Rice and rice products may be introduced as soon as your baby is ready to start solids, which is generally around 6 months of age. However, it is important to point out that rice and rice products (including organic rice cereal made for babies) contain trace amounts of arsenic (a toxic metal).  As such, it is our opinion that you should avoid serving rice cereal to your baby.

Rice is the grain of a diverse family of grasses and a beloved staple food for nearly half of the world’s population.  Arborio rice, basmati rice, bomba rice, sticky rice, wild rice—there are more than 100,000 varieties of rice and each has distinct tastes and culinary uses.  While rice is known to take up toxic metals from polluted soils more easily than other plants, certain varieties can be safe and healthy additions to your baby's diet in moderation.

It depends on the variety and where it was grown. All rice contains traces of arsenic, a toxic metal and known carcinogen.  This includes organic rice and brown rice. (In fact, brown rice tends to have higher levels of arsenic because, as a plant, rice stores arsenic in rice bran, the outer layer of the grain that is left intact for “brown” rice rather than removed during milling to create “white” rice). 

Infants and children are particularly susceptible to adverse neurodevelopmental effects of exposure to arsenic.  Furthermore, exposure to the toxic metal is associated with an increased risk of cancer, type 2 diabetes, and heart disease.  Unfortunately, studies have demonstrated that infant rice cereal contributes to a baby’s dietary exposure to arsenic.     

Nutritionally, rice is an excellent source of carbohydrates to power our bodies with energy. Generally speaking, brown rice contains more protein and essential nutrients like B vitamins, copper, fiber, iron, magnesium, and phosphorus than white rice, whose grain kernel is stripped of its nutritious bran coating during processing. That said, sometimes white rice is artificially enriched with nutrients, so the nutritional profile of rice really depends on where it was grown and how it was processed. Yet another reason to read the fine print on food labels!

Many fruits, vegetables, and edible plants have trace amounts of arsenic and other chemicals as a result of pesticide residue in the soils from long ago (and pollution), but rice is especially susceptible.  The plant soaks up toxins in the soil and water in which it grows, and because rice is typically grown in a paddy, the risk is greater.  Water and soil contain arsenic because of lead-arsenate insecticides used before the 1980s (when they were banned), animal feed, and certain fertilizers.  The amount varies by location, and as a result, the amount of arsenic in rice depends on the source and processing method.

White basmati rice from California, India, and Pakistan and sushi rice from the United States. 

Organically grown rice absorbs arsenic in the same way as conventionally grown rice, so you can’t rely on the organic labels to avoid arsenic altogether.  The level depends on where it was grown, but generally speaking, brown rice tends to have more arsenic than white rice.  Why? Arsenic accumulates in rice bran, the outer layer of the grain that is left intact for “brown” rice rather than removed during milling to create “white” rice. Pay attention to the labels as some regions produce rice with higher amounts of arsenic than others.  Regions known to produce rice with the highest levels of arsenic include Arkansas, Louisiana, and Texas.

Yes. Using a high ratio of 6 to 10 parts water to 1 part rice when boiling will reduce arsenic levels, though doing so will also reduce its nutritional content.  While rinsing has minimal effects on reducing arsenic in rice, there is a study that demonstrated that soaking brown rice in filtered water helps, and that the longer it soaks, and the higher the temperature of the soaking water, the more arsenic is removed.  When cooking, the more water added to the pot, the more arsenic is removed from the rice.  Just be sure to drain the excess water after cooking!

Our professional opinion is to serve rice and rice products to infants no more than two times per week and, whenever possible, to opt for alternative grains that tend to be lower in heavy metals.

As part of its extensive analysis of arsenic in rice and rice products, Consumer Reports developed a helpful point system based on serving size and frequency to limit arsenic exposure in babies. It is worth studying before serving rice to your baby. But the fact is that there is no known safe level of exposure to arsenic, and babies are particularly susceptible to toxins in our food. In 2018, the Food and Drug Administration set a limit for levels of arsenic in food and declared that parents should consider alternatives to rice cereal for a baby’s first food. 

All grains have trace amounts of arsenic and other toxic metals from the soil and water in which they are grown. However, studies show that the grains below tend to have the lowest amounts of arsenic. 

Rice cereal need not be a first food. Not only does rice cereal contain elevated levels of arsenic, a bland, texture-less diet can cause babies to develop a preference for such foods, thereby increasing the risk of picky eating.  Our professional opinion is that rice cereal should be avoided. Instead, serve iron-fortified cereals made from amaranth, barley, buckwheat, khorasan wheat (kamut), oats, quinoa, or wheat—all which have lower levels of arsenic than rice. 

It depends on your goals. If you want to minimize exposure to arsenic, opt for thin puffed cakes made from ingredients other than rice, such as Suzie’s spelt cakes or Suzie’s corn and quinoa cakes. If your goal is to minimize sodium or serve gluten-free food, choose thin-style rice cakes, such as Lundberg’s 5 grain cakes. This information is not sponsored—we simply want to give you examples as a starting point in your research.

It's tricky. The Center for Disease Control and Prevention names rice as a choking hazard for babies younger than 12 months old.  Sound crazy?

Our swallowing experts and pediatrician question the CDC’s classification of grains of rice as a choking hazard for 6 to 12 months olds because grains of rice are significantly smaller than the size of an infant airway. However, the way we tend to eat rice —several grains at a time—make it a little challenging for babies to manage, which could possibly lead to this food scattering as the baby swallows and possibly getting into baby's airway (aspiration) causing a lot of coughing and discomfort. Encouraging small bites and helping your child bind the individual grains using a sauce such as yogurt or hummus can help reduce the risk of scatter while your baby is swallowing.

For more information, visit our section on gagging and choking and familiarize yourself with common choking hazards.

No, though it’s not unheard of.  As you would when introducing any new food, start by offering a small quantity of rice on its own at first. If there is no adverse reaction, gradually increase the serving size over future mealtimes.