As I am sure you have read or seen on the news, recent studies have discovered some levels of arsenic in food products with "organic brown rice syrup" listed as an ingredient. It has been long known that rice absorbs more arsenic (which is naturally found in the soil) than other plants. This is because rice requires higher amounts of silica which is chemically very similar to arsenic, so the plant is more likely to absorb the arsenic "on accident" you could say.
This is becoming a more wide-spread issue because organic brown rice syrup has been used to replace High Fructose Corn Syrup (HFCS) in foods labeled "natural" or "organic." So my question is:
Is choosing to eat foods with organic ingredients really a safer/healthier choice?
I don't oppose eating organic foods, but do I agree that organic foods are more nutritious for me? No. There simply isn't enough supporting research to convince me of that. Do I think organic products are safer for me because of the production methods used? No. One fun fact that many people seem to overlook is that organic producers are allowed to use a certain amount of herbicides on their product, so you are not avoiding these chemicals by choosing to eat organic. Methods used in food production today are used because they allow farmers to be more efficient and because they help to ensure a SAFE product for you as a consumer.
The purpose of this blog is not to convince you that organic food is bad, I am simply questioning the faith that many consumers have in the safety of organic products. HFCS has been given quite the bad reputation because it is a processed product, but is replacing it with organic brown rice syrup really a healthier alternative if it means you are consuming high levels of arsenic? Food for thought.
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