Arsenic in rice: how to eliminate it

Arsenic is a toxic mineral for people who It occurs naturally in the environment or may come from industrially contaminated water. In lower concentrations, arsenic is also found in other cereals, fish and drinking water. In particular, arsenic is found in rice.

Why is there arsenic in rice?

Rice contains arsenic because it absorbs it from the farmland. The rice that may contain more arsenic is that of Asian or American origin, due to the characteristics of the terrain and the presence of arsenic in the water. In Mediterranean and African rice the concentration is much lower.

How does the consumption of arsenic affect our health?

The effect of heavy metals such as arsenic in the body is cumulative and they are very difficult to eliminate.. According to the FDA, arsenic is associated with higher rates of skin, lung, or gallbladder canceras well as heart disease.

Arsenic accumulates in the liver, kidneys, skin, and nervous system.inhibits the action of vitamin E, selenium and sulfur and poses a high risk to pregnant women. It also increases oxidative stress and inflammatory processes associated with aging.

According to the WHO, prolonged consumption of water with a content greater than 0.01 mg of arsenic per liter could cause multisystem involvement and the appearance of various types of cancer.

Recently the European Union has approved a regulation that establishes a limit to the amount of arsenic present in our rice, although at home we can also try to eliminate or reduce it.

How can we remove arsenic from rice?

To remove arsenic from rice we must wash it several times. We submerge it in a bowl with plenty of water and rub it carefully so as not to damage the grains. Empty the bowl of water, being careful not to spill the rice, and add fresh water again to repeat the cleaning several times.