Rice-Arsenic Update

Apparently, there was a TV crew going around the playgrounds today asking moms about the rice-arsenic connection.  I thought this was old news, until I browsed CNN today and found yet another article on the issue.  I snorted when I read this:  "However, the Consumer Reports study recommended people eat no more than two servings of a quarer-cup of dry rice a week."  Yo, I'm Asian.  We eat two servings of a quarter-cup of dry rice in one meal...multiple times a week.  I'm hoping that my families' organs don't start failing in the near future, and I don't know what to think any more.  But here's the link to the article, if anyone wants to do any thinking in my stead:

• http://thechart.blogs.cnn.com/2012/09/19/report-worrisome-levels-of-arsenic-in-rice/?hpt=hp_t3

Arsenic in Brown Rice

Given my unflagging support of the croissant industry, I can't really claim to be a gluten-phobe, but the hubby is, so for a while at home our grain of choice has been brown rice.  That is, until a friend of mind alerted me to the fact that brown rice and brown rice products contain elevated levels of arsenic.  (Healthy efforts foiled again, dangnabbit!)  Though I'm the first to acknowledge that the media is always quick to jump on the hyperbole bandwagon and send consumers spiraling into unnecessarily panicked tizzies (APPLE JUICE WILL KILL YOU!!!), I can also see how a mom who feeds her baby formula containing brown rice syrup might be somewhat concerned about the findings reported here (and every other news agency, I guess):

• http://abcnews.go.com/Health/Diet/arsenic-organics-rice/story?id=15642428

Anyway, I still love me some brown rice, but I have to admit somewhat sheepishly that we've become less frequent eaters of the stuff.  In related news, because I'm always a silver lining kind of gal, I can happily report that I don't feel so guilty any more asking for sticky coconut rice from my favorite Thai restaurant.  (Shut up, waistline.)