The presence of arsenic in foods has become a hot-button topic, especially after things like rice, apple juice and wine were found to have high concentrations of the naturally occurring chemical. Now you can add one more food to the list—baby formula combined with local tap water. A recent Dartmouth College study found arsenic levels in urine were much greater for babies who were formula-fed—more than seven times higher than in babies who were breastfed.
Researchers speculate it may not be the formula, but rather high levels of arsenic in the water required to make it, that’s to blame. Arsenic has been shown to cause cancers and other diseases, and early-life exposure has been associated with long-term issues, such as fetal mortality, decreased birth weight and lower cognitive function.
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