Many of us are getting very nutrition conscious these days. Eat right. Stay healthy. Not only that, but more than ever, we are concerned about preservatives in our food, pesticides in the ground where food is grown. We're opting for the healthiest oils, opting for organically grown foods, avoiding salmon with PCBs , avoiding mercury in the tuna,  on the lookout for genetically modified vegetables, goes on and on.

I recently had a blood test to detect heavy metals. Looked at the chart in the doctors office, and saw this line reaching almost clear across the page. It was ARSENIC! How the heck did it get there? I'm nearly letter perfect disciplined these days. Even smug about it because it's taken more spartanism than I have by nature. Arsenic?

Well, you can get high arsenic in two principal ways: drinking water and rice. That's right...rice. Yes, you can get it in fish and shellfish too. But you'd have to eat an awful lot of fish to have such elevated levels. Not only that, but the arsenic in fish is organic, therefore less harmful. You can also get it in produce. I was advised to put half a cup of apple cider vinegar in a bowl of water and let the vegetables and fruit sit in it a couple minutes, then rinse.

It's almost funny when you think about it. People have been abandoning that nice big bowl of pasta for rice, thinking it is the smarter alternative. Due to milk allergies, mothers often feed their kids rice milk instead of cow's milk. The western world is not known for a rice diet, however, rice production in the US has risen dramatically in recent years.

Here's the rub.  We are growing rice where we used to grow cotton. That means the soil is full of insecticides, and nitrogen and phosphorus fertilizers. Insecticides were used to control the boll weevil. Arsenic is in the insecticides. Rice is highly adept at absorbing natural arsenic. As a consequence, American rice is high in arsenic.

From what I read, scientists are working to find a way to keep arsenic out of the rice. Wonder what that will involve.

Organic brown rice from California ranks the lowest in arsenic. Louisiana rice ranks the highest in arsenic.

I like rice, but don't eat a lot of it. I have abandoned wheat in favor of rice, however. And I drink filtered city water. If you have well water, it's wise to have it tested for arsenic. Well water is often suspect.

Rice is my #1 suspect.

I want you to be aware of where your rice is grown. Here are some tips. Never, never, never eat rice that has been grown in Bangladesh. There is serious arsenic contamination in Bangladesh. People are being poisoned.

The safest rice is basmati rice imported from India and Pakistan and jasmine rice from Thailand. They contain the least amount of arsenic. Also Chinese rice is very good. Also good is Eqyptian rice.

Well, sure don't want to spoil the fun, but better safe than sorry. Get your blood tested.

Bon appetit!