Be Well By Dr. Frank Lipman
Healthy Living Made Simple for Busy People
14 Day Detox Daily Maintenance Shake Energy & Immunity Shake Nutrient-rich Organic Superfoods Essential Daily Nutrients Science-based, Cutting-edge Quality
Stefanie Sacks
Culinary Nutritionist
Stefanie Bryn Sacks, M.S., a Culinary Nutritionist, works hands-on with individuals in transition to a healthier way of eating as a food counselor, nutrition educator and chef instructor. She obtained her Masters of Science in Nutrition from Columbia University with extensive training in clinical and behavioral nutrition and nutrition education. Stefanie is also a graduate of the chef’s training program at The Natural Gourmet Institute for Health and Culinary Arts, the leader in health-supportive culinary arts and theory. This rare talent coupled with a lifelong desire to help Americans achieve a healthier food lifestyle, makes Stefanie one of the leading “go to” food professionals in New York among leading integrative physicians. Stefanie contributed to Power Up, Unleash your Natural Energy, Revitalize Your Health and Feel 10 Years Younger by Dr. Woodson Merrell and Kathy Merrell and her expertise has been showcased in many media outlets including Discovery Health, ABC News, Fitness Magazine, Body and Soul, Oxygen and Self. Stefanie lives on the east end of Long Island with her husband and two young sons. She practices throughout the Hamptons, New York City and vicinity. She travels throughout the country teaching and speaking.
Copyright © 2013 - Dr. Frank Lipman
Arsenic and Rice
Stefanie SacksNovember 06
Since the FDA released their first analytical results of arsenic in rice mid-September, I have received a multitude of questions, even from my mother! And when my mom asks, I answer.
What is it?
Arsenic is a compound found naturally in rocks, soil, water and air. Thanks to agriculture and industry—that has been happily using arsenic since the 1950’s—it is released into the environment whether we like it or not (let’s call this unnatural). Arsenic has no taste or smell and is typically part of other chemical compounds that are divided into two groups:
Inorganic compounds (combined with oxygen, iron, chlorine, and sulfur)
Inorganic arsenic compounds are typically found in industry. This is the form of arsenic that tends to be more toxic and has been linked to cancer, developmental delays and brain damage.
Organic compounds (combined with carbon and other atoms)
Organic arsenic compounds are much less toxic than the inorganic arsenic compounds and are” not thought to be” linked to cancer however chronic exposure is concerning.
What the Heck is Arsenic Doing in our Food?
In the 1950’s, arsenic was added to wood, commonly used to build decks and playgrounds throughout our nation, to ward off insects, bacteria and fungi. Shortly thereafter, arsenic began rearing its toxic head in various agricultural pesticides and herbicides. Hey, if it worked on wood, why not try it on our food? Don’t you just love industry’s logic! An “appreciation” for its toxicity (like causing brain damage in those who worked with it) led to the use of the less toxic form. Arsenic, in this less toxic form, is still being used today by industry despite efforts to standardize or even eliminate it’s use.
Where is it?
While arsenic is found naturally in rocks, soil, water and air, the highly toxic arsenic that was once used in pesticides and herbicides (and sprayed on apple orchards among other tree fruit farms), to this day, still contaminate our soil—thus, the high level of arsenic detected in apple juice (and grape juice).
As far as rice is concerned, it happens to be the one crop that takes up arsenic from soil and water more readily than other grains.
On poultry, since 1995, chicken growers (factory farms that is) have used arsenic in animal food for disease prevention (remember it wards off bacteria) and as a growth stimulant (and it also makes the flesh an “appetizing” shade of pink). However, in 2009, The Poison-Free Poultry Act proposed to ban the use in industrial poultry (and swine) production in response to studies showing elevated levels or arsenic in treated chickens. Hey folks, looks like The Poison Free Poultry Act has notacted cause it’s still in our chickens!
P.S. And, fish and shellfish can have high levels of the less toxic arsenic as well as many other foods due to environmental contamination.
What can we do about it?
Sadly, buying organic doesn’t necessarily make a difference—arsenic is everywhere and is absorbed by plants despite growing conditions. While the FDA has been testing for total arsenic (measured as organic plus inorganic) and other contaminants since 1991 through its Total Diet Study and the Environmental Protection Agency set arsenic standards for our drinking water at 10 parts per billion, there are NO standards for our food. And something needs to be done about this. To learn more, a must read is Consumer Reports Arsenic in Your Food. Before I offer an easy take-away, I am going to plead with you to take action and request that:
Thus, for the moment limit your intake of foods known to have higher levels of arsenic and consume a wide variety of foods. Never forget that toxicities are rampant in our environment (not just arsenic). We will never totally eliminate exposure, so we must do the best we can. So, in practical terms: