Arsenic in Our Food Supply: Which “Healthy” Food May Be Poisonous?

Over the last several years, we have seen brief reports scattered across media about the presence of arsenic in our food supply.

Just last year, Dr. Oz raised red flags across the nation when he brought our attention to the fact that 10% of apple and grape juice samples taken from popular juice brands have total arsenic levels at around 23 parts-per-billion. (1)

According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), in order to be considered safe, drinking water and public water systems must contain less than 10 parts-per-billion of arsenic. (2)

Arsenic in Rice

A seemingly innocent food like rice can contain high levels of inorganic arsenic. For children, this chemical compound can cause long-term damage to affect developing brains and immature digestive systems.

Arsenic and many chemical compounds formed with arsenic are poisonous to the human body. In the United States, most people are exposed to arsenic through their diet. For example, when we eat seafood, we are exposed to organic arsenic, or arsenic that forms naturally in plants and animals. (3)

This form of arsenic is far less toxic than inorganic arsenic, which is found in pesticides and some wood preservatives.  Inorganic arsenic can be as much as 600 times more toxic than some forms of organic arsenic. (4) Inorganic arsenic can contaminate our soil, as well as our food and water supply. (5)

The rice plant is naturally adept at extracting arsenic from the soil. Studies have found that it contains both organic and inorganic arsenic. (6)(7)

As it turns out, in addition to drinking water, rice is the largest source of inorganic arsenic in our diets.

This is a problem. Inorganic arsenic has been found to promote:

• Diabetes (8)
• Hypertension (9)
• Cardiovascular disease (10)
• Cancer (11)(12)

Unfortunately, many rice products are sold as health foods. And some are even marketed as beneficial for children and infants. (13)(14) These include:

• White rice
• Brown rice
• Organic rice baby cereal
• Organic baby formula
• Organic energy bars

Because children have developing brains and immature gastrointestinal tracts, they are especially susceptible to the noxious effects of arsenic in rice.

In fact, exposure to high levels of arsenic during childhood is associated with neurobehavioral problems, cancer, and lung disorders. (15)

Good Bacteria Can Metabolize Arsenic

While it is a good idea to heed warnings of arsenic exposure, especially when it comes to our children, it is also important to understand that the human body is equipped to handle a small degree of exposure to toxic substances, including arsenic.

For example, one study found that intestinal bacteria in mammals may help the body to detoxify some forms of arsenic. (16) When it comes to soil that has been contaminated with arsenic, another study found that gut bacteria play a profound role in the human body’s ability to metabolize arsenic. (17) Still other studies point out that the mineral and micronutrient selenium is helpful in the detoxification of arsenic. (18)

Now more than ever, it is important to support the growth of beneficial microbial communities in the gut.

To build a healthy gut, Body Ecology recommends eating fermented foods and drinking probiotic liquids on a daily basis. It is essential to get your child’s palate acquainted with the sour taste of fermented foods. It is also important to consider limiting your child’s exposure to processed, industrial food as much as possible.

New Thoughts on Brown Rice vs. White Rice

While brown rice is often promoted as being healthier than white rice, it has significantly more arsenic than white rice. (19) Brown rice is also more difficult to digest and contains anti-nutrients that limit its bioavailability. (20)