Regardless of the type of diet you follow, it is fair to say most people are more aware of their food choices than ever before. Organic food has increased in popularity as people have become more aware of the health risks linked to processed and packaged foods. The desire to eat a healthier selection of foods is what leads some people to living a self-sustained lifestyle.
For those who cannot grow their own foods because of location, the availability of organic foods has been a boon. However, recent reports of elevated arsenic content in a variety of foods including organic baby formula should make us stop and take notice.
According to the EPA, our drinking water should contain no more than 10 parts per billion of arsenic. The total includes both the organic and inorganic forms. According to a report by ABC News, “Baby's Only Organic Dairy Toddler Formula and Baby's Only Organic Soy Toddler Formula, both made by Nature's One” contained elevated amounts of total arsenic. Other products containing elevated amounts of arsenic were uncovered by the investigation and include cereal bars, energy bars and energy "shots" used by many athletes. Other products reported to contain questionable amounts of arsenic are apple juice and rice. One soy-based formula contained “a total arsenic level of 60 ppb, including about 25 ppb of inorganic arsenic,” according to researchers.
The ingredient that is the culprit in most cases is brown rice syrup. Used as a natural sweetener, it contains excessive amounts of both types of arsenic. Organic arsenic is found naturally in the soil and is considered less harmful than inorganic arsenic which used to be used in some pesticides until its use was banned in 2009. White rice tends to have less total arsenic because the inorganic type is absorbed primarily by the shell which is discarded in processing. Brown rice absorbs more of this agent.
In an effort to provide a natural sweetener that is an alternative to high fructose corn syrup (HFCS) which many people are trying to avoid, brown rice syrup became the “go to” ingredient. As more and more people try to avoid HFCS, wheat and gluten in their diets, they are turning to rice based products. Currently, researchers don’t feel there are serious risks from ingesting products containing the reported levels of arsenic, according to statements made to “Today” on MSNBC. The problem is no one knows what the cumulative effect might be of all that arsenic they may be ingesting. The video on the left provides Dr. Oz’s opinions on the subject of arsenic in our food.
Southern Illinois residents can learn to check labels when purchasing packaged or organic goods at their local grocery stores. When you purchase from local farm stands, ask about the chemicals used to grow the produce on display. And as always, growing your own is the surest way to know what you are eating.
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