Rice has its place in a healthy eating plan, but because it often contains arsenic, we should enjoy rice in moderation. Next time you’re making a soup, stir fry or other dish calling for rice, try these alternatives to rice!
Rice, Arsenic and Our Health
Rice is very good at absorbing arsenic from contaminated soil – better than most other food crops. EcoWatch says that, “it is the single biggest food source of inorganic arsenic” When we talk about arsenic in food, there are two kinds to consider:
- organic arsenic
- inorganic arsenic
Inorganic arsenic is the one to worry about, because it’s the type of arsenic associated with long-term health problems, like skin, bladder, and lung cancers and heart disease. Unfortunately, this is the type of arsenic found in rice.

Spencer Platt/Getty Images