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Rather than lead, we should be very concerned about arsenic: http://www.consumerreports.org/cro/magazine/2012/11/arsenic-...

secondary commentary on the article: http://chriskresser.com/arsenic-in-rice-how-concerned-should...

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My understanding of arsenic poisoning is that it binds to some proteins that inhibit some processes in cells. This means it eventually gets cleared from the system. So as long as you don't get a lethal dose it shouldn't cause long term damage. There is arsenic in apples seeds and I've never heard of long term issues from eating a few of those.

Lead on the other hand builds up in your system and causes permanent damage.

> There is arsenic in apples seeds and I've never heard of long term issues from eating a few of those.

That's for two reasons:

1: Because almost no one eats apple seeds - even if you swallow them, they probably pass through unchanged.

And, 2: There is no arsenic in apple seeds! It has cyanide - which is a totally different thing.

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