5 Reasons Rice Cereal Is Not Recommended for Babies and Good Alternatives

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Rice cereal is not recommended for babies any longer. In the past, rice cereal was thought to be a good first food for babies. Most doctors even recommended baby rice cereal. Baby rice cereal is iron-fortified, isn’t a top allergen food, and is a plain and convenient puree. However, rice cereal is not recommended for babies anymore because:

Reasons why rice cereal is not recommended for babies

Official institutions have changed recommendations. The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) and FDA recommends limiting rice cereal for babies and using alternative first foods when starting solids.
It contains dangerous heavy metals. Rice contains inorganic arsenic which is a cancer-causing substance (carcinogen) and this inorganic arsenic is found in rice and rice products. Rice more easily absorbs arsenic compared to other plants.
Ingestion of arsenic in large amounts is concerning for babies because of their small size and because arsenic can build up in the body. Frequent exposure to arsenic at an early age is associated with ADHD, lower IQ, and increased risk of cancer.
Rice cereal is white and bland. Introducing babies to a variety of textures and flavors early and often has many benefits.
Better alternative first foods for babies exist. Baby cereals without rice like baby oatmeal or other whole grain cereals are good alternatives. Baby-led weaning is a safe, cheap, and easy (with some education) alternative to traditional spoon feeding. Store-bought baby cereals can be skipped altogether with baby-led weaning.

Alternatives to Rice Cereal

Don’t panic! There are alternatives to baby rice cereal whether you are starting solids with finger foods, purees, or both. Rice is not the only cereal for baby, even though it is one of the most popular. Choose an iron-fortified alternative to baby rice cereal since iron is one of the key nutrients babies need when starting solids. The nutrition facts label on the packaging will contain information on the iron content. Some alternative cereals to rice cereal include:

The above list of alternative baby cereals to rice cereal do not contain top allergens. Ready, Set, Food! baby oatmeal contains all top 9 allergens. The top 9 allergens should be offered early and often. Else Nutrition Super Cereal contains one top allergen, treenuts. Even though these have top allergens, these are still good alternatives to baby rice cereal. Be sure to understand your baby’s food allergy risk and how to introduce the top allergens before serving.

Baby-led Weaning as an Alternative to Rice Cereal

Starting solids by serving age-appropriate finger foods is another alternative to using baby rice cereal as a first food. You can do this with baby-led weaning. Baby-led weaning allows you to introduce a variety of foods. The benefits of baby-led weaning include reduction of picky eating, decreased chance of developing obesity and eating disorders, protective against choking, and more. Baby-led weaning has been proven to be safe and is cheaper than buying baby cereal and purees. Baby-led weaning makes it easier to include the nutrients babies need most starting at six months. Learn the basic steps of baby-led weaning and check out the rest of the resources for baby-led weaning to see if it’s the right fit for you and your baby!