Back in January of this year, I wrote about fungicide in orange
juice and arsenic in apple juice, and wondered what food-poison combo
would be next. Well, we have our answer! This week, a new study by
Consumer Reports revealed that arsenic is present in a wide range of
rice products, from cereal to baby food, and of course, in regular old
rice itself.
And because one news story about the toxic nature of our food supply
just isn’t enough, recent tests carried out by the Mercury Policy
Project of Montpelier found that canned tuna fish used in school lunches
contained levels of mercury that sometimes surpassed the federal limit.
Why the federal limit isn’t zero is another matter for concern, since
the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) itself admits that too much
mercury exposure can cause kids to develop severe learning disabilities
and other negative health effects. Based on the Mercury Policy Project's
findings, canned tuna is currently the number one fish product consumed
in the U.S., making tuna the top mercury exposure risk in the American
diet.
But mercury and arsenic are present in more than just our food
supply. Arsenic pervades our water, soil, and air because it occurs
naturally in the Earth’s crust, and also because of chemicals used in
farming and other industries.
The EPA limits the amount of arsenic in this country’s drinking water to
10 parts per billion, but there is no federal limit on the amount of
arsenic food can contain, even though experts have long known that
plants take up arsenic as they grow. Arsenic’s negative effects on human
health are well-established: according to the National Resources
Defense Council, a 1999 study by the National Academy of Sciences linked
arsenic exposure to bladder, lung and skin cancer. The study also found
that arsenic harms the central and peripheral nervous systems; heart
and blood vessels; and may cause birth defects and reproductive
problems.
In the wake of the Consumer Reports study, three members of Congress
from Connecticut, New Jersey, and New York proposed legislation
requiring the Food and Drug Administration to set a maximum level of
arsenic in rice and rice products and entitled it, The RICE Act
(Reducing food-based Inorganic and organic Compounds Exposures).
Unfortunately, this measure and others like it – that “limit” rather
than “ban” toxins like arsenic and mercury – don’t go far enough to
guard against public health crises.
Even Dr. Philip Landrigan, a pediatrician, epidemiologist and director
of Children's Environmental Health Center at Mount Sinai Medical Center
in New York City, recommended that for the next few months or years,
parents “…avoid any rice that comes from Texas, Louisiana or Missouri,
and when it doubt go with barley or oatmeal.”
So, how can you avoid exposing your family to mercury and arsenic?
For mercury, eat seafood in moderation– it all contains various levels
of toxins. While it goes without saying that schools should not serve
students mercury-laced foods of any kind, in the meantime, pack your
children’s lunches full of nutrient-packed organic fruits and
vegetables. Mercury is also found in dental fillings, light bulbs,
thermometers, batteries, certain paints, coal emissions, and a number of
common medications.
Though arsenic is almost impossible to avoid because of its
deep-rooted presence – natural or otherwise – in our soil, you can try
to limit your family’s exposure to this pollutant. Limit products
containing brown rice syrup, rice milk, and other rice-based
ingredients. Serve your family healthy, less toxic alternatives like
organic millet or quinoa, which are packed with protein. Lay off fruit
juices made with apples and grapes, which contain high levels of
arsenic, according to a Consumer Reports study released earlier this
year. Drink bottled water instead of tap wate. Additives used in
poultry feed commonly contain arsenic, which doubles down on its
toxicity when the chicken droppings are used as fertilizer and absorbed
into the soil. Unfortunately, baby foods made with rice are another
major source of arsenic. Prepare fresh, organic fruits and vegetables
for your little one, rather than risk exposing your baby’s tiny body and
brain to this known carcinogen.
As ever, know where your food comes from: Even organic rice doesn’t
mean arsenic-free, since pesticide runoff from conventional farming
practices can persist in soil for decades. But organic rice is still
your best choice, since organic food growers guard against exposure to
other chemicals routinely found in conventional foods, and use safer,
healthier growing methods overall. The more we buy organic produce and
make those farming practices the rule rather than the exception – the
healthier we’ll be, the better we’ll feel.
Deirdre
Imus, Founder of the site devoted to environmental health,
dienviro.org, is President and Founder of The Deirdre Imus Environmental
Health Center™ at Hackensack University Medical Center and
Co-Founder/Co-Director of the Imus Cattle Ranch for Kids with Cancer.
She is a New York Times best-selling author and a frequent contributor
to FoxNewsHealth.com, and Fox Business Channel. Check out her website at
dienviro.org. 'Like' her Facebook page here.