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- More than 1 in 4 rice products sold in the U.S. now exceed the FDA’s arsenic limit for infant cereal, exposing families to heavy metals that harm brain development, kidneys and long-term health
- Brown rice grown in the southeastern U.S. was the most contaminated, while white basmati from India, Thai jasmine and California-grown white rice had the lowest heavy metal levels
- Cooking rice in extra water and draining it like pasta cuts arsenic exposure by up to 60%, making it one of the simplest ways to reduce your toxic load
- Children under 2 in Asian American and Latino households are exposed to two to four times more arsenic from rice than the general population due to higher rice consumption
- White rice is easier to digest and less inflammatory than brown rice for people with gut issues or mitochondrial dysfunction, making it a better choice for many; choosing lower-contaminated varieties and cooking them properly are key
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