Heavy metals can sound scary, especially when it comes to the foods we give our little ones. So, before you read on, please know this isn’t about striving for perfection. As our guest, Dr. Jane Houlihan shares in the episode, "There are so many things that parents have to worry about when children are little. It can be overwhelming.” Her advice is to pick one simple thing and start there. Every little step can make a difference, and those steps add up over time.
In this episode of This Little Life, LittleOak founder Elke Pascoe sits down with Jane Houlihan, Research Director at Healthy Babies Bright Futures (HBBF), paediatric naturopath Lisa Moane, and naturopath and Hair Tissue Mineral Analysis specialist Amy Kelly. Together, they unpack how heavy metals make their way into our food, why babies and young children can be more vulnerable to exposure, and the steps parents can take to reduce exposure.
A note for parents: This article is intended for general information and educational purposes only and is not a substitute for medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. If you have concerns about your child's health or potential exposure to heavy metals, speak with your child's healthcare professional.
Episode guests
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Jane Houlihan — Research Director, Healthy Babies Bright Futures (HBBF)
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Lisa Moane — Paediatric Naturopath, The Paediatric Naturopath
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Amy Kelly — Naturopath & Hair Tissue Mineral Analysis specialist
Key takeaways
- Heavy metals are commonly present in baby foods. In fact, a study from Healthy Babies Bright Futures (HBBF) found toxic metals in 95% of tested products.
- Young children are especially vulnerable as they tend to have higher intake per body weight, immature detox systems, and developing brains.
- Rice is a standout risk for arsenic. According to HBBF research, it averaged far higher arsenic than other grains and is often a top dietary source of arsenic for little ones.
- Cooking rice like pasta (boiling it, then draining it), can remove over half of the arsenic.
- Providing variety in your child’s diet can lower the risk of heavy metal exposure. This can include serving a wide variety of grains, plant foods, and protein to reduce the chance of concentrating heavy metals in any one food.
What are heavy metals?
Heavy metals are naturally occurring elements that exist in soil, rocks and water. They can be taken up by crops and animals. In this episode, Jane Houlihan explains that they are not intentionally added to food but remain in the environment as a result of natural geology and past industrial activity and can ultimately find their way into our food supply.
In their research, HBBF focuses on four heavy metals: lead, arsenic, cadmium, and mercury.
The problem with heavy metals
These four heavy metals are neurotoxic, meaning exposure can affect the developing nervous system.
"They target the developing brain, and they're associated with things like IQ loss, and other kinds of cognitive deficits and behavioral issues."
—Dr. Jane Houlihan, Research Director at HBBF
Different heavy metals also come with different health concerns.
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Lead: linked to cognitive deficits and ADHD‑like symptoms.
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Arsenic: associated with long‑term disease risk and developmental effects. Rice is a major dietary source of arsenic.
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Cadmium: exposure has been linked to learning difficulties and chronic disease risk.
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Mercury: high levels of exposure can impact coordination, speech and memory
Why babies and young children are more vulnerable
According to Dr. Houlihan, during pregnancy and early childhood, the brain is still developing, meaning it can have impacts that last across a lifetime.
Little ones also consume more food relative to their body weight than adults. This means that even if a food contains relatively low levels of a contaminant, their exposure can be greater relative to their size.
"Kids just eat more in body weight. So if you think about the rice example, your 10kg child could be drinking quite a lot of rice milk and eating quite a lot of rice compared to their body weight. Whereas a 100kg adult would be a much smaller percentage."
— Lisa Moane, Certified Naturopath and Nutritionist
Nutrient deficiencies can also play a role in how much of a certain heavy metal children absorb. Lisa explains that deficiencies in iron, zinc, and calcium may lead to a higher absorption of heavy metals, which is another reason why it's so important to ensure your child has a diversified, whole foods diet. Visit our Health and Development Hub to explore more articles.
How can you reduce your child's exposure to heavy metals?
A diverse diet
One of the most practical ways to reduce heavy metal exposure is to avoid relying too much on a single food. Instead of serving rice every day, for example, it's important to incorporate a variety of whole foods. Lisa recommends aiming for 40 different plant foods every week, along with a range of protein sources to naturally lower your child's heavy metal absorption. View our LittleOak recipes for some inspiration.
Be mindful of rice
As Dr. Houlihan's research revealed, rice is children's top source of dietary arsenic. While it is completely fine to offer rice from time to time, try to incorporate a range of different grains as well. If your family loves rice, you can remove half the amount of arsenic by cooking the rice in extra water – much in the same way you might cook pasta. Different grains of rice also have different levels. According to Dr. Houlihan's research, lower levels or arsenic can be found in:
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Thai Jasmine rice
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Indian Basmati rice
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Italian Arborio rice
Interestingly, brown rice has been found to have higher levels of arsenic than white rice, as the arsenic tends to be concentrated in the outer layers of the grain.
Ways to support your child’s body in eliminating heavy metals
The body has natural processes for eliminating many substances.
Support regular bowel movements
Naturopath Amy Kelly highlights the important role that regular bowel movements play in our body's ability to eliminate toxic substances. Fibre and water act as a "broom" to the digestive system, helping the body remove toxins. Learn about common causes of constipation in children.
"As long as children have a liver and are having bowel movements, they are able to detox."
— Amy Kelly, Certified Nutritionist and HTMA specialist
Prioritise iron, zinc and calcium
According to Amy Kelly and Lisa Moane, nutrient deficiencies can lead to greater heavy metal absorption. They point out that many children are deficient in calcium, iron and zinc, which can essentially 'leave space' in their bodies to absorb heavy metals. Offering a range of iron and zinc rich foods such as meat, legumes, and poultry can make a meaningful difference in lowering the risk.
Include a variety of fruits and vegetables
Cruciferous vegetables like broccoli, cauliflower, and Brussels sprouts are rich sources of sulphur-containing compounds that can support the liver's ability to detox. Vitamin-C-rich foods like strawberries, capsicum, and citrus are also great to incorporate for antioxidant support.
Heavy metal exposure testing
If you're concerned about your child's potential exposure to heavy metals, speak with your healthcare professional to determine what your testing options are. In this episode, Lisa and Amy discuss Hair Tissue Mineral Analysis (HTMA) as one testing method. They explain that unlike a blood test, which shows a "snapshot" of health, a HTMA shows lifetime accumulation. Knowing which metals and at what levels of exposure you're dealing with can help inform personalised nutrition and lifestyle changes.
FAQs
How can I reduce heavy metal exposure in my child's diet?
Offering a varied diet is one of the simplest approaches. Rotate different grains, fruits, vegetables and protein sources rather than relying too much on one food. If eating rice, consider cooking it in excess water or explore lower-arsenic rice varieties like Thai Jasmine or Indian Basmati.
Does LittleOak test for heavy metals?
Yes, absolutely. At LittleOak, every batch is tested for heavy metals to ensure it meets our stringent standards for quality and safety. We're really proud to consistently achieve results that are as close to zero as possible.
We believe in being transparent about our testing, which is why we publish our heavy metal testing results on our website, so you can have greater peace of mind.
