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Phthalates Are out of Infants’ Toys but a Heavy Dose Is Still in Their Food

  • December 07, 2016

In alarming news, The Washington Post reports that your baby may still be getting heavy doses of phthalates, even though these now-banned toxins have been taken out of infant toys. Today, your little one may be getting twice the legal limits of phthalates, courtesy of their diet. Meats, especially poultry, high-fat dairy products, cooking oils and margarine all contain high levels of it, the Post said.

It almost makes me want to ask, would you like some food with those plasticizers? Phthalates are pervasive chemicals, found in everything from your cosmetics and shower curtain, to your food and household cleaners. Although they help plastics to be more durable and flexible, they are not strongly bound to the product, so with heat and use, they leach out and dissipate into your environment, and are particularly concerning when they’re used with water bottles.

They are industrial strength hormone disrupters capable of causing males in all species to develop feminine characteristics, and increasing the risk of adversely affecting the masculinization of male genitals in your baby during pregnancy. And that’s just the beginning — for example, they also cause low levels of vitamin D in your body, which can lead to all sorts of health problems.

To limit your exposure to endocrine disrupting chemicals like phthalates, use natural cleaning products, avoid fast-food restaurants and processed goods that may come in BPA-laden packaging, buy products in glass bottles and store leftovers in glass. Also filter your tap water for both drinking and bathing, as your skin absorbs contaminants quite easily.