It might be time for moms to start making their own baby food.  From their own gardens.  After having their dirt tested.

Because what is coming off the corporate shelves, even with organic labels on them, may be harming them in all the ways we are fighting against.

Healthy Babies, Bright Futures has published the results of an examination of baby food content, and found that almost all contain metals.  Their headline reads:

"A new study finds 95 percent of tested baby foods contain toxic chemicals that lower babies’ IQ, including arsenic and lead."

The source of the contamination, well, the whole world.

"Notably, parents can’t shop their way out of these exposures by choosing organic foods or by switching from store-bought brands to homemade purees. Heavy metals are naturally occurring in soil and water and are found at elevated levels in fields polluted by pesticides, contaminated fertilizer, airborne contaminants and industrial operations. Food crops uptake these metals naturally. 

Sadly, this is an IMPROVEMENT in food conditions, as the report shares that after the FDA changed their approaches, working with food safety advocates to reduce heavy metals.  

" Current arsenic contamination levels in rice cereal and juice are 37 and 63 percent lower, respectively, than amounts measured a decade ago because of companies’ success in reducing metals levels in their food ingredients to comply with draft FDA guidance. They have shifted growing and processing methods."

From the perspective of parents working to end their child's contact with toxic metals, the prospects seem grim according to this report.  But at least they offered information to make things better.

Recommendations are made to parents for choices that will lower metal intake:

The executive summary of the report can be found here, and the full paper here.