Heavy metals and environmental contaminants are found in everyday foods — often at levels that can cause harm, especially to children. There is no safe level of lead exposure.
| Name | Safety | Details |
|---|
| Arsenic (in food) | 🔴 Avoid | A toxic heavy metal found in rice, apple juice, and groundwater. Inorganic arsenic is carcinogenic.... |
| Lead (in food) | 🔴 Avoid | A toxic heavy metal found in spices, baby food, and some fruit juices. No safe level of exposure.... |
| Cadmium (in food) | 🔴 Avoid | A heavy metal found in chocolate, spinach, and grains. Accumulates in kidneys. Carcinogenic.... |
| Mercury (in food) | 🔴 Avoid | A toxic heavy metal found in large fish (tuna, swordfish, shark). Methylmercury harms developing bra... |
| Chromium VI (Hexavalent) | 🔴 Avoid | A toxic form of chromium found in some contaminated water and foods. Carcinogenic. Different from sa... |
| Aluminum (in food) | 🔶 Warning | Found in baking powder, antacids, and processed cheese. May accumulate in brain tissue.... |
| PFAS (Forever Chemicals) | 🔴 Avoid | Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances in food packaging, microwave popcorn bags, and fast food wrapper... |
| Bisphenol A (BPA) | 🔴 Avoid | An endocrine disruptor found in can linings and plastic containers. Leaches into food. Linked to rep... |
| Phthalates | 🔴 Avoid | Plasticizers that leach into food from packaging and processing equipment. Endocrine disruptors.... |
| Microplastics (in food) | 🔶 Warning | Tiny plastic particles found in seafood, salt, water, and processed foods. Long-term health effects ... |
| Acrylamide | 🔶 Warning | A chemical formed when starchy foods are cooked at high temperatures (fries, chips, toast). Probable... |
| Glyphosate (Roundup) | 🔶 Warning | The most widely used herbicide, found as residue in oats, wheat, and beans. IARC classified as 'prob... |