What Foods Have Cadmium? Sources, Health Risks, and Reduction

December 29, 2025 •

5 min read

According to the European Commission, the food groups contributing most to dietary cadmium exposure include cereals, vegetables, nuts, pulses, and meat products. As a widespread environmental pollutant, cadmium can contaminate many items in our food supply, posing a potential health risk to consumers. While total elimination is impossible, understanding the primary sources is key to minimizing exposure.

Quick Summary

This article explores foods containing cadmium, detailing common dietary sources such as cereals, leafy greens, and shellfish, along with the health implications of long-term exposure. It also provides practical strategies for reducing your dietary intake of this heavy metal.

Key Points

Cereals and grains are major dietary contributors: Due to high consumption, products like wheat, rice, and oats contribute significantly to overall cadmium intake, even if levels per serving are moderate.
Shellfish and organ meats are high-risk foods: Filter-feeding mollusks and offal like liver and kidney concentrate cadmium from their environments, resulting in higher levels.
Leafy and root vegetables absorb cadmium: Plants like spinach, lettuce, and potatoes readily absorb cadmium from contaminated soil, especially when phosphate fertilizers are used.
Long-term exposure carries health risks: Chronic ingestion of cadmium is linked to serious health problems, including kidney damage, bone demineralization, and an increased risk of cancer.
Diet diversification is a key strategy: To reduce intake, vary your diet to avoid consistent, high-volume consumption of any single food group known to accumulate cadmium.
Organic produce may offer lower exposure: Studies suggest that organic farming practices, which use less phosphate fertilizer, can result in lower cadmium concentrations in vegetables and fruits.
Consumer awareness is crucial: Being aware of which foods are most likely to contain cadmium empowers consumers to make informed choices that can reduce their overall exposure over time.

How Does Cadmium Get into Our Food?

Cadmium is a naturally occurring heavy metal that has become a pervasive environmental contaminant due to various human activities. A significant portion of cadmium exposure for non-smokers comes from their diet. The primary ways this heavy metal enters our food chain include:

Industrial Emissions: Cadmium is a byproduct of industrial processes like mining, smelting, and refining other metals such as zinc, lead, and copper. These emissions can settle onto soil and water, eventually contaminating crops.
Fertilizers: The heavy use of phosphate fertilizers in modern agriculture is a major source of cadmium contamination in soils. Plants grown in this soil absorb the cadmium through their roots, which then accumulates in the plant tissues.
Contaminated Water: When water bodies become contaminated with industrial waste, marine life like shellfish and crustaceans can absorb and accumulate cadmium in their bodies.

Top Food Categories High in Cadmium

While low levels of cadmium are present in virtually all foods, some items are known to be higher accumulators due to their growth patterns or biological functions.

Cereals and Grains

As major staple foods worldwide, cereals and grain products are often the highest dietary source of cadmium simply because of their high consumption rates.

Wheat, Rice, and Corn: These cereal grains are particularly susceptible to accumulating cadmium from soil. Studies have consistently shown that they are major contributors to overall dietary intake.
Cereal-Based Products: Foods made from these grains, like bread, pasta, and breakfast cereals, can also carry cadmium contamination.

Vegetables

Certain vegetables, particularly those that grow in contact with the soil, are known to absorb cadmium efficiently.

Leafy Greens: Crops like lettuce, spinach, and kale are high cadmium accumulators. Regular consumption, especially if grown in contaminated areas, can increase exposure.
Root and Tuber Vegetables: Potatoes, carrots, beets, and sweet potatoes draw cadmium from the soil as they grow underground.

Offal

Animal organs, or offal, function as filters for the body. As a result, heavy metals tend to accumulate in these tissues over an animal's lifetime.

Kidney and Liver: These are among the highest concentrated sources of cadmium in the food supply. The cadmium concentration can vary depending on the age of the animal.

Seafood

Shellfish and other mollusks are filter feeders that absorb contaminants from their surrounding water.

Mollusks and Crustaceans: Mussels, oysters, clams, crabs, and lobsters are known to accumulate high levels of cadmium in their tissues. Cephalopods like squid also show high concentrations.

Other Foods

Nuts, Seeds, and Legumes: These are also significant contributors to dietary cadmium, especially for vegetarians and vegans who may consume larger quantities of them. This includes peanuts and sunflower seeds.
Dark Chocolate: Cocoa beans can accumulate cadmium, and since dark chocolate has a higher cocoa solid content, it tends to have higher cadmium levels.

Health Risks of Dietary Cadmium Exposure

Long-term exposure to high levels of dietary cadmium can pose several serious health risks. Once absorbed, cadmium is slowly eliminated and can accumulate in the kidneys and liver for years.

Potential Adverse Effects

Kidney Damage: The kidneys are the primary target organ for chronic cadmium toxicity, as they accumulate the metal over time. This can lead to renal dysfunction and eventually kidney failure.
Bone Demineralization: Prolonged exposure is associated with increased risk of osteoporosis and bone fractures, as cadmium can interfere with calcium absorption.
Increased Cancer Risk: Cadmium is classified as a human carcinogen, with studies linking long-term exposure to an increased risk of cancers, particularly in the lungs, kidneys, and prostate.

Strategies to Reduce Dietary Cadmium Intake

Reducing exposure to cadmium is primarily a matter of dietary management and informed consumer choices. Here are some key strategies:

Diversify Your Diet: Avoid consuming large quantities of a single food, especially those known to be high accumulators. A varied and balanced diet is the best defense.
Limit High-Accumulator Foods: Reduce your intake of offal (liver and kidneys), shellfish, and products with high cocoa content. Consume them in moderation rather than as a dietary staple.
Prioritize a Balanced Diet: Focus on eating a wide range of whole foods. The emphasis on cereal products as a source of cadmium is often due to large consumption volumes, so varying your grain sources is a good approach.
Choose Lower-Risk Options: Opt for certain varieties of vegetables known to be lower cadmium accumulators, such as sweet corn, cucumbers, and snap beans.
Select Organic Produce (Where Possible): Some studies suggest that organically grown crops may have lower cadmium levels due to different agricultural practices, including less use of phosphate fertilizers.
Wash and Peel Vegetables: For root vegetables, washing and peeling can help reduce some of the heavy metal residue on the surface.

Comparison Table: Food Categories and Cadmium Risk


Food Category	Examples	Relative Cadmium Level	Primary Reason for Cadmium	Risk Reduction Strategy
Offal	Liver, Kidney	High	Acts as a filter organ in animals, accumulating heavy metals over time	Consume sparingly and choose younger animals if possible.
Shellfish	Oysters, Mussels, Crabs	High	Filter feeders, absorb contaminants from water in their environment	Consume in moderation and vary seafood types.
Cereals/Grains	Wheat, Rice, Oats, Bread	Varies (often a high dietary source due to quantity consumed)	Absorption from soil; high consumption volume makes it a significant source	Diversify grain consumption and limit large portions.
Leafy Vegetables	Spinach, Lettuce, Kale	Varies (high accumulators from soil)	Efficiently absorbs cadmium from the soil it grows in	Vary vegetable choices, wash and peel thoroughly.
Root Vegetables	Potatoes, Carrots, Beets	Varies (accumulators from soil)	Absorbed from the surrounding soil; high consumption contributes to intake	Wash, peel, and rotate consumption with other vegetables.
Dark Chocolate	High-cocoa chocolate bars, cocoa powder	Varies (linked to cocoa bean source)	Cocoa beans can absorb and accumulate cadmium from the soil	Choose brands with lower detected levels, consume in moderation.
Nuts & Legumes	Peanuts, Sunflower Seeds, Beans	Moderate to High	Absorbed from soil during growth, significant for high-quantity consumers	Vary your intake of nuts, seeds, and legumes.

Conclusion

Understanding which foods have cadmium is the first step toward mitigating potential health risks associated with this heavy metal. While the presence of cadmium in our food supply is a complex issue stemming from environmental contamination, informed dietary choices can make a significant difference. By diversifying your diet, limiting the intake of known high-accumulator foods like offal and certain shellfish, and making conscious decisions about produce and processed products, you can effectively reduce your overall exposure. A balanced approach that focuses on whole, varied foods remains the most powerful strategy for ensuring your long-term health and safety. For more information on reducing environmental contaminants, consult authoritative sources like the FDA's 'Closer to Zero' action plan.

Frequently Asked Questions

Cadmium is a naturally occurring heavy metal that enters the food chain through contaminated soil, water, and air, largely due to industrial activities and the use of phosphate fertilizers. Plants absorb it from the soil, and animals accumulate it over their lifetime.

Yes, some studies suggest vegetarians and vegans may have higher dietary cadmium exposure because their diets are often richer in cereals, nuts, and legumes—food groups that are known to accumulate the heavy metal.

Cooking does not eliminate cadmium, but thoroughly washing and peeling vegetables, particularly root crops, can reduce some surface-level contamination. However, cadmium absorbed into the plant's tissue remains.

Prolonged exposure can lead to kidney damage, bone demineralization (osteoporosis), and an increased risk of certain cancers, particularly of the kidneys and lungs.

Shellfish and mollusks, such as mussels, oysters, and squid, tend to have higher cadmium levels due to their filter-feeding nature and concentration of contaminants from seawater. Cadmium levels in fin fish are generally lower.

Experts generally consider chocolate a minor source of cadmium exposure for most people. While cocoa beans can accumulate the metal, consuming a varied diet and limiting intake is a reasonable approach. Regulatory bodies like the FDA and Codex Alimentarius monitor and set maximum levels.

It is not practical for consumers to check individual food items. Instead, the best approach is to stay informed about food safety reports, diversify your diet, and rely on regulatory bodies like the FDA, EFSA, and WHO, which monitor and regulate contaminant levels in the food supply.

A diet with adequate levels of essential minerals like iron, calcium, and zinc may help protect against or reduce the absorption of cadmium in the body. However, supplements should be used with caution as some have been found to contain cadmium themselves.