Alert for the increased presence of arsenic in this cereal that feeds more than half of the world’s population

If rice is a regular part of your meals – or your toddler’s favorite food – you might want to pay attention. Scientists are now warning that climate change is quietly making rice more toxic.

We’re talking about arsenic, specifically inorganic arsenic, which is the kind linked to cancer, heart disease, and diabetes. It’s sometimes called the “king of poisons,” and according to a major study published in The Lancet, it’s building up in rice more than ever thanks to rising temperatures and carbon dioxide levels.

The research focused on rice grown across Asia, where most of the world’s supply comes from. Over 10 years, scientists tracked 28 popular rice varieties under different climate conditions. What they found wasn’t good news: warmer weather and higher CO₂ levels led to a significant increase in arsenic inside the rice grains.

Why it matters to you

Even if you don’t eat rice every day, chances are your kid does. Infant rice cereal and rice milk, for example, are widely munched down. Gluten-free eaters, vegetarians, and people on plant-based diets also tend to eat a lot of rice.

What’s happening is that rice naturally absorbs arsenic from the soil, especially when grown in flooded fields (as it usually is). But climate change makes the soil chemistry more favorable for arsenic to move into the rice. More heat + more CO₂ = more arsenic. It’s like giving the rice a fast pass to soak up more of the stuff you don’t want.

What numbers are we looking at?

The researchers modeled what could happen by 2050 if rice is grown under these more extreme climate conditions. In China alone, they estimated nearly 19 million new cancer cases due to arsenic in rice. In Vietnam, the amount of arsenic people might eat through rice could jump by nearly 45%.

And this isn’t just about cancer. The same exposure levels were linked to increased risks for heart disease, type 2 diabetes, and developmental problems in kids. In every country studied, health risks from arsenic were already above safe limits – and rising fast under projected climate conditions.

What can you do about it?

First, don’t panic. Most of this study is focused on rice grown in Asia under specific future climate conditions. The U.S. rice supply is more regulated and less dependent on flooded paddies – but not immune. The FDA has recommended limits on arsenic in baby rice cereal, but there’s no official limit on arsenic in regular rice sold in the U.S.

That said, here are a few things you can do:

• Rinse your rice thoroughly before cooking
• Cook it in extra water (6 cups water to 1 cup rice) and drain it – this can lower arsenic levels
• Mix up your grains – quinoa, barley, oats, and couscous are all lower in arsenic
• For babies, don’t rely completely on rice cereal – try oatmeal or other grains instead

With so many aspect to the climate crisis being reported on, this may be one that has passed many by, especially if you don’t live anywhere near a rice paddy field.

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