Because rice is grown in water, any arsenic in the water supply binds to the rice as it grows. A known carcinogen, arsenic can influence risk of cardiovascular, immune and other diseases, and research has shown that even low levels can have a negative impact on babies' neurodevelopment.
What Are the Dangers of Rice Cereal for Babies? In 2012 and 2014, Consumer Reports found high levels of heavy metals in baby food such as arsenic, lead, mercury and cadmium. For example, rice cereal contains as much as 6 times more arsenic than other baby cereals.
Purpose: The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) recommends against the routine use of rice cereal in the bottle (RIB) to improve infant sleep patterns. The AAP also states that the use of RIB is a choking hazard and may lead to excessive weight gain.
Plus, rice contains trace levels of arsenic, a chemical that rice grains naturally soak up from soil and ground water. It's fine to serve rice cereal a few times a week, but excessive arsenic intake can have detrimental effects on a baby's immune system.
Farex cereals are safe, texture-appropriate, iron-fortified cereal options for babies of all stages, and Farex baby rice cereals have provided a trusted first food for generations of Kiwi babies.
Arsenic in Rice Cereal
Arsenic is a carcinogen that is linked to several different diseases. Even low levels, like those found in rice cereals for babies, can affect their development. Instead, the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) now recommends that you introduce oatmeal to your baby instead.
In response to concerns over arsenic in rice, the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) now recommends parents of children with these conditions use oatmeal instead of rice cereal.
Choose infant cereals like oatmeal, mixed grain, quinoa, barley, buckwheat and wheat. These are naturally low in arsenic.
Two brands of infant rice cereal—Gerber and Earth's Best—have lowered the levels of inorganic arsenic in their products, new tests from Consumer Reports show.
Buyer beware: Avoid cereals high in added sugar
Added sugars offer no nutritional benefit to you, and eating these empty calories in excess can lead to weight gain and, over time, even contribute to chronic health conditions, like diabetes and heart disease.
Kellogg's Honey Smacks (55.6%) Post Golden Crisp (51.9%) Kellogg's Froot Loops Marshmellow (48.3%) Quaker Oats Cap'n Crunch's OOPS!
The Australian rice guidelines are for total arsenic (organic and inorganic) and set a maximum level of 1mg/kg. This is more than 3 times higher than the standard for total arsenic set by the World Health Organisation of 0.3mg/kg.
Of the 288 foods tested, the authors found that the 10 least contaminated foods consumed by babies (from lowest to highest concentration) to be: bananas, grits, baby food brand meats, butternut squash, lamb, apples, pork, eggs, oranges, and watermelon.
Start solids with pureed veggies, fruits, or meats rather than baby cereal. Or, skip purees and try baby-led weaning. Avoid rice cereals and snacks made with rice flour, since rice absorbs about 10 times more arsenic than other grains.
Wheat contains gluten. This means that Weetabix is NOT suitable for babies under 6 months of age and should not be given as a first weaning food.
Some studies suggest that introducing solid foods too early may lead to increased risk of chronic disease such as islet autoimmunity (the pre-clinical condition leading to type 1 diabetes), obesity, adult-onset celiac disease, and eczema; and introduction too late may increase feeding difficulties [5–8].
Baby Cereal Provides Much-Needed Iron
The nutrient is especially important for breastfed babies since breast milk contains very little. Just two 1/4-cup servings of iron-fortified infant cereal (oatmeal, rice, barley, or mixed grains) deliver most of your baby's daily iron needs.
There was no statistically significant trend or a consistent tendency of one group to have a higher proportion of sleepers than the other. Therefore, feeding infants rice cereal in the bottle before bedtime does not appear to make much difference in their sleeping through the night.
Babies do not need baby rice to help them move to solid foods or sleep better.
The takeaway
Starting a baby on solid food is a major milestone, but you shouldn't introduce rice cereal too early. Doing so poses a few different risks. So wait until your baby is about 6 months, and look specifically for signs that they're ready for solids.
Doctors recommend waiting until a baby is about 6 months old to start solid foods. Starting before 4 months is not recommended. At about 6 months, babies need the added nutrition — such as iron and zinc — that solid foods provide. It's also the right time to introduce your infant to new tastes and textures.
Babies need only breast milk or formula for the first 4 months of life. Avoid giving your infant juice or food (including cereal) until at least 4 months of age (unless your doctor recommends it). Juice is not recommended until at least 1 year of age. Do not add cereal to the bottle, unless recommended by your doctor.
The FDA research also shows that rinsing rice before cooking has a minimal effect on the arsenic content of the cooked grain and will wash off iron, folate, thiamine and niacin from polished and parboiled rice.
Collectively, the findings of this study indicate that soaking can efficiently remove arsenic in brown rice under controlled soaking conditions, which thereby reduces the arsenic intake for brown rice customers.