Why does California rice have less arsenic?
Daniel Johnson
Published May 17, 2026
White rice -- particularly basmati, jasmine and pre-cooked “instant” rice -- tends to have lower concentrations of arsenic than brown rice because arsenic accumulates in rice bran. Rice varieties grown in California or imported from Southeast Asia are often lower in arsenic than rice grown in other parts of the U.S.
Does California rice have less arsenic?
For instance, white rices from California have 38 percent less inorganic arsenic than white rices from other parts of the country. Brown rice has 80 percent more inorganic arsenic on average than white rice of the same type.Which rice has the least amount of arsenic?
The options with the least amount of arsenic, according to Consumer Reports, are sushi rice from the U.S. and white basmati rice from California, Pakistan, and India. Avoid Texas rice if you can, since it is reported as having some of the highest levels of arsenic from any growing region.Does California grown rice contain arsenic?
Total arsenic levels in the 107 south central rice samples averaged 0.30 μg/g, compared to an average of 0.17 μg/g in the 27 California samples. A white rice sample from Louisiana ranked highest in total arsenic (0.66 μg/g), and an organic brown rice from California ranked lowest (0.10 μg/g).Does wild rice have less arsenic?
Some believe that wild rice is the best choice to avoid arsenic, but it's not necessarily any better than white or other rice varieties. Wild rice still takes up a lot of arsenic from the environment. Growing it in an arsenic polluted area will cause it to have high levels of arsenic.Rice has arsenic in it — don't freak out, here's the science
Can you remove arsenic from rice?
Cooking rice by repeatedly flushing it through with fresh hot water can remove much of the grain's stored arsenic, researchers have found—a tip that could lessen levels of the toxic substance in one of the world's most popular foods.How do you avoid arsenic in rice?
Here are other ways you can limit your exposure:
- Vary your grains. One way to avoid arsenic in rice is obvious: Eat less of it by substituting more of other grains like wheat, barley or oats. ...
- Cook your rice like pasta. ...
- Rinse your rice. ...
- Know where your rice was grown. ...
- Rethink brown rice. ...
- Sorry, going organic won't help.
Is California rice Safe?
-- Limit your rice consumption.Rice varieties grown in California or imported from Southeast Asia are often lower in arsenic than rice grown in other parts of the U.S. Consumer Reports suggested that adults eat no more than one to three servings of rice or rice-based foods per week, depending on the food type.