Arsenic with Your Rice?
Arsenic occurs naturally in the environment and is also released into soil and water by fertilizers and pesticides as well as manufacturing practices. It is absorbed into anything growing in these environments—in particular, rice absorbs arsenic more readily than many other plants. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) published a “hazard summary” about arsenic in 2012 stating that “food is the major source of exposure” for most people and that chronic exposure can result in GI effects as well as central and peripheral nervous system disorders and certain cancers. Studies suggest that it may also affect a baby’s immune system when ingested by a mother during pregnancy.
The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has not released a finished assessment of the potential health risks associated with arsenic in rice and other foods made from rice, but Consumer Reports and other studies urge caution.
Consumer Reports tested several different rices from growing regions around the world and concluded that organic rice is no different from conventionally grown rice—they both take up arsenic in the same manner from soil and water. Brown rice often has the highest levels because metallic elements accumulate in the husk and bran, which are milled off when rice is processed. Nevertheless, brown rice still contains more nutrients and is more fibrous.
It is possible to reduce the risk of arsenic in cooked rice by rinsing the raw rice before cooking, and by using excess water during the cooking process and throwing it out before serving; this sacrifices some nutritional value but can reduce the arsenic content by almost a third.
Almost everything that’s gluten-free has some rice in it. Suzanne Simpson, R.D., of the Celiac Disease Center at Columbia University cautions patients: “Rice doesn’t have a lot of nutritional value. It doesn’t have a lot of fiber or protein; it is basically just carbs. Most of the [gluten-free] breads, pasta, tortillas, cookies, and flour mixes contain rice. And people eat rice on top of it.” Children who are on a gluten-free diet that also contains rice pasta, cookie, and bread products as well as cooked rice should be monitored to lessen arsenic exposure.
She recommends that people do not use rice pasta and minimize their rice intake for variety as well. We also advise people on a gluten-free diet to see a dietitian regularly to ensure that the diet is diverse and not simply various versions of rice. (See Appendix C, “Arsenic and Mercury Guidelines.”)
Corn Fungi
The other grain staple of a gluten-free diet is corn. A recent study comparing the gluten-free diet of people with celiac disease versus those on a regular diet found a mycotoxin (a chemical produced by fungi/mold that is harmful to humans and domestic animals) in a number of corn products. The levels of this particular mycotoxin—a fumonisin associated with nervous-system and cancer-causing damage in animals—were high, raising concern regarding the long-term safety of various corn-based products.
The contamination of corn products with fumonisins has also been reported in other European studies, suggesting the potential of toxicity for anyone on a gluten-free diet ingesting a fair amount of corn-based products. While little is known about the fumonisin in the American diet, it is an area for further research and emphasizes the need to diversify the diet!
Mercury and Other Metals
Mercury is a naturally occurring heavy metal that appears to be increasing/accumulating in the food chain because of its use in medications, dental amalgams, thermometers, blood pressure machines, batteries, and fluorescent lightbulbs, and its presence in the fish we eat. Mercury can damage the nervous system, kidney, and lungs and remains in the body for a long time, where it affects inflammation and the immune system.
A recent study showed a fourfold increase in mercury blood levels of celiac disease patients following a gluten-free diet. No differences were found in their fish intake or number of amalgam fillings—both sources of mercury found to increase the amount of this metal in the body—but other dietary sources were not examined. Another study found elevated blood levels of mercury, lead, and cadmium and urinary levels of tin and arsenic in people eating a gluten-free diet, some with and some without celiac disease.
The reason for the increased levels in these people is unclear—whether it is food related, altered absorption, or response to mercury in these people. There might also be a genetic tendency in these people to accumulate it or to be more susceptible to specific toxic effects.
Additional studies to determine what is causing the increase in heavy metals in people following a gluten-free diet are needed. It is a potential pitfall that cannot be ignored.
Gluten Weighing In
The weight-loss potential of a gluten-free diet seems to be one of its biggest attractions for some people. Numerous Hollywood names attest to its effectiveness. If you cut out all bread, pasta, cake, cookies, and snacks and do not replace them with gluten-free alternatives, you will probably lose weight. It’s called the no–white food, no-carb, gluten-free diet.
But many people following a gluten-free diet are surprised when they find themselves gaining weight from the many fat-, sugar-, and sodium-filled gluten-free products they are now eating to replace what has been removed. People with a double diagnosis of diabetes and celiac disease who must count carbohydrates are initially surprised to see that the gluten-free substitute is often much higher in carbs.
I was eating everything—and constantly—and lost 25 pounds in the year before I was diagnosed (with celiac disease). Once I went on a gluten-free diet, I ate the same amount and gained 30 pounds in about seven months. I went from sick and skinny to healthy and chubby. The pasta and bread and cakes were gluten-free and didn’t go right through me, so I realized I had to retrain and restrain myself.
(SHEILA, 46)
People with celiac disease also often gain weight on a gluten-free diet because their intestine is healing and they are now able to digest food properly. Depending on how you define “going gluten-free,” you may actually find that one of the things it “gives” is added pounds.
No Shelf Life Means More Money
The costs involved in buying shelf space from the retailer are prohibitive for the smaller manufacturer. It is one of the reasons why you see mainly larger national brands in your local stores. Also, the range and types of ingredients we use are more costly, and gluten-free products fit in the “natural” and “organic” world, where retailers often charge a premium over regular products. Many items are also made by smaller manufacturers who don’t have the same big-company processing efficiency. These are some of the reasons gluten-free food is costlier.
—GEORGE CHOOKAZIAN, FOODS BY GEORGE
Gluten-free products are generally much more expensive and less widely available than their gluten counterparts. There are a number of reasons that manufacturers give for this.
Ingredients as well as facilities have to be certified and adhere to specific labeling regulations and testing, which incurs costs. Ingredients must also be grown and milled contamination-free and are often purchased in smaller batches than those used by larger manufacturers, again adding expenses. Many breads, cakes, and muffins are frozen to preserve their freshness. They have a shorter shelf life than preservative-filled products, and spoilage adds to their cost.
Some manufacturers have started lowering prices as competition in the market increases, but gluten-free products can still add to a family’s grocery bill.
You Have Isolated the Wrong Issue
One of the biggest dangers of going on a gluten-free diet before properly isolating and testing for what is causing symptoms is postponing and/or missing a correct diagnosis.