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MostBotsAreBad t1_jdmba3c wrote

There's arsenic in a lot of rice grown in the U.S., too, and possibly in other crops, especially those grown in former cotton fields, as arsenic products were used on cotton for pest control.

Reports of testing pop up periodically, but mostly the problem seems to generally be ignored. Even if you don't eat rice, this kind of legacy environmental contamination is going to be an ongoing issue, and it's worth keeping an eye on, maybe worth learning the symptoms of chronic low-level metal poisoning.

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aboynamedbluetoo OP t1_jdmc7o5 wrote

Replying to MostBotsAreBad (#2,352,415)

Environmental contamination is tough to avoid, but it should be avoided to the greatest extent possible.

The study I linked was done in China. Their environmental regulations and practices haven’t been great during their economic rise over the last fifty or so years. Much like ours weren’t when we rapidly industrialized. Same as it ever was.

And of course part of the reason for the offshoring of certain things to places like China over the last thirty plus years was a conscious effort by some to export externalities and avoid tighter, more costly regulations in more advanced economies. Out of sight, out of mind.

Edited.

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Skurrio t1_jdmcllh wrote

I'm never buying scandinavian Rice again!

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Twisted_Cabbage t1_jdmlk0s wrote

Consumerlab.com has recently found A LOT of arsenic contamination in flaxseeds. Even many organic brands are contaminated. FYI...organic is not a guarantee against heavy metal contamination, especially considering how corrupt US politicans, and regulators are.

This is a growing problem, and my best is that most of our food supply is contaminated by one of either arsenic, lead, mercury, or cadmium. Sometimes, it's low levels and not enough to trigger our laughable US regulations but still high enough to harm your health in the middle to long run...and definitely do damage to fetuses and children.

Dont forget microplastics contamination, foreverchemicas, PCB, etc.

Yeah...our world has become a toxic soup. Those trying to be toxin free are really playing a losing game. As the problem gets more widespread and the costs to fix get more expensive, eventually we will stop trying. Deregulation is sort of already there. Not saying dont try, but just be aware...you will lose.

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Twisted_Cabbage t1_jdmotvk wrote

Replying to aboynamedbluetoo (#2,353,731)

Exactly, but people who worship the meaningless term " all natural" and prostrate to the god of "organic" definitely don't spend much mental power with critical thinking. They spend more mental energy feeling vibes and talking to crystals.

I buy mostly organic but am not foolish enough to think it's some sort of panacea or that it automatically means something is healthy.

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Twisted_Cabbage t1_jdmqwo9 wrote

Replying to aboynamedbluetoo (#2,354,033)

In all honesty, i have Master's Degree in Natural Resources and a Master's in Nutrition and Integrative Health. I worked for the US Forest Service for five years and the Bureau of Land Management for 2 before changing my career and became a Nutritionist. Before all that, i served in the US Air Force. In grad school for Nutrition i met many woo woo types that display the exact type of thinking i mentioned. Also met many of those types while i worked for the Forest Service and see them all the time in my private Nutrition practice. Please don't be a jerk and assume you know anyone based off one or 2 reddit posts. Trolling is gross.

So now that i have shared, please...tell me your qualifications for calling me a crank and how awesome you are.

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OzzyMan4444 t1_jdoavws wrote

To give context, part of the problem is companies and other people not caring to filter out these materials even though we can. Was just talking with my microfluidics professor about this very concept.

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GetyPety t1_jdorc2r wrote

Great now we can't even eat rice, is there even a food that doesn't cause cancer?

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Upset-Let-4648 t1_jdpv0uf wrote

For anyone worried about this you can limit exposure by buying Jasmine/Basmati rice grown in California. Although more pricey there have been studies that show they have much lower levels of arsenic and heavy metals than most other sources

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AFaultyUnit t1_jdqv24t wrote

First chocolate and now rice? Do you want me to just stop eating?

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Chronotaru t1_jdr2ewr wrote

Generally you have a choice, wash your rice properly and keep the starch but still have unfortunate levels of arsenic, or leave it to soak overnight, say goodbye to your starch but have vastly lower arsenic levels.

And the people who don't wash your rice, I've no idea what you're doing.

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AFaultyUnit t1_jdrgrvn wrote

Replying to aboynamedbluetoo (#2,371,011)

I am approximately 70% chocolate by weight.

Its hard to tell where the rice is from. Packaging often lists 'made in' country which, afaik, can just mean the country where the rice was packaged, not where it was grown.

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Ishpeming_Native t1_jdriadt wrote

(From George Carlin): "Swallowing spit causes cancer, but only if done for a long time."

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