Arsenic in Rice
Heavy metal exposure can increase the risk of Autism Spectrum Disorders.
Over the years I have heard whispers about arsenic being found in rice and rice products. It has always caught my attention because I am fully aware that heavy metals can accumulate in the body. My eldest child has had this issue and has previously had aluminium and mercury build up within him. It alarmed me at the time that such a thing was even possible! Here is a run down of how it happens and what you need to work on to make sure it doesn’t happen to you, your child or your family.
Heavy metals naturally occur in our environment. We come in contact with them regularly, you can’t really avoid them completely. Arsenic is found in our soil- it comes from the Earth’s crust. When rice grows, it naturally absorbs a lot of arsenic from the soil and it ends up in the grain. If you have ever been to Bali and explored the beautiful rice fields, you will know just how much water is needed to grow rice. It really does love water and soaks up everything from the soil. So when we consume the rice, the arsenic is then able to be absorbed and stored in the body.
Brown rice absorbs the most arsenic over other types of rice.
Now, all this might sound really alarming! Knowing how heavy metals can mess with us, it’s actually pretty scary. The amazing thing though, is that our bodies have an inbuilt mechanism that was designed for this very thing. Whenever we come across something that should not be in us, our body gets busy quickly and removes it through DETOXIFICATION, and it is the liver that does most of the work.
High levels of arsenic can cause and contribute to mood disorders, memory & learning problems, cognitive dysfunction, anxiety and depression. We now know that children with Autism spectrum disorders (ASD) have higher levels of arsenic and mercury within them than others. We also know that those with ASD have compromised detoxification pathways and may not be able rid these “toxins” from their bodies as easily as others. It is thought that this is how heavy metals are higher in ASD kids…. they are exposed to them and their livers can’t work fast enough to detoxify them out, so they get stored and accumulate. It is a similar story with other environmental toxins including mould.
The liver works in 2 phases. Phase 1 of liver detoxification will break down the toxin- most of us can do this part quite well. Phase 2 is responsible for getting rid of the toxin- here is where some of us struggle. Phase 2 of liver detoxification uses different pathways to excrete toxins out of the body and they all need to be on fire to get the job done. After Phase 1 and phase 2 have done their job, the toxin goes to the intestines to be excreted out in the stool. Now, if there is not enough fibre for the toxin to bind to, any digestive complaints, or constipation, then the toxin is just going to get reabsorbed back into the blood stream and end up getting stored in the body.
After reading all this, don’t freak out and never eat rice again- that’s not the answer! There are 2 simple things you can do avoid this problem….
1. Prepare your rice properly
2. Support detoxification in the body
PREPARE YOUR RICE PROPERLY
You want to be soaking your rice for at least 2 hours before you cook it. Just put the desired amount of rice in a glass bowl and cover it with water. After a minimum of 2 hours, rinse the rice really well. Just by doing these 2 things will reduce the arsenic load in the rice.
When you cook the rice, don’t use the absorption method where you use the exact amount of water required. Unfortunately, this is how most rice cookers work. Instead, cook the rice in a large amount of water, and then drain it off when the rice is cooked.
SUPPORT DETOXIFICATION:
Our livers are clever organs! They have the ability to rejuvenate and repair themselves (there are some incredible herbs that I use on my patients who are struggling with their liver health). You just need to give your liver some love.
You want to be eating an abundant amount of CRUCIFEROUS vegetables. They are your liver’s best friend and helps it do its job- detox! Include and abundant amount of cabbage, broccoli, cauliflower, brussels sprouts, bok choy and green leafy vegetables at every meal.
You also want to make sure your elimination pathways are working properly. Going to the bathroom regularly, sweating, deep breathing outdoors, getting some exercise, eating lots of fibre and drinking 2-3 litres of water a day (for an adult) is a great way to let your body get ride of the toxins it just detoxed.
If you feel that your detoxification pathways are not up to scratch or that you need a bit of help with your liver, then you will need to work with a healthcare practitioner to rectify this.
FURTHER EDUCATION:
Assessment of human dietary exposure to arsenic through rice.
Blood Mercury, arsenic, cadmium, and lead in children with Autism Spectrum Disorder.