Climate Change Is Causing Arsenic Levels to Rise in Rice. Here’s the Safe Switch to Make

Arsenic is a naturally occurring chemical element that can be found in rocks, soil, water, air, and, unfortunately, food. It’s highly toxic to humans and can bring about all kinds of neurological disorders and cancers. The World Health Organization (WHO) warns that long-term exposure to inorganic arsenic can lead to diabetes, cardiovascular disease, have adverse impacts on pregnancy outcomes, and trigger lung disease as well as kidney failure. Due to climate change, the amount of arsenic absorbed by rice is on the rise, posing serious health risks to crop safety and global health.

One simple solution to lowering the risk of arsenic exposure can be switching from brown rice to white rice. Brown rice still has the outer bran layer, and that’s where the majority of arsenic is stored once absorbed by the rice plant. White rice has the bran removed, taking the largest carrier of arsenic out of the food.