I am not a scientist, researcher or medical doctor, my background is in macrobiotics. Over the past forty years I have studied and applied the relationship between diet and health to help many people maintain lasting health and recover from illness. This blog is based on my personal observations and experience.
I have been eating brown rice on a regular basis during these forty years. All of my children were nourished by brown rice daily in the womb. My children were also raised on brown rice on a daily basis until they went out on their own. So far, my two grandchildren are following this same pattern. All of my children seem to be thriving in every way.
I have also observed this pattern in my clients and students over the years. They all seem to thrive on eating brown rice on a regular or daily basis. I can observe daily changes in people who attend our Intensive Seminars at the Strengthening Health Institute, eating brown rice one to two times a day.
It is possible that the phytic acid in whole, unrefined grains and beans provide protection against heavy metal pollutants, including arsenic. Research has shown that the phytic acid in the bran of grains can incapsulate heavy metals, render them inert, and eliminate them from our bodies. Some people have charged that phytic acid may also interfere with the absorption of essential minerals including iron, calcium and zinc. I doubt this is the case with the Strengthening Health approach to macrobiotics because so many of my clients have recovered from anemia and also remineralized their bones while eating whole grains with every meal. In almost every case, my clients, in all age ranges, tell me that their blood tests are the healthiest that their doctor have ever seen.
Arsenic is a residual poison. The effects accumulate over time. If the levels of arsenic in organic brown rice are harmful, I do not know how to account for the benefits that so many people have realized over the years through eating this grain on a daily basis. It seems to me that the benefits of eating brown rice greatly outweigh any potential risks.
If you are concerned, try these recommendations to mitigate any potential harmful affects from arsenic in brown rice.
Soak your brown rice overnight and cook it in fresh water rather than the soaking water.
Eat brown rice once a day, or almost daily, and not at every meal.
Cook brown rice with other grains such as barley, millet, wheat, faro or bulgur, etc.
Cook brown rice with beans or a combination of other grains and beans.
Now that the question has been asked, more research will appear. As I find scientific proof or gain some new insights, I will pass this information along to you. In the meantime, I hope you continue to enjoy your brown rice on many levels.
[…] it to my family, friends and clients. At home we have implemented the recommendations from my blog except that we still use the soaking water from the brown […]