Don’t be too quick to compost your left over brown rice from dinner last night! Instead, re-purpose this whole grain by transforming it into delicious dairy free milk. Making it yourself ensures that this light and flavorful drink is additive and preservative free! Brown rice milk is low in saturated fat and a good source of Magnesium. For the recipe go to Beautiful Brown Rice Milk
Rice, especially brown rice, has been vilified due to recent studies showing that it contains relatively high levels of arsenic. It is important to remember that, while large levels of arsenic are certainly not healthy, it is a naturally occurring element widely distributed in the earth’s crust. Trace elements have been found in a large number of naturally grown foods. Additionally, rice contains some real health benefits. However, I recommend taking the following steps to reduce arsenic content and limit your intake when enjoying any type of rice.
Wash your rice thoroughly underneath running water until it runs clear. Soak your rice for up to 8 hours prior to cooking. Throw out soaking water and fill a pot with fresh water to cook rice in. These steps can reduce arsenic levels up to 30%!
Cook your rice “pasta style” in a LARGE amount of fresh water. After draining, rinse before serving.
Vary your diet to include many different types of whole grains. Use quinoa or millet instead! Yum!
Remember that the highest levels of arsenic have been found in processed brown rice products (rice cakes, rice syrups, rice noodles) so it is best to limit these and choose alternatives whenever possible.
Limit your intake of rice and rice products to two servings a week.
