Great article, Dr. Rowen. Thanks for your efforts at bringing usable health information.
In my culture in Africa, the traditional way to cook rice was first to de-stone the portion to be cooked (by hand picking), then to soak the rice in water and wash it, then bring it to boil with an initial excess amount of water, then drain away the excess water; the boiled rice may even still be "washed" again with extra water even after draining away the excess water with which it wash initially boiled.
Then the rice is now cooked with a fresh amount of water till it is done.
In the days when rice (and indeed most grains) were cooked in this traditional procedure, we hardly ever heard of many of the present day chronic degenerative diseases.
Now, everything on the fast lane. Hardly family get to "wash" the rice before boiling, and many no longer drain away the water with which the rice is initially boiled.
Now every chronic degenerative diseases abound us. Rice may not be the only culprit as we have also imbibed much of the SAD diet, fast replacing our traditional ways of cooking and feeding, even for our children. Years ago, I walked into a fast food center early one morning to pick up bottled water while doing a school run, as my wife had been out of town, so I forgot some of her routine. I was shocked to see the number of parents that stood on the queue with their children to buy fast food and soda for lunch (and probably breakfast, who knows). I went out and wept for the future health of my people.
Now, with help of the US "philanthropist" (let him that reads understand) having succeeded in corrupting almost all our crops through the power of the dollar, every chronic degenerative disease (cancer in particular) has become "endemic", even now more prevalent than our malaria with which we have lived for years.
I will lend a voice to the families of my patients to return to our traditional cooking methods, especially of rice.
Thanks for this Sam. I think it would have been more powerful had you let people know your country - Nigeria. I believe the most populous country in Africa, no?
Rice is my least favorite grain. I only eat it with gravy (I used to like it with butter occasionally) and maybe only a few times a year, with oxtail and it's gravy from a Jamaican restaurant. I frequently order Chinese food delivered and I'm always throwing the rice away, so for last year I tell them to hold the rice. Saves them a few cents. They also give me about five fortune cookies. I know they're junk food but they are lightweight and used to be good, but often they are are sort of stale now, so those get thrown out too; maybe I'll start telling them not to to give me any of those also. It's going to be tough without the guidance they provide, but I'll have to deal with it.
Hi, the contamination of rice comes from the water in which it grows in. It was always assumed that brown rice was better for you because of the husk, but this is incorrect, because the brown rice with the husk on it contains and holds more arsenic. Once the husk is removed the white rice, is so-called 'better' for you.
I never ever buy rice from China. If I am subjected to having to buy organic 'white' rice, I will only purchase the rice grown in Australia (because of its water supply) and I check it out thoroughly in which district it is grown. Where the water supply is coming from.
Tank/bore water is also a problem. Water from cyclone and flood areas is also a problem. Once you boil the water it increases the arsenic levels. Rice is contaminated from the water in which it grows in. The water is putrid, along with, this putrid water goes into our taps. The contaminated water supply lines the pipes and the taps into our kitchen and bathroom. I know because I received arsenic poisoning from the water pipes and taps and that came from a dam!! Hence, I don't buy rice (especially brown rice) because of its unknown water supply. I own a proper double water filter to prevent this, neither do I drink water from plastic bottles. Regards, Dr. Ros Daveney.
Never mind, chatgpt explained it for me: "Rice plants take up inorganic arsenic from the soil and can partially convert it into organic forms in the grain, though inorganic arsenic still dominates. This is a significant public health concern, especially in areas with arsenic-contaminated groundwater used for irrigation. Rice plants absorb cadmium from soil. They do not convert cadmium into non-toxic organic molecules. Most cadmium in rice grain is inorganic or loosely bound, posing a health risk." Thanks!
Great article, Dr. Rowen. Thanks for your efforts at bringing usable health information.
In my culture in Africa, the traditional way to cook rice was first to de-stone the portion to be cooked (by hand picking), then to soak the rice in water and wash it, then bring it to boil with an initial excess amount of water, then drain away the excess water; the boiled rice may even still be "washed" again with extra water even after draining away the excess water with which it wash initially boiled.
Then the rice is now cooked with a fresh amount of water till it is done.
In the days when rice (and indeed most grains) were cooked in this traditional procedure, we hardly ever heard of many of the present day chronic degenerative diseases.
Now, everything on the fast lane. Hardly family get to "wash" the rice before boiling, and many no longer drain away the water with which the rice is initially boiled.
Now every chronic degenerative diseases abound us. Rice may not be the only culprit as we have also imbibed much of the SAD diet, fast replacing our traditional ways of cooking and feeding, even for our children. Years ago, I walked into a fast food center early one morning to pick up bottled water while doing a school run, as my wife had been out of town, so I forgot some of her routine. I was shocked to see the number of parents that stood on the queue with their children to buy fast food and soda for lunch (and probably breakfast, who knows). I went out and wept for the future health of my people.
Now, with help of the US "philanthropist" (let him that reads understand) having succeeded in corrupting almost all our crops through the power of the dollar, every chronic degenerative disease (cancer in particular) has become "endemic", even now more prevalent than our malaria with which we have lived for years.
I will lend a voice to the families of my patients to return to our traditional cooking methods, especially of rice.
Forgive my too-worded comment.
Thanks for this Sam. I think it would have been more powerful had you let people know your country - Nigeria. I believe the most populous country in Africa, no?
Rice is my least favorite grain. I only eat it with gravy (I used to like it with butter occasionally) and maybe only a few times a year, with oxtail and it's gravy from a Jamaican restaurant. I frequently order Chinese food delivered and I'm always throwing the rice away, so for last year I tell them to hold the rice. Saves them a few cents. They also give me about five fortune cookies. I know they're junk food but they are lightweight and used to be good, but often they are are sort of stale now, so those get thrown out too; maybe I'll start telling them not to to give me any of those also. It's going to be tough without the guidance they provide, but I'll have to deal with it.
Excellent article Dr. Rowen thank you.
get well soon!
Ascorbic acid blocks lead resorption. A simple life-long detox step.
When I buy supplements, I avoid any that use rice flour as a filler since I do not know their source.
Hi, the contamination of rice comes from the water in which it grows in. It was always assumed that brown rice was better for you because of the husk, but this is incorrect, because the brown rice with the husk on it contains and holds more arsenic. Once the husk is removed the white rice, is so-called 'better' for you.
I never ever buy rice from China. If I am subjected to having to buy organic 'white' rice, I will only purchase the rice grown in Australia (because of its water supply) and I check it out thoroughly in which district it is grown. Where the water supply is coming from.
Tank/bore water is also a problem. Water from cyclone and flood areas is also a problem. Once you boil the water it increases the arsenic levels. Rice is contaminated from the water in which it grows in. The water is putrid, along with, this putrid water goes into our taps. The contaminated water supply lines the pipes and the taps into our kitchen and bathroom. I know because I received arsenic poisoning from the water pipes and taps and that came from a dam!! Hence, I don't buy rice (especially brown rice) because of its unknown water supply. I own a proper double water filter to prevent this, neither do I drink water from plastic bottles. Regards, Dr. Ros Daveney.
Why are the metals in the grain inorganic? Don't plants convert inorganic minerals in the soil to organic?
Never mind, chatgpt explained it for me: "Rice plants take up inorganic arsenic from the soil and can partially convert it into organic forms in the grain, though inorganic arsenic still dominates. This is a significant public health concern, especially in areas with arsenic-contaminated groundwater used for irrigation. Rice plants absorb cadmium from soil. They do not convert cadmium into non-toxic organic molecules. Most cadmium in rice grain is inorganic or loosely bound, posing a health risk." Thanks!