All I Know Is That I Know Nothing
En oida hoti ouden oida — Socrates
These words, spoken millennia ago by the great Greek philosopher Socrates, could not apply more fittingly to the journey I began in 2013—a journey into plant-based living, self-education, and rethinking everything I thought I knew about food.
Back then, I didn’t switch to a plant-based diet because I believed it was healthier. I didn’t know that yet. I did it because I noticed something remarkable: I was running faster, recovering quicker, and feeling stronger. The performance boost alone convinced me to make the leap.
But what started as a practical decision quickly became a revelation.
As I continued along this path, I discovered what so many plant-based advocates talk about: enhanced energy, better digestion, improved mental clarity, and overall health. The gains were too significant to ignore.
Far from limiting, a plant-based diet expanded my world. I ate more food, more variety, and more flavor than I ever had as an omnivore. Relying on animal products had boxed me in. Plants opened the door to abundance.
And then there was color. One of the first lessons I learned was this: most white foods are stripped of their nutrition. White sugar, white salt, white rice, cow’s milk—they all undergo refining processes that remove fiber, minerals, and life. In place of these, I brought in molasses, Himalayan pink salt, maple syrup, agave nectar, almond milk, and more.
Each substitution wasn’t a sacrifice; it was an invitation to a broader, richer way of eating.
Of all the changes I made, rice was one of the most symbolic. I grew up eating white rice. I never questioned it. But after diving into the research, I learned that white rice is essentially brown rice stripped of its bran—its most nutritious part.
Why strip it? Shelf life. White rice can sit for years. Brown rice spoils faster. For food companies, longevity means profit. For us, it means a loss of fiber, nutrients, and health.
So I switched. Since 2013, brown rice has been a staple in my kitchen. I even convinced my mother to make the change.
But then something unexpected surfaced in my research: arsenic.
Dr. Michael Greger’s work at NutritionFacts.org introduced me to a problem I hadn’t considered: rice—especially brown rice—is a major source of inorganic arsenic, a known carcinogen.
Arsenic occurs naturally in soil and water, but rice plants are uniquely efficient at absorbing it. Brown rice, retaining the bran, absorbs even more.
The irony? In striving to eat healthier, we may be consuming more toxins. Health-conscious eaters, gluten-free adherents, vegans, and macrobiotic practitioners often rely on rice—especially brown rice. Now, they face an invisible risk.
But arsenic contamination isn’t limited to rice. In industrial poultry farming, chickens are fed arsenic-laced drugs to speed growth and prevent disease. The arsenic ends up in their meat, feathers, and feces. The waste—rich in arsenic—is used as fertilizer. That fertilizer ends up in the soil and water where rice is grown.
And so, the circle continues:
Arsenic in chicken feed → chicken feces → fertilizer → contaminated soil → rice → our plates.
According to studies, rice grown in California, India, and Pakistan generally contains less arsenic than rice from places like Arkansas or Texas. Short- and medium-grain rice tend to be safer than long-grain. Still, the danger remains.
One solution? Cooking method.
Boil rice like pasta: 10 parts water to 1 part rice. After cooking, drain the excess water. This technique can remove up to 60% of the arsenic content without significantly affecting key nutrients in brown rice.
Another solution? Diversity.
I’ve added other grains to my meals: quinoa, amaranth, buckwheat, oats. I still eat brown rice—1 to 2 times a week—but I buy it from Indian brands known for lower contamination. When possible, I check packaging, visit brand websites, and look for transparency in testing.
Knowledge is power. You don’t have to abandon rice completely, but you do have to make informed choices. Contact rice producers. Ask questions. Support companies that publish their test results. Look into government food safety reports in your region.
You can even invest in home testing kits. The tools are out there.
And above all, keep learning. The wisest people I’ve encountered in life—like Socrates—were the ones who admitted how much they didn’t know.
We eat from the earth. We drink from it. We breathe it in.
If our soil, water, and air are clean, our food will be clean.
If they’re poisoned, so are we.
The more you question, the clearer things become. I didn’t rest on the belief that brown rice was better than white. I kept digging. I reevaluated.
And I’ll continue to.
Because what I know—is that I know nothing.
Discover my full story in Thirsty for Health, where I share the grit behind quitting smoking, adopting running, and embracing a plant-based life.
Disclaimer: This article shares personal opinions and experiences. It is not medical advice. Always consult a qualified healthcare professional before making any health-related decisions. Use this information at your own risk.
