FDA Limits Toxic Lead in Some Baby Foods
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) on Monday set maximum levels for lead in baby foods like jarred fruits and vegetables, yogurts and dry cereal, part of an effort to cut young kids’ exposure to the toxic metal that causes developmental and neurological problems.
The agency issued final guidance that it estimated could reduce lead exposure from processed baby foods by about 20% to 30%. The limits are voluntary, not mandatory, for food manufacturers, but they allow the FDA to take enforcement action if foods exceed the levels.
It’s part of the FDA’s ongoing effort to “reduce dietary exposure to contaminants, including lead, in foods to as low as possible over time while maintaining access to nutritious foods,” the agency said in a statement.
Consumer advocates, who have long sought limits on lead in children’s foods, welcomed the guidance first proposed two years ago, but said it didn’t go far enough.
These 10 Foods Have the Most Microplastics
Nobody wants to munch on plastic for dinner, but the unappetizing truth is that many common foods contain microplastics — environmental pollutants comprised of very tiny particles of plastic that insidiously work their way up the food chain. Uh… can I get that with a side of ranch?
According to an Environmental Research study, 90% of animal and vegetable protein samples contained microplastics ranging in size from five millimeters down to one micrometer. This means that even vegetarians and those who steer clear of seafood are unknowingly consuming microplastics regularly.
CNN compiled the results of several studies to determine what foods and beverages contain the most microplastics. Some of the shocking findings may cause you to rethink what’s on the menu tonight. Although avoiding the consumption of microplastics altogether is next to impossible, we can reduce our intake by eating whole foods and avoiding processed foods wrapped in plastic or cooking food in our microwaves in plastic containers.
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Diabetes and Heart Disease Rise Alongside Sugary Drink Consumption
Across the world, the consumption of sugar-sweetened beverages is responsible for about 340,000 deaths each year from Type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease, according to a study published Monday that is one of the largest attempts to assess how the spread of Western eating habits is affecting global health.
The study, in the journal Nature, also found that sugary drinks were linked to 2.2 million additional cases of Type 2 diabetes and 1.2 million cases of cardiovascular disease in 2020, with a disproportionate share of those cases concentrated in sub-Saharan Africa and Latin America. As it happens, those two continents have also experienced the biggest jump in the consumption of soft drinks in recent years as soda companies, faced with declining sales in North America and Europe, have sought new customers in the developing world.
Eating Healthier in 2025? How To Reduce Microplastic Consumption in Food
Microplastics, tiny plastic fragments less than five millimeters in diameter, have infiltrated nearly every corner of modern life. From the air we breathe to the water we drink and the food we consume, they are everywhere — and nearly impossible to avoid.
Research has increasingly linked these pollutants to serious health risks, including heart disease and lung disorders. While completely avoiding microplastics may be unrealistic, experts shared with Newsweek practical steps you can take to minimize your exposure.
Microplastics are the plastic particles formed from the breakdown of larger plastic materials. They are surprisingly pervasive, shed from everyday plastics like packaging, synthetic clothing, vehicle tires and even kitchen cutting boards. “Microplastics are everywhere, including in the food we eat, the water we drink, and the air we breathe,” Abby Langer, a registered dietitian, told Newsweek.
