Is Arsenic in your food?

Just this last week, we had Nolan's four month check up and the doctor said in the next couple of months we can start feeding him green veggies and rice with his milk to fill him up more.  I thought this was great, but then it also raised a lot of concern as well.  Recently, I've seen a few articles and shows on tv talking about the arsenic in food and juices.  What's scary is, it's found at alarming high rates in juices we give to our kids daily and now they discovered it's very high as well in pretty much anything rice.  For most, they probably think they are safe going the organic route and it turns out, that's not even the case!!  How scary is that?!  It's really disappointing that we now have to pay such close attention to every single thing we put into our bodies nowadays.  You would think it's for the better of the people, but rather the companies that produce these foods and drinks, it's whatever is most beneficial to them.

I've found a great article written by consumer reports which is a wonderful read that breaks down everything.  Here is the link... http://www.consumerreports.org/cro/magazine/2012/11/arsenic-in-your-food/index.htm#recommendations

Here is a chart breaking down all the rice products... http://www.consumerreports.org/cro/magazine/2012/11/arsenic-in-your-food/index.htm#chart

For my family, this concerns me.  The arsenic can also be found in your water, fruits and vegetables, not just the rice according to the Environmental Protection agency.  Not only is it scary for us adults but, for babies, rice cereal is one of the first foods we give them and it can be potentially very harmful to them now and in the long run.  So, make sure you research before you start feeding your child something to make sure it's the right choice or if you should go with an alternative because from the looks of it, nobody is protecting us from this issue. The article goes on to say that there is no set level as to the maximum amount of arsenic allowed in rice. So what's one to do for your child? Cut down the amount given to them each day.

For the sake of you and your child's future, make sure you start paying attention to what you put into your bodies.  I could continue to ramble on about this topic for hours and hours but, I thought it would be best for me to bring it to your attention and let you see for yourself how important this topic really is.  I gave just one article to read on but, feel free to look at other resources.  If you find anything yourself, I would love it if you shared it with me, especially if it has anything to do with infants!

Take care of yourselves!