A study found that eating too much rice could lead to heart disease and death.
A research team from the University of Manchester and the University of Salford analyzed the link between rice consumption and heart diseases in England and Wales, which are caused by arsenic exposure, according to Daily Mail.
The research findings were published in the Science of the Total Environment journal show that British people have a 6% higher risk of morbidity from cardiovascular disease as they are included in the 25% top rice consumers compared to the bottom group. Scientists modified the data to account for other factors that cause cardiovascular diseases such as age, smoking, and obesity.
Also, researchers found that eating a lot of rice increases the risk of dying from heart disease due to arsenic, which occurs naturally as the crop grows. Earlier studies linked the chemical to some cancers, liver disease, and even death.
Millions of people around the world, particularly in developing countries, eat rice for the calories and nutrients it provides. However, scientists found that more than 50,000 avoidable premature deaths annually can be blamed for arsenic in rice.
University of Manchester Professor David Polya who is a co-author of the study said that while the research used an ecological study, which has many limitations, it is an inexpensive way of determining a link between high consumption of rice with inorganic arsenic and an increased risk of heart disease.
How does arsenic emerge in rice?
According to a Lad Bible article, while arsenic occurs naturally in the soil, locations that use arsenic-based herbicides or toxins added in irrigation water have to increase arsenic content. Rice is particularly vulnerable to arsenic, which copies other chemicals that the plant absorbs through its roots and bypasses the plant's defenses.
In this case, rice grown under these conditions would have bear arsenic from the soil and water. However, Tech Times earlier reported that arsenic can only become health hazard if consumed in large dose with symptoms like nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea.
However, scientists do not promote the evading of rice consumption since it has many health benefits, particularly with its high fiber content. Instead of eating whole grain rice, the study suggests people eat rice varieties that have low arsenic levels like basmati as well as polished rice.
In 2014, a Consumer Reports article showed that all types of rice from Arkansas, Louisiana, or Texas or just from the U.S. had the highest levels of inorganic arsenic, except for sushi and quick-cooking rice. White rice from California has 38% less inorganic arsenic than those from other parts of the country.
While brown has more nutrients, it also has 80% more inorganic arsenic than white rice since arsenic in the outer layers of the grains is removed when white rice is milled.
However, it is best to get brown basmati from California, Pakistan, or India as it has around 35% less inorganic arsenic than other types of brown rice.
Meanwhile, another study warns that the increased temperatures caused by global warming could lead to much higher arsenic levels in rice by 2100. Scientists at the University of Washington in the US grew rice in various temperatures and found that crops in warmer locations tend to have higher levels of arsenic, including grains.
Read also: Does Rice Contain Dangerous Levels Of Arsenic? BBC Takes A Closer Look
