Someone shared that rice has arsenic in it which was a total surprise to me. Robin, one of the participants sent in three references about arsenic and rice--see below. No, no one adds arsenic to rice and it doesn't get into rice from harvesting or processing, and you certainly don't hear of people dying of arsenic poisoning from eating rice, however, it's presence in your body could contribute to other health issues, stated in the first reference, such as "higher rates of skin, bladder and lung cancers, as well as heart disease." It's just that rice has a tendency to absorb arsenic from the soil in which its grown more so than other food crops and being that it's one of the few starches on Stage I of the King Dietô it's important to pay attention to it..

Arsenic in rice products in which they state, "Can the consumer do anything to offset or reduce the arsenic in rice? 
Published studies, including research by the FDA, indicate that cooking rice in excess water (from six to 10 parts water to one part rice), and draining the excess water, can reduce 40 to 60 percent of the inorganic arsenic content, depending on the type of rice. The FDA recognizes that consumers do not typically prepare rice in this manner, similar to preparing pasta, and some may not wish to do so. Such preparation has been shown to lower the nutritional value of enriched polished and parboiled rice (reducing the levels of folate, iron, niacin and thiamin by 50 to 70 percent; these nutrients are added to polished and parboiled rice as part of the enrichment process)."

How to Cook Rice to Remove Most of the Arsenic

• Soak your rice overnight – this opens up the grain and allows the arsenic to escape.
• Drain the rice and rinse thoroughly with fresh water.
• For every part rice add 5 parts water and cook until the rice is tender – do not allow it to boil dry.
• Drain the rice and rinse again with hot water to get rid of the last of the cooking water.