Arsenic in brown rice: do the benefits outweigh the risks?

Brown rice has been advocated for as a healthier alternative to white rice. However, the concentration of arsenic and other pesticide contaminants is greater in brown rice than in white. The potential health risks and benefits of consuming more brown rice than white rice remain unclear; thus, mainst...

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Main Authors: Lihchyun Joseph Su, Tung-Chin Chiang, Sarah N. O’Connor
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Frontiers Media S.A. 2023-07-01
Series:Frontiers in Nutrition
Subjects:
Online Access:https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fnut.2023.1209574/full
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author Lihchyun Joseph Su
Tung-Chin Chiang
Sarah N. O’Connor
author_facet Lihchyun Joseph Su
Tung-Chin Chiang
Sarah N. O’Connor
author_sort Lihchyun Joseph Su
collection DOAJ
description Brown rice has been advocated for as a healthier alternative to white rice. However, the concentration of arsenic and other pesticide contaminants is greater in brown rice than in white. The potential health risks and benefits of consuming more brown rice than white rice remain unclear; thus, mainstream nutritional messaging should not advocate for brown rice over white rice. This mini-review aims to summarize the most salient concepts related to dietary arsenic exposure with emphasis on more recent findings and provide consumers with evidence of both risks and benefits of consuming more brown rice than white rice. Despite risk-benefit assessments being a challenging new frontier in nutrition, researchers should pursue an assessment to validate findings and solidify evidence. In the interim, consumers should be cognizant that the dose of arsenic exposure determines its toxicity, and brown rice contains a greater concentration of arsenic than white rice.
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spelling doaj-art-ba81c1ec70ea44e3b3efca92efda1aca2025-08-20T02:26:37ZengFrontiers Media S.A.Frontiers in Nutrition2296-861X2023-07-011010.3389/fnut.2023.12095741209574Arsenic in brown rice: do the benefits outweigh the risks?Lihchyun Joseph Su0Tung-Chin Chiang1Sarah N. O’Connor2Peter O’Donnell Jr. School of Public Health, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, United StatesFay W. Boozman College of Public Health, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Little Rock, AR, United StatesPeter O’Donnell Jr. School of Public Health, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, United StatesBrown rice has been advocated for as a healthier alternative to white rice. However, the concentration of arsenic and other pesticide contaminants is greater in brown rice than in white. The potential health risks and benefits of consuming more brown rice than white rice remain unclear; thus, mainstream nutritional messaging should not advocate for brown rice over white rice. This mini-review aims to summarize the most salient concepts related to dietary arsenic exposure with emphasis on more recent findings and provide consumers with evidence of both risks and benefits of consuming more brown rice than white rice. Despite risk-benefit assessments being a challenging new frontier in nutrition, researchers should pursue an assessment to validate findings and solidify evidence. In the interim, consumers should be cognizant that the dose of arsenic exposure determines its toxicity, and brown rice contains a greater concentration of arsenic than white rice.https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fnut.2023.1209574/fullarsenicexposurebrown ricecancerobesitycardiovascular health
spellingShingle Lihchyun Joseph Su
Tung-Chin Chiang
Sarah N. O’Connor
Arsenic in brown rice: do the benefits outweigh the risks?
Frontiers in Nutrition
arsenic
exposure
brown rice
cancer
obesity
cardiovascular health
title Arsenic in brown rice: do the benefits outweigh the risks?
title_full Arsenic in brown rice: do the benefits outweigh the risks?
title_fullStr Arsenic in brown rice: do the benefits outweigh the risks?
title_full_unstemmed Arsenic in brown rice: do the benefits outweigh the risks?
title_short Arsenic in brown rice: do the benefits outweigh the risks?
title_sort arsenic in brown rice do the benefits outweigh the risks
topic arsenic
exposure
brown rice
cancer
obesity
cardiovascular health
url https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fnut.2023.1209574/full
work_keys_str_mv AT lihchyunjosephsu arsenicinbrownricedothebenefitsoutweightherisks
AT tungchinchiang arsenicinbrownricedothebenefitsoutweightherisks
AT sarahnoconnor arsenicinbrownricedothebenefitsoutweightherisks