White rice contains an average of 92 parts per billion (ppb) of inorganic arsenic, while brown rice averages 154 ppb. Those are the numbers from FDA testing, but the actual amount in your bowl varies widely depending on the type of rice, where it was grown, and how you cook it. The difference between the best and worst choices can be three- to fivefold.
Arsenic Levels by Rice Type
Not all rice is created equal when it comes to arsenic. White rice consistently contains less than brown rice because arsenic concentrates in the outer bran layer, which is removed during milling. But within each category, the range is striking.
Among white rice varieties, basmati tends to be the cleanest at an average of 62 ppb, followed by jasmine at 75 ppb and instant rice at 58 ppb. Regular long-grain white rice averages 102 ppb, and white parboiled rice comes in highest at 112 ppb.
Brown rice runs higher across the board. Brown basmati averages 133 ppb, brown jasmine 142 ppb, and regular brown long-grain rice 157 ppb. Brown parboiled rice tops the list at 191 ppb. The one exception is instant brown rice, which averages just 72 ppb, likely because of the processing it undergoes before packaging.
These are averages. Individual samples vary enormously. A bag of white basmati might test anywhere from 20 to 144 ppb, and regular brown rice ranges from 34 to 249 ppb. That means your specific bag of rice could contain several times more or less arsenic than the average for its type.
Why Rice Absorbs More Arsenic Than Other Grains
Rice is uniquely efficient at pulling arsenic out of soil and water. The reason comes down to chemistry: arsenic, in its most common soil form, is almost exactly the same size and shape as silicon, a nutrient that rice plants actively seek out. Rice roots have specialized transport channels designed to absorb silicon, which strengthens the plant’s stems and leaves. Arsenic molecules slip through these same channels because the plant’s biology can’t tell the two apart.
This means rice doesn’t just passively pick up arsenic from contaminated soil. It actively pumps arsenic into its roots and up through its stalks using the same high-efficiency transport system it uses for silicon. No other major cereal crop has this vulnerability to the same degree, which is why rice contains roughly 10 times more arsenic than other grains.
Where Rice Is Grown Matters Enormously
Geography is one of the biggest predictors of arsenic content, sometimes more important than whether the rice is white or brown. A comprehensive review by the UK Food Standards Agency compiled data from rice-growing regions worldwide and found a fivefold difference between the cleanest and most contaminated origins.
Rice from India, Pakistan, and Nepal tends to be among the lowest in arsenic, averaging 0.06 to 0.09 mg/kg for white rice. Egyptian rice tested lowest of all at 0.05 mg/kg. Thai rice falls in the middle at 0.14 mg/kg.
U.S.-grown rice, perhaps surprisingly, averages 0.25 mg/kg, among the highest in the world. This is partly due to the legacy of lead-arsenate pesticides used on cotton fields in the South Central states (Arkansas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Texas), where most American rice is now grown. California-grown rice is significantly cleaner, averaging 0.17 mg/kg compared to 0.27 mg/kg for South Central rice.
The practical takeaway: Indian basmati, Thai jasmine, and California-grown varieties (including Calrose and sushi rice) contain roughly 30% less arsenic than rice from the U.S. South Central region. If you eat rice frequently, choosing by origin is one of the most effective things you can do.
Organic Rice Is Not Lower in Arsenic
Organic and conventionally grown rice contain about the same amount of arsenic. This catches many people off guard, but it makes sense once you understand the source. Arsenic in rice comes primarily from the soil and irrigation water, not from pesticides or fertilizers applied to the current crop. Even fields that have been farmed organically for decades may sit on soil contaminated by historical pesticide use or naturally occurring arsenic in groundwater. Choosing organic rice is fine for other reasons, but it won’t reduce your arsenic exposure.
How Cooking Method Changes Arsenic Content
The way you cook rice can cut its inorganic arsenic content by more than half. Two methods stand out in the research: cooking rice in a large volume of excess water (like pasta) and draining it, or a technique called “parboiling with absorption,” where you boil rice in extra water for five minutes, discard that water, then finish cooking with fresh water at a lower ratio.
Both methods remove 54% to 58% of inorganic arsenic from white and brown rice. For parboiled rice, the excess water method works better, removing about 50% compared to 39% for the parboil-and-absorb technique. Simply rinsing rice before cooking also helps, though to a lesser degree.
The standard absorption method most people use, where you cook rice in just enough water for it to absorb completely, retains the most arsenic. If arsenic is a concern for you, switching to the excess-water method is the single easiest change to make.
Special Concerns for Infants
Infants face higher risk from arsenic in rice because they eat more food relative to their body weight and because their developing bodies are more sensitive to toxic exposures. The FDA has established an action level of 100 ppb for inorganic arsenic in infant rice cereal, a threshold meant to push manufacturers toward sourcing lower-arsenic rice.
Many pediatric nutrition experts now recommend diversifying infant cereals beyond rice. Oat, barley, and multigrain cereals provide similar nutrition with substantially less arsenic. If you do use rice cereal, choosing one made from lower-arsenic varieties (like basmati or jasmine from India or Thailand) can make a meaningful difference. Rice-based puffs, crackers, and other toddler snacks also contribute to cumulative exposure.
Putting the Numbers in Perspective
Inorganic arsenic is a known carcinogen, and there is no level of exposure considered completely without risk. The international benchmark for concern, set by a joint FAO/WHO committee, is 3.0 micrograms per kilogram of body weight per day, the dose associated with a small but measurable increase in lung cancer risk.
For a 70-kg (154-pound) adult, that works out to about 210 micrograms per day. A single serving of cooked white rice (about 3/4 cup dry) contains roughly 50 to 75 micrograms of inorganic arsenic, depending on the variety and origin. So a person eating rice once a day stays well below that benchmark, while someone eating rice at every meal, common in many cultures, gets closer to it.
The risk is not dramatic for occasional rice eaters. It becomes more relevant for people who eat rice as a dietary staple multiple times daily, for young children, and for pregnant women. For those groups, choosing lower-arsenic varieties, favoring certain origins, and using the excess-water cooking method can meaningfully reduce cumulative exposure without requiring you to give up rice entirely.