A new congress report released on Feb. 28 2021 has found four of America's biggest manufacturers of baby food have been selling products that contain high levels of toxic heavy metals, namely arsenic, lead, cadmium, and mercury. This isn't the first time this information has made headlines. In a 2019 investigation by Healthy Babies Bright Futures, among 168 popular baby foods tested, 95% of containers contained toxic heavy metals; rice, juice, and sweet potato have the highest contaminants; 88% lack federal guidance on maximum safety levels of toxic heavy metals. Heavy metals are harmful in any amount. Infants and young children are particularly sensitive as their brains and organ systems aren't fully developed. Reports of health problems include lower IQ, autism, attention deficit disorder, cancer, reproductive issues, and diabetes.
It's important to note that these contaminants exist in the environment. The idea that you could eat a contaminant-free diet or buy products devoid of any contaminant is just not feasible. Foods take up metals from the air, soil, and water and can also become contaminated during storage, processing, or transport. Even certified organic products can and do contain some levels of heavy metals. Making your food doesn't mean you're in the clear, since even fresh produce can have these contaminants too. Meantime, we have issues with BPA, aluminum, fluoride, GMO, preservatives, additives, fillers, stabilizers, artificial colors and sweeteners, pesticides, herbicides, hormones, antibiotics… As humanity battle the contaminants from the infancy, what should we eat to prevent cancer?