Arsenic has been getting a lot of press lately. And it's not because the classic movie is being re-released. It is because Consumer Reports recently issued a report that looked at the amount of arsenic in rice products, as well as in apple and grape juice. They found that the levels of arsenic was such that it might increase life-time cancer risk when these products are consumed over an extended period of time.
So...what does that mean for us? Well, first, more research needs to be done. I never want to radically change my lifestyle based off of one study. But it does give reason to pause, and think about what we are feeding our kids. I think that diversifying our diet is probably a good thing. Using cereals made from oats and wheat are probably better than rice anyway. (Remember this article from last year??) And juices...well, I am not a fan. Kids who drink juice are filling up on empty (sweetened) calories and not as eager to eat a healthy, balanced, diet. I try to avoid them and only offer them on special occasions. Water or low-fat milk are better options.
I can't say for sure if this initial research about arsenic is going to prove true. But I am probably going to be a little more careful about what I feed my family, cutting back on rice and rice products and continuing to avoide juice.
If you want to learn more, here are a few resources:
Healthy Kids
Consumer Reports
FDA
FDA