Breast milk, diverse diets help limit kids' exposure to toxic metals in food, doctors say
Making baby food at home is one step parents can take to help reduce their children's exposure to toxins in food. Credit: Getty Images/Image Source
As reports emerge about high levels of toxic metals in popular brands of baby foods, the buck shouldn’t stop with parents to address the issues, one expert said.
"It’s not fair to expect parents and families to sort of … purchase their way around what is fundamentally a regulatory problem," said Dr. Aparna Bole, chairwoman of the Council on Environmental Health of the American Academy of Pediatrics, which is based in Itasca, Illinois.
Still, there are steps parents can take to reduce their children’s exposure, said Bole, who is also a pediatrician in Cleveland.
Some of those measures include parents making their own baby food; giving children whole or puréed fruit instead of juice; and rinsing produce in cool water before serving it, she said.
Here are some other recommendations from the American Academy of Pediatrics:
1. Check the water. Heavy metals, such as arsenic, can contaminate well water, and older pipes may contain lead. Ask your local health department to test your water if you are concerned.
2. Try breastfeeding. Breastfeeding babies instead of giving them formula can help reduce exposure to metals.
3. Beware of some types of fish. Fish is an excellent source of protein, but some types of fish contain high levels of methylmercury, a form of mercury, and other metals. Better options are light tuna, salmon, cod, whitefish and pollock.
4. Diversify. A well-balanced diet for children includes a variety of fruits, vegetables, grains and lean protein. A diverse diet that is rich in essential nutrients can help lower children’s exposure to metals and other food contaminants.
5. Look beyond rice. Rice cereal does not have to be the first or only cereal for babies, since rice tends to absorb more arsenic from groundwater than other crops. Oat, barley, couscous, quinoa, farro and bulgur are some grains to consider adding to your baby’s diet.
Check with your child's pediatrician for guidance.
Tory N. Parrish covers retail and small business for Newsday. She has worked at the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review and Observer-Dispatch in Utica, N.Y.
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