You may have heard about the congressional report stating that baby foods contain  dangerous amounts of heavy metals. Although this news is concerning, try not to let it become a source of stress. There are ways to be careful of heavy metals in your baby’s diet. 

Where do heavy metals come from? 

Some heavy metals are naturally present in the earth while some enter soil and water through pollution. This is how metals like arsenic, lead, cadmium, and mercury can get into plants grown in the earth. The focus of the congressional report was on baby food, but the truth is that heavy metals can be found  in any type of food grown in the ground. 

What is the good news? 

The good news is that this report is increasing awareness of this important issue. We  can hope that efforts will be made to reduce the amounts of heavy metals present in  baby foods. What can I do? When news like this comes out, it can be helpful to focus on what is  within your control.

There are steps you can  take to reduce your baby’s exposure to heavy metals.  

❖ Focus on variety. By feeding your baby a wide variety of foods, you can limit foods that might have higher levels of heavy metals.  

❖ Choose baby cereals & snacks without rice.  Because rice has been found to absorb more  metals in the earth than other foods, you can choose an infant cereal with oatmeal, mixed  grains, barley, quinoa, buckwheat, or wheat instead. Check the ingredient list of snacks like  puffs for rice syrup, which can contain high  levels of arsenic.  

❖ Keep offering nutritious foods. Some nutrients can protect against heavy metals. Calcium, iron, and vitamin C can lower the amount of lead that is absorbed from food. Calcium, iron, and zinc can lower the amount of cadmium that is absorbed from food. Protein, folate, and vitamin B6 can help block the absorption of arsenic. 

❖ Plan regular meal and snack times for your child. Lead is absorbed more in an empty stomach. Plan to offer your child 3 meals and 1 to 3 snacks every day. 

❖ Limit juice. Because juice is made of concentrated fruits and vegetables, juices can have high levels of heavy metals. Give your child water and up to 2 cups of milk to drink each day. Limit juice to 4 ounces a day or skip it altogether. 

References: 

9 Things You Can Do to Lower Your Baby’s Risk of Heavy Metal – WIC 

10 Things You Need to Know About Toxic Heavy Metals in Baby Food 

What FDA is Doing to Protect Consumers from Toxic Metals in Foods | FDA 

2021-02-04 ECP Baby Food Staff Report.pdf (house.gov)