Unfortunately, this is far from a new problem. Healthy Babies Bright Futures issued a similar report in 2019, and the FDA has issued multiple warnings about arsenic in rice. The truth is that there’s no perfect solution. If there was a brand out there that had zero heavy metals they’d be broadcasting that fact loud and clear. Such a brand does not exist. Even parents who make their own baby food aren’t in the clear because some level of heavy metals are naturally occurring and enter the food supply through soil, water and/or air. Note also that things like mining, coal-fired power plants and pesticides contribute to increased levels.
Next time a brand tries to convince you not to worry because their toxins are “naturally occurring,” remember that E. coli is naturally occurring as well. While the lack of transparency makes the current situation dire, there are a number of things that can be done to considerably lessen the toxic load, and it’s imperative that parents consider them, as even small doses can add up over time and become detrimental to babies’ developing brains, contribute to the development of cancers, and cause reproductive harm.
Parenting expert Sharon Mazel, who co-authored What to Expect When You’re Expecting (4th/5th eds.), says the best way to help your little one is to focus on variety.
“Feeding a baby only rice products and sweet potatoes that we’ve made at home will not be healthier than feeding a baby only rice products and sweet potatoes from store-bought jars and cereal boxes. Both will contain toxins, and if your baby is only, or mostly, eating those two food groups, it’s not healthy,” says Mazel. “But feeding our babies avocados, bananas, some rice products, quinoa, oats, whole grains, squash, broccoli, mangos, zucchini, cooked carrots, cauliflower, kiwi, peach, melon, yogurt, eggs, beans, lean beef, poultry, and fish [all of which can be fed to a baby beginning at six months old], whether all homemade or a combo of store-bought and homemade, will be the best way to reduce toxins in a baby’s diet.”
SPEAKING OF RICE, if you do nothing else, try cutting down on rice as much as possible as it’s arguably the biggest offender. High levels of arsenic can occur in both organic and conventionally grown rice. (Note: Brown rice tends to have more than white.) This includes organic brown rice syrup, which is commonly used as a sweetener, rice cereal, rice puffs, rice crackers etc. Mazel suggests, instead, choosing foods that naturally contain lower amounts of toxins like barley, quinoa or oats.
“When you do serve rice, prepare it in a way that reduces the levels of arsenic: Rinse the rice until it runs clear and use a high water-to-rice ratio when cooking it.”
No matter what food you’re making, wash it very well.
“Washing and peeling root vegetables can reduce the amount of heavy metals,” says Ashley Brichter, the founder and CEO of Birthsmarter. In general, she also suggests looking for things that grow above the ground, and if you’re going to buy ready-made food, opting for brands that minimize additives like enzymes, vitamins or minerals, as these also contain metals that can increase the overall amount of heavy metals an infant is consuming.
While it’s common for us to have a dedicated “kids menu,” you can actually serve your baby the same thing the rest of the family is eating. Babies over six months can eat almost anything.
“As long as it’s soft enough to mash between your tongue and upper palate, you can serve it to your baby,” says Mazel. Obviously, you want to keep it healthy, with no added sugar or added salt (herbs and spices are fine). Besides the obvious things like steamed and mashed fruits and veggies, Mazel suggests making an omelet and cutting it into strips for your baby to eat, or some hummus on whole grain bread.
“Offer your baby an entire mango pit with some flesh still on it, cook up a rib and hand it to your baby, cook banana pancakes or quinoa patties and serve it to your baby. The options are endless.”
When possible, you should also choose fresh or frozen ingredients over processed, shelf-stable foods.
“Anything that is shelf-stable is more likely to be void of important nutrients and have added preservatives, concentrates and fillers,” says Talia Moore, co-founder of pediatrician-approved food brand Tummy Thyme. “Purchasing seasonal ingredients is a great way to go as they’re not only more flavorful and affordable, but have higher nutritional content.”
Gadgets like the Beaba Babycook – a 4-in-1 steamer, blender, defroster and reheater – make preparing food for your little one even easier. The Babymoov Duo Meal Station goes one step further, allowing you to steam, blend, puree, warm, defrost and sterilize, and there’s an LCD display with audio alerts. In the same vein, brands like OXO make glass freezer containers specially designed to store baby food so you can cook up a storm on the weekend and have food ready to go for the week. The containers come in plastic as well, but when possible always opt for glass options – a toxin-related topic for another day.