Gluten-free diets have become very popular over the past several years. But there may be an unintended consequence of such a diet. New research has found high levels of two cancer-causing metals in those consuming a gluten-free diet. Namely, arsenic and mercury.
Scientists have discovered that those going gluten-free have double the amount of arsenic in their bodies and 70% more mercury. This is due to the wide use of rice. Gluten-free foods, such as bread, pasta, cookies, and crackers, usually contain rice flour as a substitute for wheat flour.
Rice is known to contain high levels of arsenic and mercury due to the way it is grown. Ironically, brown rice has higher levels of these toxic metals because they are found in greater amounts in the outer coating (bran), which is removed in the milling process to make white rice.
Comments: Organic rice has the same issues as conventional rice. That is because the industrial contaminants and pesticides used to grow rice in the past can remain in the paddy fields for decades. Gluten-free grains, including amaranth, quinoa, buckwheat, millet, and polenta (grits) have much lower levels of toxic metals.
