https://boards.hellobee.com/ Pregnancy, Baby and Parenting blog, by Hellobee en Tue, 12 May 2026 19:37:57 +0000 https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/anyone-else-concerned-about-high-levels-of-arsenic-in-rice#post-410440 Thu, 22 Nov 2012 02:58:52 +0000 SugarplumsMom 410440@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Arden: I just want to say that I appreciate your responses! Very good points, thanks :) </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/anyone-else-concerned-about-high-levels-of-arsenic-in-rice#post-410438 Thu, 22 Nov 2012 02:56:50 +0000 SugarplumsMom 410438@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Clementine: Argh, I really need to update my notifications on here =/ I always miss replies! As for how to know, I usually only buy the larger Asian brands (that's been around for years) and go with reputation. Their website usually explains their quality control and methods of harvesting. The only rice available for me right now is from Thailand, but I used to buy Japanese and Korean rice as well.</p> <p>@Mrs. Bee: I lived right next to rice paddies in Korea for a year! There's certain seals they get if it's totally organic. I think it's government regulated (it was explained to me, but I forget the details). I can not live without rice! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/anyone-else-concerned-about-high-levels-of-arsenic-in-rice#post-410428 Thu, 22 Nov 2012 02:14:16 +0000 Arden 410428@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@stiffaknee: That's another misconception and something many pediatricians are not caught up with the research on.<br /> Fortified cereals are not the best iron or vitamin D sources, as the vitamins and minerals are added (not naturally occurring) and is not absorbed well this way.<br /> It's the equivalent to telling people to drink ovaltine (because it's fortified with vitamins) instead of eating healthy, balanced meals that naturally provide you with necessary nutrients. </p> <p>There is plenty of iron and vitamin D in many vegetables and fruits, and the baby is also still getting many nutrients through breast milk.<br /> Vitamin D is best gotten through sunlight, 15 minutes a day will do. Eggs, mushrooms, and fish also contain natural vitamin D.<br /> Sweet potatoes, prunes, blueberries, apricots, tomatoes, lentils, and MANY other foods have very high naturally occurring iron that is better absorbed by the body and contain many other nutrients that cereals lack. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/anyone-else-concerned-about-high-levels-of-arsenic-in-rice#post-409007 Wed, 21 Nov 2012 09:39:16 +0000 mediagirl 409007@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I asked my pediatrician about these articles and he laughed about it saying it was just one study and there was nothing to worry about. I haven't actually bought any rice cereal but I wouldn't hesitate to if I decided we were going to feed her that. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/anyone-else-concerned-about-high-levels-of-arsenic-in-rice#post-408956 Wed, 21 Nov 2012 09:09:50 +0000 stiffaknee 408956@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Arden: thats originally what I thought too, but my pediatrician said that babies are at risk of being iron deficient (I think it was iron, but it might have been vitamin d) and the cereals were necessary since they're fortified. But he said I could chose rice cereal or oatmeal, just as long as it was iron fortified. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/anyone-else-concerned-about-high-levels-of-arsenic-in-rice#post-408857 Wed, 21 Nov 2012 04:29:23 +0000 Arden 408857@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@stiffaknee: @Clementine: Grains actually aren't necessary for babies that are still breastfeeding or are on formula, as they are still getting most of their nutrients through the milk. </p> <p>It's a commonly believed mistake that rice cereal are good for babies to have at all, and studies are now showing time and time again that it shouldn't be recommended for babies anymore. A lot of pediatricians haven't caught up to the research though, so it's worth looking into for yourself. </p> <p><a href="http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2010/12/20/get-the-white-out-of-babys-first-foods.aspx" rel="nofollow">http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2010/12/20/get-the-white-out-of-babys-first-foods.aspx</a> </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/anyone-else-concerned-about-high-levels-of-arsenic-in-rice#post-408816 Wed, 21 Nov 2012 00:38:54 +0000 Mrs. Bee 408816@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Crumbs: i also only buy asian rice (usually korean). it is concerning, but how can i live without rice??? </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/anyone-else-concerned-about-high-levels-of-arsenic-in-rice#post-408795 Tue, 20 Nov 2012 23:31:53 +0000 skibobrown 408795@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I'm not too worried. I try to give DD a balanced diet (and I try to do the same for myself). I figure, if I don't feed her too much of any one item, then she won't suffer too many bad side effects... such as the possibility of arsenic poisoning from eating rice all the time. </p> <p>I do have to say though, that every time I mention the word "rice" and my baby in the same sentence to my mom, she freaks out and tells me that I should not be feeding any rice to my daughter b/c of all of the arsenic. She's driving me crazy... </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/anyone-else-concerned-about-high-levels-of-arsenic-in-rice#post-408746 Tue, 20 Nov 2012 22:46:14 +0000 Mrs. Pen 408746@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>oh wow!! that's crazy - I hadn't heard that!<br /> We don't eat a ton of rice though, and DS just had it for the first time last week!<br /> We skipped over rice/oat/other baby cereals and just fed him fruits and veggies, after 2 months he started eating some legumes too like beans and he also eats meat. I prefer to keep him off grains anyway since they're not really healthy :) </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/anyone-else-concerned-about-high-levels-of-arsenic-in-rice#post-408729 Tue, 20 Nov 2012 22:28:11 +0000 shortcake 408729@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Agree with the ladies above, moderation is key. Alternate with white rice and varieties of wild rice. Also, I have read that boiling rice (as you would pasta) then draining it cuts the arsenic significantly. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/anyone-else-concerned-about-high-levels-of-arsenic-in-rice#post-407506 Tue, 20 Nov 2012 10:53:37 +0000 stiffaknee 407506@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@clementine: could you do barley? I've read a lot that babies don't need rice/oatmeal cereals and had never given LO any until my pediatrician told me to (I should also mention that my pediatrician is relatively young and I would consider him to be pretty up to date on all the studies)...He was not concerned about the arsenic study at all and really, if the rice didn't back her up so badly, I probably would feed it to her. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/anyone-else-concerned-about-high-levels-of-arsenic-in-rice#post-407434 Tue, 20 Nov 2012 10:30:50 +0000 Clementine 407434@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@stiffaknee: i'm torn about giving him rice but he's allergic to oats, so we're in a pickle. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/anyone-else-concerned-about-high-levels-of-arsenic-in-rice#post-407424 Tue, 20 Nov 2012 10:26:27 +0000 stiffaknee 407424@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I never fed LO rice because it seemed to back her up-but my Pediatrician said it was important to give her some cereal, since its vitamin d fortified. He said if im REALLY worried about arsenic, to just give her oatmeal (which i do) but he said you would really have to feed them a lot for it to have any negative effect. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/anyone-else-concerned-about-high-levels-of-arsenic-in-rice#post-407320 Tue, 20 Nov 2012 09:48:53 +0000 autumnlove 407320@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@pastemoo: I feel the same! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/anyone-else-concerned-about-high-levels-of-arsenic-in-rice#post-407316 Tue, 20 Nov 2012 09:46:59 +0000 Clementine 407316@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Crumbs: do you happen to know if this applies to all Asian countries? </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/anyone-else-concerned-about-high-levels-of-arsenic-in-rice#post-377254 Sun, 04 Nov 2012 07:01:53 +0000 winniebee 377254@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@pastemoo: Agree w/ you </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/anyone-else-concerned-about-high-levels-of-arsenic-in-rice#post-377236 Sun, 04 Nov 2012 06:03:11 +0000 SugarplumsMom 377236@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>This is the reason why I only buy Asian grown rice. In many Asian countries it's their only crop and they grow it year round. It eliminates the fear of runoff pesticides used in another crop. A few countries have strict gov't regulated standards for rice crops and their harvest methods that aren't enforced in the US - since it is also their daily staple. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/anyone-else-concerned-about-high-levels-of-arsenic-in-rice#post-377233 Sun, 04 Nov 2012 05:32:11 +0000 Andrea 377233@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@chopsuey119: they say that white rice has less than brown rice because the outer shell has been removed. You should soak the rice for a few hours and wash it really well before eating and then the level of arsenic should be OK. who knows though! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/anyone-else-concerned-about-high-levels-of-arsenic-in-rice#post-377060 Sat, 03 Nov 2012 21:35:12 +0000 pastemoo 377060@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Eh. Arsenic is a (very) trace element necessary for survival. Everything kills us.<br /> Maybe I should be more concerned but I am not.<br /> Also it's a moderation thing not an "avoid at all costs" thing. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/anyone-else-concerned-about-high-levels-of-arsenic-in-rice#post-377018 Sat, 03 Nov 2012 21:00:35 +0000 SAHM0811 377018@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I used a recipe from Weelicious to make my own rice cereal at home. And since brown rice is found to have a higher incidence of arsenic, you could use white rice instead if you're very concerned. You could also move on to oatmeal, barley, fruits and veggies sooner. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/anyone-else-concerned-about-high-levels-of-arsenic-in-rice#post-377014 Sat, 03 Nov 2012 20:56:01 +0000 chopsuey 377014@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>This is the first time I'm reading/hearing about arsenic in rice!<br /> I didn't give my LO rice cereal since she hated it.<br /> We don't eat a lot of rice so I just buy small bags from Whole Foods. :T<br /> How do we know how much arsenic is in the rice we're eating?! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/anyone-else-concerned-about-high-levels-of-arsenic-in-rice#post-376945 Sat, 03 Nov 2012 19:36:52 +0000 Clementine 376945@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Ever since Consumer Report came out with a report on high levels of arsenic in rice, I've been questioning not only my intake but also my LO's. He has rice cereal every morning. After reading this new article, I actually think I am going to stop giving him any rice cereal.</p> <p><a href="http://www.boston.com/lifestyle/health/mdmama/2012/11/what_im_telling_my_patients_about_arsenic_and_rice.html?p1=Well_MostPop_Emailed1" rel="nofollow">http://www.boston.com/lifestyle/health/mdmama/2012/11/what_im_telling_my_patients_about_arsenic_and_rice.html?p1=Well_MostPop_Emailed1</a></p> <p>Anyone else concerned? </p>