How to Avoid Arsenic in Rice

Co-authored by wikiHow Staff

Last Updated: November 8, 2021 References

Rice is a very versatile grain that can be enjoyed on its own or found in a wide variety of foods and beverages. However, rice also absorbs arsenic during its growing process, some of which can be transferred to you. To avoid arsenic in rice, start by cooking your rice to a full boil in plenty of water. Also, try to buy rice that is grown in the U.S., Pakistan, or India. Limiting your rice consumption overall or looking for healthy, whole-grain substitutes can help, too.

Method 1

Method 1 of 3:
Cooking Your Rice

1
Soak your rice in water overnight. Pour your rice into a pot. Then, add water until you've reached a 6:1 water-rice ratio. Place the lid on the pot. Let the rice sit in the water undisturbed for at least 6 hours.^{[1]
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- This soaking period helps to remove some of the contaminants, such as arsenic, from your rice.
2
Rinse out the strained rice. Once the 12 hours is up, pour the water from the pot out through a metal mesh strainer and into the sink. Once all of the water is removed, use a spoon to move a portion of the rice on to the strainer. Run tap water over the rice for 1 minute. Then, stop the water and let the rice drain before setting it aside. Repeat with the remaining rice.^{[2]
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- While soaking and rinsing can lower the arsenic levels in rice, it may also remove nutrients, such as folate and iron. Even with the nutrient loss, it's still worthwhile to prepare your rice in this way.
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3
Add water to a clean pot in a 6:1 water-rice ratio. As a general rule, add in 6 parts of water for every 1 part of rice in the pot. So, if you are cooking 1 cup (240 mL) of rice, then you'll need to pour in at least 6 cups (1,400 mL) of water. This water will help to leach out the arsenic while the rice cooks.^{[3]
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4
Bring the rice and water to a rolling boil for 30 minutes. Once you've filled the pot, cover it with a lid and turn the heat up to its highest setting. Wait until the water begins to fully boil before turning the temperature slightly down. Your goal is to maintain a rolling boil for at least half an hour, while not burning the rice with too high of a temperature.^{[4]
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- It's fine to stir the rice with a spoon occasionally to keep it from sticking to the bottom of the pot.
- If you are cooking instant rice, then the boiling time might be significantly reduced. Follow the directions on the rice's package, but know that you may not be removing as much arsenic you could with non-instant rice types.
5
Drain the water from the rice. Set up a colander in the sink. Then, carefully pour the rice and water into the colander. Stir the rice slightly to encourage all of the water to drain away.^{[5]
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6
Return the rice to its original pot for 10 minutes. When you've drained away the water, pour the rice back in to the cooking pot. Let it sit unheated and undisturbed for at least 10 minutes. You can cover the pot if you'd like to retain some of the heat. Once this time is up, the rice is ready to serve and eat.^{[6]
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- This process will not remove all arsenic from the rice, but it will help to lower the levels substantially.
- Many people compare this type of cooking method to one that you commonly use to prepare pasta.
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Method 2

Method 2 of 3:
Selecting Your Rice

1
Select your rice from high-quality production locales. Not all rice producers are equal. The amount of inorganic arsenic that is found in rice differs depending on where the rice is sourced from. As a general rule, sushi rice from the U.S. and white basmati rice from California have lower amounts of arsenic.^{[7]
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- In addition, choosing rice grown in India or Pakistan can also reduce your arsenic exposure.
- For reasons that are difficult to pinpoint, the rice grown in these areas seems to absorb less arsenic from the soil during the growth process.
- In the United States, rice grown in the south central states, such as Texas, usually has higher inorganic arsenic levels.
2
Go with white rice instead of brown. If you are simply trying to avoid arsenic, then white rice is the right choice since it doesn't contain the outer shell that brown rice does. The outer layers are where much of the arsenic accumulates. Brown rice has more arsenic as a result since the outer shell is still intact.^{[8]
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- However, it isn't wise to eliminate brown rice from your diet entirely, as it actually contains more nutrients than its white counterpart.
- A good compromise is to only eat brown rice from preferred locations, such as the U.S., Pakistan, or India.
- Basmati rice usually has lower arsenic levels as well. For example, Basmati brown rice grown in Arkansas has been shown to have at least 3% less arsenic than its white counterpart.
3
Contact rice companies to see if they conduct independent arsenic testing. Look at the contact information on the rice package or research the company's name online. Then, reach out to them and ask about their product testing standards. If they've completed arsenic tests, request that they direct you to that information or send it to you via email.
- For example, you might write, “I'm interested in purchasing your long-grain brown rice. Could you send me information about recent arsenic tests performed on this product? Thank you.”
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Method 3

Method 3 of 3:
Minimizing Your Consumption of Rice

1
Cut down on your rice intake overall. Whether you find an exact replacement for your rice consumption or not, simply minimizing the amount of rice that you eat will reduce your exposure to arsenic. Consider how much rice you eat over the course of a week and aim to lower that amount by half or more. Stop buying rice when shopping and get other grains instead to reduce the temptation to cook with it.^{[9]
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- Look for recipes online that are grain-free or incorporate other types of grains, such as barley.
- For children, it's best to stay at or below 1.25 servings of rice each week. For adults, the weekly recommended amount is 2 servings. A serving is usually around .25 cups (59 mL) of rice.
- Rice does have a number of health benefits, so it's best not to eliminate it from your diet entirely.
2
Feed your baby a wide variety of iron-fortified cereals. Young children are often exposed to arsenic in rice when they are fed rice cereals. This is especially common when parents use rice products to transition their child from liquids to solid foods. Replace these rice snacks and cereals with fortified grain products with ingredients such as oat or barley.^{[10]
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- Reading the labels on baby food products is the best way to determine what type of grains are in each food product.
3
Limit your consumption of rice-based drinks. While they can be tasty, beverages that include rice as an ingredient have high levels of inorganic arsenic. Brown rice tea, rice wine, and rice milk are just a few examples of drinks that should be consumed minimally or removed from your diet. And, these types of drinks should never be offered to children due to their elevated arsenic content.^{[11]
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- Even beers that include rice as an ingredient will test high for arsenic.
- Read the product's label carefully to see if rice is included on the ingredient's list. Rice milk, for example, is not a good substitute for regular milk.
4
Reduce your consumption of processed foods containing rice or rice syrup. Before you buy prepackaged food at the grocery store, turn over the item and read its ingredients label carefully. Look for rice or its derivatives, such as rice flour or rice syrup. Instead, go with a product that uses natural non-rice sweeteners or alternative grains.^{[12]
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- For example, many energy and breakfast bars are sweetened with rice syrup and contain higher levels of arsenic as a result.
- Cake mixes, crackers, and cereals often use rice products, too.
5
Replace rice with alternative grains. Most of the recipes that require rice will taste just fine with a substitute grain, such as millet. Go to your grocery store and pick up small-sized packages of a variety of low-arsenic grains, like amaranth, polenta, or buckwheat. Then, experiment with incorporating these grains into your daily diet as rice replacements.^{[13]
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- Varying the types of grains that you eat is also good for your digestive system and can keep it functioning at a healthy level.
- If you're interested in grains with gluten, barley and farro are both good options.
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Warnings

It's especially critical to reduce the exposure of children younger than 5 to any arsenic found in rice or other foods and drinks. This is a crucial period for brain development, which can be damaged by ingesting arsenic.

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It's also important to note that organic rice isn't necessarily free of arsenic since the soil may still contain trace amounts of it.

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