Arsenic, Rice & You.

[JeffN]

Some articles I wrote over the last year on the arsenic issue.

Arsenic & Apple Juice
http://www.jeffnovick.com/RD/Articles/E ... Juice.html

Arsenic & Rice
http://www.jeffnovick.com/RD/Articles/E ... _Rice.html

Arsenic & Rice: What You Can Do
http://www.jeffnovick.com/RD/Articles/E ... an_Do.html

How To Cook Perfect Brown Rice
http://www.jeffnovick.com/RD/Q_%26_As/E ... _Rice.html

Arsenic in rice milk??
viewtopic.php?f=22&t=12113

Several have asked if this is a good reason to eat less rice (and other grains) and eat more vegetables due to the arsenic. Well, this quote is from John M. Duxbury, PhD, a professor of soil science and international agriculture at Cornell University in Ithaca, N.Y and responds to that question.

“All plants pick up arsenic. Concentrations in leaves of plants are much higher than in grains of plants. Thus, leafy vegetables can contain higher levels of arsenic than rice, especially when they are grown on arsenic-contaminated soils. But because we eat a much lower volume of leafy greens compared to other kinds of foods, arsenic intake from this source is also low."

Now, this may be true for most Americans who barely eat any vegetables or greens (leaves). But what about us, who probably surpass the amount of vegetables most American eat in a week, each day (or meal).

Now what?

In Health
Jeff

[danmc]

Thanks for the info and your response to my post in the thread on arsenic and rice in the Lounge.

To ask the same question I pose on that thread, does using the pasta cooking method for rice, i.e. using a large amount of water and then draining it, lose a significant amount of nutrients in the rice?

[JeffN]

It is important to remember that...

- if you are eating this way, you are eating a nutritionally superior diet.

- I have shown that how even using white rice, which has less nutrients, as part of this program instead of brown rice, that these programs, as recommended, are more than nutritionally adequate.

- the problem most of us face is not getting in enough nutrients, but eating to many calories, fat, sat fat, salt, sugar, cholesterol, trans fat, hydrogenated fat, refined grains and inactivity.

- the reason Americans eat nutrition poor diets is because of my last point. The solution is switching to a diet rich in fruits, veggies, starchy veggies, whole grains and legumes.

In Health
Jeff

[Quinda]

Jeff, I have always used the rice cooker to make brown rice. Do you think I should switch to top of the stove in a big pot so the water amount can be more regulated and poured off at the right time? Thanks for keeping us up on this issue.

[JeffN]

If you think arsenic is an issue, and want to reduce the potential risk of exposure as much as possible, then yes, it is one of the steps you can take.

Personally, I eat a lot of rice and buy imported brown rice and cook it according to the recipe above & the rice is great!

In Health
Jeff

[Adam1984]

Thank you so much for all the info Jeff!!

[Jordy Verrill]

I buy brown rice from India off of Amazon for a very decent price and cook it "pasta style", as I call it. Cooking it like that makes the best rice I've ever had.

[Langeranger]

Jeff put up a post on Oct. 12 which included a link to a recipe for cooking rice. I'm indebted. Finally, following the recipe I'm getting fluffy, minimally sticky brown rice. It's a good deal more labor intensive than using an automatic cooker, but, from my point-of-view worth the effort. Also, found a Thai brown jasmine which spreads it's fabulous aroma through the house for several hours during and after cooking. "good eatin," Don

[JeffN]

Jeff put up a post on Oct. 12 which included a link to a recipe for cooking rice. I'm indebted.

Thanks.

I have cooked rice for decades and have never used a rice cooker as it always just came out right. However, I have to agree with you because, since using this new method, the rice just seems to come out even better.

Yes, it is slightly more labor intensive but I also don't have to watch it so closely as it does not seem to matter much if I go a little over or under. I have also experimented with reducing the amount of water, as 6:1 ratio is high and have had equal success with 5:1 and 4:1.

In Health
Jeff

[ETeSelle]

Jeff, do you think that some of the arsenic is removed from Success rice b/c it's cooked in its bag in lots of water? Or is it not cooked long enough for that?

I'm not losing ANY sleep over the arsenic thing, honestly, and I'm still using my rice cooker for "real" rice. But I use Success pretty often, so was curious. Thanks!

[JeffN]

Jeff, do you think that some of the arsenic is removed from Success rice b/c it's cooked in its bag in lots of water?

Yes, it pretty much follow the same principle, which can reduce 35-50% of the arsenic.

Or is it not cooked long enough for that?

Good point. The way I see it is that it is not the length of time that mattered more but the amount of water used.

I'm not losing ANY sleep over the arsenic thing,

Me neither

In Health
Jeff

[ETeSelle]

That's good to know (that I can reduce it w/out changing my behavior LOL).

[JeffN]

Some more studies on the topic

1) Cooking rice in a high water to rice ratio reduces inorganic arsenic content.
J Environ Monit. 2009 Jan;11(1):41-4. doi: 10.1039/b816906c. Epub 2008 Nov 20.

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19137137

Abstract
Total arsenic and arsenic speciation was performed on different rice types (basmati, long-grain, polished ([white] and wholegrain [brown]) that had undergone various forms of cooking. The effect of rinse washing, low volume (2.5 : 1 water : rice) and high volume (6 : 1 water : rice) cooking, as well as steaming, were investigated. Rinse washing was effective at removing circa. 10% of the total and inorganic arsenic from basmati rice, but was less effective for other rice types. While steaming reduced total and inorganic arsenic rice content, it did not do so consistently across all rice types investigated. Low volume water cooking did not remove arsenic. High volume water : rice cooking did effectively remove both total and inorganic arsenic for the long-grain and basmati rice (parboiled was not investigated in high volume cooking water experiment), by 35% and 45% for total and inorganic arsenic content, respectively, compared to uncooked (raw) rice. To reduce arsenic content of cooked rice, specifically the inorganic component, rinse washing and high volume of cooking water are effective.


2) Effects of polishing, cooking, and storing on total arsenic and arsenic species concentrations in rice cultivated in Japan. Food Chem. 2015 Feb 1;168:294-301. doi: 10.1016/j.foodchem.2014.07.060. Epub 2014 Jul 18.

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/25172713

Abstract
The effects of polishing, cooking, and storing on total arsenic (As) and As species concentrations in rice were studied adopting typical Japanese conditions. Total and inorganic As levels in three white rice samples polished by removing 10% of bran by weight were reduced to 61-66% and 51-70% of those in brown rice. The As levels in the white rice after three washings with deionized water were reduced to 81-84% and 71-83% of those in raw rice. Rinse-free rice, which requires no washing before cooking because bran remaining on the surface of the rice was removed previously, yielded an effect similar to that of reducing As in rice by washing. Low-volume cooking (water:rice 1.4-2.0:1) rice to dryness did not remove As. The As content of brown rice stored in grain form for one year was stable.


3) Arsenic burden of cooked rice: Traditional and modern methods.
Food Chem Toxicol. 2006 Nov;44(11):1823-9. Epub 2006 Jun 28.

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/16876928

Abstract
Arsenic contamination of rice by irrigation with contaminated groundwater and secondarily increased soil arsenic compounds the arsenic burden of populations dependent on subsistence rice-diets. The arsenic concentration of cooked rice is known to increase with the arsenic concentration of the cooking water but the effects of cooking methods have not been defined. We tested the three major rice cooking procedures followed globally. Using low-arsenic water (As < 3 microg/L), the traditional method of the Indian subcontinent (wash until clear; cook with rice: water::1:6; discard excess water) removed up to 57% of the arsenic from rice containing arsenic 203-540 microg/kg. Approximately half of the arsenic was lost in the wash water, half in the discard water. A simple inexpensive rice cooker based on this method has been designed and used for this purpose. Despite the use of low-arsenic water, the contemporary method of cooking unwashed rice at rice:water::1:1.5-2.0 until no discard water remains did not modify the arsenic content. Preliminary washing until clear did remove 28% of the rice arsenic. The results were not influenced by water source (tubewell, dug well, pond or rain); cooking vessel (aluminium, steel, glass or earthenware); or the absolute weight of rice or volume of water. The use of low-As water in the traditional preparation of arsenic contaminated rice can reduce the ingested burden of arsenic.


4) Rethinking Rice Preparation for Highly Efficient Removal of Inorganic Arsenic Using Percolating Cooking Water
Manus Carey, Xiao Jiujin, Júlia Gomes Farias, Andrew A. Meharg
Published: July 22, 2015DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0131608

Full Text
http://journals.plos.org/plosone/articl ... ne.0131608

Abstract

A novel way of cooking rice to maximize the removal of the carcinogen inorganic arsenic (Asi) is presented here. In conventional rice cooking water and grain are in continuous contact, and it is known that the larger the water:rice cooking ratio, the more Asi removed by cooking, suggesting that the Asi in the grain is mobile in water. Experiments were designed where rice is cooked in a continual stream of percolating near boiling water, either low in Asi, or Asi free. This has the advantage of not only exposing grain to large volumes of cooking water, but also physically removes any Asi leached from the grain into the water receiving vessel. The relationship between cooking water volume and Asi removal in conventional rice cooking was demonstrated for the rice types under study. At a water-to-rice cooking ratio of 12:1, 57±5% of Asi could be removed, average of 6 wholegrain and 6 polished rice samples. Two types of percolating technology were tested, one where the cooking water was recycled through condensing boiling water steam and passing the freshly distilled hot water through the grain in a laboratory setting, and one where tap water was used to cook the rice held in an off-the-shelf coffee percolator in a domestic setting. Both approaches proved highly effective in removing Asi from the cooking rice, with up to 85% of Asi removed from individual rice types. For the recycled water experiment 59±8% and 69±10% of Asi was removed, on average, compared to uncooked rice for polished (n=27) and wholegrain (n=13) rice, respectively. For coffee percolation there was no difference between wholegrain and polished rice, and the effectiveness of Asi removal was 49±7% across 6 wholegrain and 6 polished rice samples. The manuscript explores the potential applications and further optimization of this percolating cooking water, high Asi removal, discovery.

[JeffN]

The main concerns with chronic arsenic exposure is cancer and heart disease. Here is the latest data on both

On cancer...

Rice consumption and cancer incidence in US men and women.
Int J Cancer. 2015 Jul 28.
doi: 10.1002/ijc.29704.
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/26219234

"Long-term consumption of total rice, white rice or brown rice was not associated with risk of developing cancer in US men and women."

Abstract

While both the 2012 and 2014 Consumer Reports concerned arsenic levels in US rice, no previous study has evaluated long-term consumption of total rice, white rice and brown rice in relation to risk of developing cancers. We investigated this in the female Nurses' Health Study (1984-2010), and Nurses' Health Study II (1989-2009), and the male Health Professionals Follow-up Study (1986-2008), which included a total of 45,231 men and 160,408 women, free of cancer at baseline. Validated food frequency questionnaires were used to measure rice consumption at baseline and repeated almost every 4 years thereafter. We employed Cox proportional hazards regression model to estimate multivariable relative risks (RRs) and 95% confidence intervals (95% CIs). During up to 26 years of follow-up, we documented 31,655 incident cancer cases (10,833 in men and 20,822 in women). Age-adjusted results were similar to multivariable-adjusted results. Compared to participants with less than one serving per week, the multivariable RRs of overall cancer for individuals who ate at least 5 servings per week were 0.97 for total rice (95% CI: 0.85-1.07), 0.87 for white rice (95% CI: 0.75-1.01), and 1.17 for brown rice (95% CI: 0.90-1.26). Similar non-significant associations were observed for specific sites of cancers including prostate, breast, colon and rectum, melanoma, bladder, kidney, and lung. Additionally, the null associations were observed among European Americans and non-smokers, and were not modified by BMI. Long-term consumption of total rice, white rice or brown rice was not associated with risk of developing cancer in US men and women.


On Heart disease....

Rice consumption and risk of cardiovascular disease: results from a pooled analysis of 3 U.S. cohorts.
Am J Clin Nutr. 2015 Jan;101(1):164-72. doi: 10.3945/ajcn.114.087551. Epub 2014 Nov 12.

"Greater habitual consumption of white rice or brown rice is not associated with CVD risk."

http://ajcn.nutrition.org/content/101/1/164.long

Abstract

BACKGROUND:
Health concerns have been raised about rice consumption, which may significantly contribute to arsenic exposure. However, little is known regarding whether habitual rice consumption is associated with cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk.

OBJECTIVE:
We examined prospectively the association of white rice and brown rice consumption with CVD risk.

DESIGN:
We followed a total of 207,556 women and men [73,228 women from the Nurses' Health Study (1984-2010), 92,158 women from the Nurses' Health Study II (1991-2011), and 42,170 men from the Health Professionals Follow-Up Study (1986-2010)] who were free of CVD and cancer at baseline. Validated semiquantitative food-frequency questionnaires were used to assess consumption of white rice, brown rice, and other food items. Fatal and nonfatal CVD (coronary artery disease and stroke) was confirmed by medical records or self-reports.

RESULTS:
During 4,393,130 person-years of follow-up, 12,391 cases of CVD were identified. After adjustment for major CVD risk factors, including demographics, lifestyle, and other dietary intakes, rice consumption was not associated with CVD risk. The multivariable-adjuted HR of developing CVD comparing ≥5 servings/wk with <1 serving/wk was 0.98 (95% CI: 0.84, 1.14) for white rice, 1.01 (0.79, 1.28) for brown rice, and 0.99 (0.90, 1.08) for total rice. To minimize the potential impact of racial difference in rice consumption, we restricted the analyses to whites only and obtained similar results: the HRs of CVD for ≥5 servings/wk compared with <1 serving/wk were 1.04 (95% CI: 0.88, 1.22) for white rice and 1.01 (0.78, 1.31) for brown rice.

CONCLUSIONS:
Greater habitual consumption of white rice or brown rice is not associated with CVD risk. These findings suggest that rice consumption may not pose a significant CVD risk among the U.S. population when consumed at current amounts. More prospective studies are needed to explore these associations in other populations.

In Health
Jeff

[JeffN]

Here is an update.

From this article


BE CAREFUL HOW YOU COOK YOUR RICE, WARNS QUEEN'S EXPERT
https://daro.qub.ac.uk/pages/2016-rebra ... eharg-bbc2

"Andy Meharg, Professor of Biological Sciences at Queen's Institute for Global Food Security, and a leading expert on rice contamination, tested three ways of cooking rice for the BBC programme Trust Me, I’m a Doctor (available on the BBC iPlayer until 09 March) to see whether it altered the levels of arsenic.

In the first method, Professor Meharg used a ratio of two parts water to one part rice, where the water was “steamed out” during cooking — a method commonly used. He found this left most of the arsenic present.

By contrast, when the he used five parts water to one part rice and washed the excess water off, levels of arsenic were almost halved, while in the third method, in which the rice was soaked overnight, levels of the toxin were reduced by 80 per cent.

The safest method of cooking rice is therefore to soak it overnight, then wash and rinse it until the water is clear, before draining it well and boiling in a saucepan, with a ratio of five parts water to one part rice."

This is new and interesting and, while not published, if true, this would be the best way to cook your rice. Hopefully, they will publish their study or repeat it and publish it.


In Health
Jeff