About a month ago, a mom in my patient base, whom I’ll call “Ms. H,” called me to discuss a 2021 Congressional report. This report detailed widespread contamination of baby food with toxic heavy metals. This report was a follow-up to the 2019 study by Healthy Babies Bright Futures (HBBF), which showed widespread contamination of baby food and formula with heavy metals.
Mrs. H, understandably concerned, discovered that many baby products, both organic and non-organic, contained excessive levels of arsenic, lead, mercury and cadmium. These substances, which are dangerous to adults, are particularly toxic to infants because they harm brain development. Babies exposed to heavy metals are at risk of developing attention deficit disorder (ADHD), behavioral problems, decreased IQ and long-term cognitive impairment.
Contamination: Not Avoidable Even with Homemade Purees
HBBF says that simply making homemade purees isn't enough to avoid contamination. In fact, "federal data show that baby foods can sometimes contain higher or lower levels of heavy metals than fresh or processed foods purchased outside the baby section." In other words, all foods are contaminated, not just baby products.
Infant Formula Comparison: American vs. European Formulas
Ms. H asked me two specific questions. She wanted to know which infant formula was the least toxic to children, and whether the German Holle formula was safer than American formula, based on recommendations she had read online. She had previously been using Earth's Best Organic Formula, but that brand was on the "blacklist" in the Congressional report. In fact, all of the brands examined in the report had high levels of heavy metals.
To answer her second question, I had three types of formula (Earth's Best Organics, Holle, and Enfamil) tested at an environmental lab. The samples were tested for arsenic, lead, mercury, and cadmium. The results, while not surprising, were disappointing: All three samples contained lead. Specifically, Enfamil contained about 3 parts per billion (ppb), Earth's Best Organics 6 ppb, and Holle 15 ppb in powder form. When reconstituted with water, the lead content of each brand was still below the EPA's "acceptable" level for drinking water (15 ppb), but there is no truly safe level of lead for babies . Based on these results, I informed Ms. H. that the German Holle formula is probably no better than the American formulas, and may even be worse.
Conclusion: Acting for the Health of Our Children and Our Environment
The HBBF and Congressional studies are rich with useful information for avoiding the most contaminated foods. However, it appears that we have reached a point of widespread industrial contamination. Both nationally and individually, it is important to mobilize to protect our health and that of our children.
To learn more, you can consult this article .
