating higher-arsenic rice over many years. Young children may be especially vulnerable because of their smaller body size and developing bodies.
Rice naturally absorbs more arsenic than most other grains because it is typically grown in flooded fields, where arsenic in the soil becomes easier for the plant to absorb.
The report found that brown rice generally had higher arsenic levels than white rice because the outer bran layer, which is removed when white rice is processed, tends to hold more arsenic. Basmati and sushi rice were generally among the lower-arsenic varieties tested.
Rather than giving up rice, Consumer Reports recommends choosing lower-arsenic varieties when possible, cooking rice in extra water and draining it like pasta, and mixing other grains such as quinoa, barley or oats.
Consumer Reports also is urging federal regulators to establish broader limits for inorganic arsenic in rice. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration currently has an action level for inorganic arsenic in infant rice cereal, but not for most rice products sold to the general public.