Can I give rice, rice flour and rice cakes to my child every day?
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Brown rice and rice cakes are part of a healthy, varied diet. And babies can be given rice flour, for example as porridge. As a precaution, we advise not to give rice or rice products to children every day. That is because there can be a relatively large amount of arsenic in rice products. It can potentially be harmful to your health if you consume too much of it for a long time. The advice is especially true for babies and toddlers, but older children and adults may also overindulge if they eat rice and rice products often and in abundance. Think of rice cakes, rice crackers, rice drink and rice porridge.
How strict are the standards?
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There are strict standards on how much arsenic can be in foods. The standards for infant nutrition, such as rice flour and rice cakes, are even stricter. It is also not directly harmful to health if the amount in a product is slightly above the norm, since the norms for these amounts are so strict.
How do I ensure that my child does not consume too much?
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The advice is for everyone to eat a varied diet, this also applies to children. As a precaution, we advise not to give children rice or rice products every day. This is to prevent you from getting too much arsenic. You can also choose to wash the rice before use and cook it in plenty of water. With this you can also partially wash away the arsenic. If you want to give your baby rice flour, for example in the bottle, it is preferable not to do this every day. And switch it for example top it off with cereal-based porridge.
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11 minMain dishpeanut oil, tofu stir-fry cubes finely seasoned, stir fry sauce sweet and sour, thick noodles, carrot julienne, beetroot julienne, yellow bell pepper, watercress,rainbow salad with tofu -
45 minMain dishRed cabbage, mild olive oil, quinoa plus, forest outing, lemon, sesame oil, soy sauce less salt, Bio Today tahini white in pot, tap water,grilled red cabbage with quinoa salad -
30 minDessertBrie, Roquefort, port salut, gruyere, Camembert, walnut, garlic, thyme, honey, grape, baguette, Red onion, red grape, raisins, Red wine, Red wine vinegar, Brown sugar,generous cheese plate with onion marmalade -
30 minDessertFull Milk, whipped cream, macaroon, custard powder, vanilla sugar, sugar, protein, amaretto, almond liqueur, basic recipe cooking pears,macaroon pastry with casserole
What is arsenic?
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Arsenic
Are there any regulations regarding arsenic?
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The amount of arsenic in foods should be as low as possible. In the European Union, therefore, maximum permitted amounts have been set for arsenic that may be present in foods. These standards are very strict. Children can consume a relatively higher amount of arsenic due to their lower body weight. For rice products intended for small children, the maximum permitted amount of arsenic is therefore even lower. Food producers must check that the quantities in their products do not exceed the norm. If it appears that the standard is being exceeded, the producer must withdraw his products from the market. The Netherlands Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority (NVWA) supervises compliance with the standards by food producers. If it appears that standards are being violated, the NVWA will intervene.
How many rice and rice products is too much and what is still possible?
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It is difficult to say whether or not you can eat or give 1, 2 or more rice products, such as rice cakes, every day. It depends on what your diet is like. Vary in snacks. Think of vegetables, fruit, cracker, bowl of yogurt or a sandwich. And in a week, alternate rice with potatoes, pasta or other grain products. If you want your baby rice flour porridge don't do this every day. And alternate with porridge based on cereals for example. Tips for healthy snacks
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5 minDrink without alcoholbananas, cool fresh apple-pear raspberry juice, Soy drink vanilla,soy fruit shake -
20 minMain dishsauerkraut, sticking potato, liquid baking product, half-to-half minced, Spice meatballs, pineapple, olive oil, liquid baking product,gratin sauerkraut dish with minced meat -
40 minMain dishlemongrass, fresh ginger, Red peppers, onions, tomato cubes, fresh cod fillet, coriander, oil, ground turmeric (koenjit), coconut milk, salt,fish in creamy coconut sauce -
15 minSide dishsweet potato, soft goat cheese, egg, spring / forest onion,stuffed sweet potato with egg
What is the advice based on?
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In 2014, the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) looked at how much arsenic consumers ingest. This also specifically looked at young children and babies, because they can ingest a relatively large amount due to their low body weight. The EFSA risk assessment showed that eating many products that contain a relatively large amount of arsenic poses a risk to (very) young children.
Is arsenic also in other products?
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Arsenic is mainly found in rice and rice products. Furthermore, it occurs only in lower amounts in processed cereal products such as bread, in milk and milk products and in water.
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What about cultures where a lot of rice is eaten? Based on its research, EFSA looked at arsenic in rice or rice products eaten in Europe. This risk can certainly also exist in Asian countries, for example, but the EFSA has not looked into this. We advise consumers who eat a lot of rice in the Netherlands to eat a varied diet.
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20 minMain dishTasty vine tomato, (olive oil, fresh basil, onion, garlic, Parmigiano Reggiano, zucchini spaghetti, pumpkin spaghetti, mini buffalo mozzarella,lukewarm pumpkin and zucchini spaghetti -
15 minSide dishtraditional olive oil, curry powder, wheat flour, coconut milk, sambal oelek, chicken broth tablet, water, fresh mango,curry sauce with mango -
30 minMain dishtraditional olive oil, lean ground beef, frozen Mexican wok vegetables, salsa sauce mild, taco shell, grated young cheese, creme fraiche,Mexican vegetable in tacos -
95 minMain dishmaize chicken, lemon, coarse sea salt, pepper, extra virgin olive oil, garlic, thyme, zucchini, tomatoes (small to), black olives without pit,provençal chicken with zucchini and tomatoes