Friday, September 21, 2012

How chicken poo and cotton put arsenic in rice?

Simple as this.  Cotton grown mostly in the southern states was treated with arsenic to kill pests.  The shit and fly farms that chickens are crammed into don't die as often if they are fed arsenic, some of it is excreted.  Chicken poo is hauled to fields and used for fertilizer.  All perfectly legal in the US.

Rice absorbs arsenic from soil and water better than most any other plant.  Rice from the Confederate states is high in arsenic, no more than 2 servings a week is suggested, and infants should not have it.  Rice from California tests very low, much safer.  Foreign rice, not sure about yet.  You can reduce arsenic content 30% by  washing the rice in a sieve, and cooking it far too much water, pouring off the excess the last few minutes of cooking.
We were aware of this about a year ago through a nutrition web site that has seen earlier studies that show the same result.  Finally one got noticed by the media.  We by california rice in bulk.
What about that chicken though?  If your chicken has a slight pink color, that's arsenic, go for the ghostly white chicken.  (see the post below for more bird trouble)

Do you remember all those adds and even in our schools telling us chemicals are our friends?

2 comments:

  1. Darrel,
    I eat Dynasty jasmine rice from Thailand and the Uncle Ben's bag and nuke. I know from working with Rain Soft water systems that we have a elevated arsenic level in the water - It doesn't come close to the nitrate level from the hog farms - But, lots of poultry grown around here you.

    And, the GOP wants less regulation - Well, the more they kill; the less become victems and depend on the government.

    I wonder? Are disabled veterans leeches?


    Sarge

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  2. Hmmmm, my organic Yoga brown rice seems to come from Arkansas. Is that why I pay big bucks for rice? the arsenic? Sometimes I have rice 4 or 5 times a week. Well, this certainly sucks!

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