Which Food Has Heavy Metals in It? A Guide to Contaminants

December 13, 2025 •

4 min read

According to a 2019 study, a startling 95% of tested baby foods in the U.S. contained at least one toxic heavy metal. A variety of common foods, both packaged and fresh, have been found to contain heavy metals like arsenic, lead, mercury, and cadmium due to environmental contamination. This guide details exactly what food has heavy metals in it, why it happens, and what you can do to minimize your risk of exposure.

Quick Summary

This article explores common food sources of toxic heavy metals, including rice, certain seafood, and root vegetables, and explains how these contaminants enter the food supply. It provides practical strategies for consumers to reduce exposure and mitigate health risks through dietary and preparation methods.

Key Points

Rice is a common source of arsenic: Brown rice typically contains higher levels of arsenic than white rice, and rice-based baby foods and snacks are a major source of exposure for infants.
Large fish accumulate mercury: Due to biomagnification, larger predatory fish like swordfish and bigeye tuna have higher concentrations of mercury than smaller fish.
Leafy and root vegetables absorb soil contaminants: Crops such as spinach, kale, carrots, and sweet potatoes can absorb cadmium and lead from polluted soil.
Chocolate and spices may contain heavy metals: Dark chocolate and certain spices like turmeric and cinnamon have shown concerning levels of lead and cadmium.
Diverse your diet and properly prepare food: Simple steps like rotating food choices, rinsing rice, cooking it in excess water, and filtering tap water can help significantly reduce exposure.
Vulnerable groups need special care: Pregnant women, infants, and young children are at the highest risk for adverse health effects from heavy metal exposure, including developmental issues.

Common Sources of Heavy Metal Contamination in Your Diet

Heavy metals enter our food supply through several pathways, including contaminated soil and water from industrial pollution, as well as agricultural practices. Some plants are natural bioaccumulators, meaning they readily absorb metals from their environment. Understanding which foods are most susceptible is the first step toward making informed choices.

Rice and Rice-Based Products

Rice, especially brown rice, is one of the most common sources of heavy metal contamination, particularly arsenic. The rice plant, particularly when grown in flooded fields, efficiently absorbs arsenic that is present in the soil and water. Arsenic tends to accumulate in the outer layer of the rice grain, which is why brown rice typically has higher levels than white rice. This issue is particularly concerning for infants, as rice cereal and puffs have been consistently identified as significant sources of exposure.

To minimize arsenic levels, you can:

Thoroughly rinse rice before cooking.
Cook rice using a high water-to-rice ratio (e.g., 6:1) and drain the excess water afterward, similar to cooking pasta.
Vary your diet with other grains, such as quinoa, barley, and oats.

Fish and Seafood

Certain types of fish and seafood are notorious for accumulating mercury, a potent neurotoxin. Larger, predatory fish higher up the food chain, such as shark, swordfish, king mackerel, and some types of tuna (like bigeye), are particularly susceptible due to a process called biomagnification. The mercury levels increase as it moves up the food chain, meaning larger, older fish will have higher concentrations.

On the other hand, smaller fish generally contain less mercury. Limiting your intake of larger, high-mercury fish is a key strategy for reducing exposure, especially for pregnant women and young children.

Leafy Greens and Root Vegetables

Leafy greens, including spinach, kale, and lettuce, can absorb cadmium from contaminated soil. Similarly, root vegetables like carrots, beets, and sweet potatoes grow underground and can also absorb lead from the soil. Contamination can be higher in regions with a history of industrial pollution or the use of certain fertilizers. While these vegetables are nutrient-rich, they should be sourced responsibly.

Chocolate and Spices

Dark chocolate and cocoa powder can contain both cadmium and lead. Cadmium is absorbed by the cacao plant from the soil, while lead can enter during processing. Studies have found varying levels of these metals in different chocolate products. Spices like turmeric and cinnamon have also been identified as potential sources, with lead sometimes added illegally to enhance color. Choosing whole spices and certified organic products from trusted brands can reduce this risk.

Comparison of Common Food Contaminants


Food Category	Primary Heavy Metals	Source of Contamination	High-Risk Choices	Lower-Risk Alternatives
Grains	Arsenic, Cadmium	Contaminated soil and water used for irrigation	Brown rice, infant rice cereal, rice cakes	Oats, quinoa, barley, basmati rice (from California, India, Pakistan)
Seafood	Mercury, Cadmium, Lead	Biomagnification in polluted waters	Shark, swordfish, king mackerel, bigeye tuna	Salmon, sardines, trout, cod, shrimp
Vegetables	Lead, Cadmium	Soil contamination from pollution or fertilizers	Leafy greens (spinach, kale), carrots, sweet potatoes	Tomatoes, peppers, broccoli, peas, beans
Sweets	Lead, Cadmium	Contaminated soil, processing methods	High-cocoa dark chocolate	Milk chocolate, low-risk nuts and seeds
Spices	Lead, Arsenic, Cadmium	Soil contamination, adulteration	Powdered turmeric and cinnamon	Whole spices, certified brands

Mitigation Strategies to Reduce Heavy Metal Intake

While eliminating heavy metals entirely from your diet is virtually impossible, you can significantly reduce your exposure through several practical strategies.

Diversify your diet: Avoid relying on a single food item. Rotate your intake of grains and vegetables to prevent the accumulation of a particular metal in your body over time.
Choose fresh over canned: Opt for fresh or frozen fruits and vegetables instead of canned versions, as lead contamination is more frequent in canned fruits.
Filter your water: Install a high-quality water filter to remove lead and other metals from your drinking water. This is especially important if you live in a home with older pipes.
Select low-mercury seafood: Choose smaller, low-mercury fish such as salmon, sardines, and cod over larger predators like tuna and swordfish. The FDA and EPA provide guidelines on safe fish consumption.
Vary protein sources: In addition to fish, incorporate other protein sources like grass-fed beef, pasture-raised eggs, nuts, and seeds into your diet to reduce dependency on one source.
Consider product certifications: Look for third-party certifications, like those from the Clean Label Project, which test for heavy metals in products like baby food and protein powders.
Practice proper food preparation: Simple steps can make a difference. Washing and soaking certain foods, especially root vegetables and rice, can help reduce contaminant levels. Cooking with excess water and draining it can also be effective for rice.

Health Risks and Vulnerable Populations

Long-term exposure to even low levels of heavy metals can be a serious health concern. Toxic metals can accumulate in the body's vital organs, leading to various health issues over time. Young children and pregnant women are considered the most vulnerable populations due to their smaller size and the critical developmental stages their bodies are undergoing. Effects can range from neurological damage and developmental delays to organ damage and an increased risk of certain cancers.

Conclusion

Heavy metals are a persistent environmental contaminant that can make their way into our food. However, by being aware of high-risk foods and adopting practical mitigation strategies, consumers can take control of their dietary intake. Diversifying your diet, making informed choices about seafood and rice consumption, and implementing proper food preparation techniques are all effective ways to reduce exposure. While regulatory bodies like the FDA are working to set and enforce limits on heavy metal content, individual awareness and action remain essential for minimizing risk and protecting vulnerable populations.

Visit the FDA's Closer to Zero action plan website for the latest updates on their efforts to reduce exposure to contaminants in food eaten by babies and young children.

Frequently Asked Questions

Foods with some of the highest heavy metal levels include rice and rice-based products (especially brown rice and infant rice cereals), larger predatory fish (like swordfish, shark, and certain tuna), leafy greens (such as spinach and kale), root vegetables (like carrots and sweet potatoes), and some dark chocolate and spices.

Heavy metals enter the food supply primarily through environmental contamination. This includes industrial pollution and certain agricultural practices, where contaminants seep into the soil and water. Plants, such as rice and leafy greens, then absorb these metals as they grow.

No, organic foods are not guaranteed to be free of heavy metals. While organic farming avoids certain synthetic pesticides and fertilizers, heavy metals are naturally occurring in the Earth's crust and can be present in soil and water. Therefore, organic crops can still absorb them from the environment.

To reduce arsenic in rice, thoroughly rinse it before cooking. For cooking, use a high water-to-rice ratio (e.g., 6:1), and drain the excess water afterwards. Varying your diet with other grains like quinoa, oats, or barley also helps lower your overall exposure.

Larger, predatory fish like shark and swordfish have higher mercury concentrations due to biomagnification. As mercury moves up the food chain, it becomes more concentrated in the tissues of larger animals that eat smaller, contaminated prey.

Homemade baby food is not necessarily safer. Studies have found heavy metals in homemade baby foods just as in store-bought versions, because the contamination often comes from the ingredients themselves, such as carrots, sweet potatoes, and rice.

Practical steps include diversifying your diet, limiting consumption of high-risk foods, filtering your tap water, properly preparing foods like rinsing rice, and choosing certified organic or tested products from trusted brands.