Eating Healthy Foods
Preventing exposure to lead is the most important way to prevent lead poisoning, but healthy eating may also help. Children with lead in their bloodlevel (EBLL) may not be getting enough iron, calcium, or vitamin C in their diets. A healthy diet, such as that described by the United Sates Department of Agriculture (USDA) Food Pyramid may help to reduce a child's EBLL.
Iron
Daily recommendations include:
- eating cereals rich in iron or with iron added and
- eating one serving of meat every day for children old enough to eat meat
Calcium
Recommendations for children ages two to six years include:
- eating two servings of dairy products every day and
- eating other foods with calcium such as broccoli, greens, kidney beans, and drinking juices with added calcium.
Vitamin C
Vitamin C helps the body take in more iron from foods that have iron, and children should eat these foods rich in vitamin C with their meals. Recommendations include:
- two servings of foods with vitamin C every day like fruit juices, fruits, and vegetables.