When it comes to , cereal is one of the staples that parents choose to feed their babies. While there are several different types of cereals to choose from, the vast majority of parents are guided to start their on rice cereal. And because of this, infants are potentially exposed to .

With arsenic being a metalloid, it is naturally occurring in the soil. As such, when the rice grows, it absorbs arsenic from the water. If the water and the soil do not have any pollutants, the amount of arsenic absorbed from the rice is negligible. However, in most rice fields, there are pollutants found. This means that the amount of arsenic absorbed into the rice is much higher than what would occur naturally, according to . In turn, arsenic is leeched into baby food.

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Here is what parents need to know about feeding their babies rice and their exposure to arsenic in baby food.

There are two different varieties of arsenic that are found in nature, either because they came from the earth or have been put there by pesticides. The two types are organic and inorganic.

Organic arsenic is a metalloid, though it has been lumped in with the group of heavy metals. According to Healthline, organic arsenic is generally found in "plant and animal tissues" and moves through nature through the soil, water, and air. This version of arsenic is generally not harmful.

Inorganic arsenic mainly made its way into the soil as a result of pesticides used on various crops over the last several decades, according to  

While some pesticides have been banned because they contain chemicals that cause carcinogens, injure wildlife, and contaminate the environment, according to , once the chemicals are in the soil, specifically arsenic, they do not biodegrade. As such, the arsenic leeches into the crops planted in the soil, such as rice, and then the is consumed.

Because of the size of babies and their immature digestive systems, when they eat rice-based baby foods, they have a harder time removing the from their bodies. As such, the consumption of rice products can lead to a lifetime of problems.

In 2012, issued a warning after it conducted a study on baby food made from rice. This warning was issued when the realization was made that rice cereal contained five times the levels of arsenic than other grain cereals.

The levels of arsenic were so high in the baby rice cereal that researchers looked at federal data to determine how much rice cereal babies would eat in one day to properly assess the threat that arsenic posed to little ones.

What researchers discovered, according to the publication, was that a majority of babies eat two servings of cereal daily. And if that cereal were to be only rice, those babies faced a possibility of doubling their lifetime cancer risk.

The published a study in 2014 that showed how early-life exposure to arsenic can affect a person well into adulthood.

According to the , those exposed to arsenic in childhood were found to have an increased risk of lung and bladder cancer as they aged. This occurred for some who had not been exposed to arsenic for over 40 years, according to the .

And while this study dealt with arsenic in water –the investigation of arsenic in rice-based baby foods is still new in comparison– it is not out of the realm of possibility that future studies into rice cereal and the like will come to very similar conclusions.

Further still, according to the , babies who consumed rice-based baby food as a majority of their diet fared poorer than their peers who had a wider variety of grain-based foods in their diet on "developmental tests that measure learning."

According to , the FDA risk assessment concluded that exposure to inorganic arsenic through rice-based foods "may increase the risk of adverse health effects, including impaired development during pregnancy and childhood and neurodevelopmental toxicity in infants and young children, and that these adverse effects may persist later in life.”

While rice cereal has been the go-to for parents for years, there are several alternatives when it comes to baby cereals these days. Some of those options, according to include cereals made of:

• Oats
• Quinoa
• Barley
• Millet
• Amaranth

For those who want to stay away from baby cereal altogether, choosing to make baby food purees out of fresh fruits and vegetables is an option that will drastically reduce the risk of arsenic exposure for a little one. According to the (who also advises not to feed baby rice cereal due to arsenic exposure), other recommended foods are as follows:

• Other infant cereals as mentioned above
• Yogurts and cheeses
• Fruits
• Vegetables
• Meats or other proteins

According to , other options that ensure that babies are getting their daily iron requirements are:

• Pureed beef
• Mashed egg yolk (make sure baby isn't allergic)
• Pureed beans
• Lentils

The protein found in these foods will also help to keep a baby fuller longer as well.

For those who want to continue to give their babies rice cereal, serving it no more than a couple of times per week is imperative to keeping baby's exposure to arsenic as low as possible.

Giving a baby a variety of foods not only makes them a more adventurous eater as they get older but also ensures that exposure to potentially dangerous chemicals and toxins is kept to a minimum.

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