United States
Environmental Protection
Agency
Office of Pollution Prevention
and Toxics (7404)
EPA-747-F-01-004
November 2001
Lead Poison
with a Healthy Diet
Lead Poisoning Prevention Tips
for Families
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lead and a Healthy Diet
What Ybu Can Do to Protect Your Child
lead's Effects on the Body
Lead is a poisonous metal that our bodies cannot use.
Lead poisoning can cause learning, hearing, and
behavioral problems, and can harm your child's brain,
kidneys, and other organs. Lead in the body stops
good minerals such as iron and calcium
iB from working right. Some of these
effects may be permanent.
lead Awareness and
Your Child
Children with lead poisoning
usually do not look or act
sick. The only way to know if
your child has lead poisoning is
by getting a blood test.
Ask your doctor or health care
provider to test your child under six years of age at
least once a year.
lead Hazard^
Where is Lead Found?
Main Sources of lead
Lead-based paint is a hazard if it is peeling, chipping,
chalking, or cracking. Even lead-based paint that
appears to be undisturbed can be a problem if it is on
surfaces that children chew or that get a lot of wear
and tear. The older your home is, the more likely it is
to contain lead-based paint.
Contaminated dust forms when lead paint is dry-
scraped or sanded. Dust can also become contaminated
when painted surfaces bump or rub together. Lead
chips and dust can gather on surfaces and objects that
people touch or that children put into their mouths.
Lead poisoning occurs
Without any
obvious symptoms
and
harms
your
child's
body.
Contaminated soil occurs when exterior lead-based
paint from houses, buildings, or other structures
flakes or peels and gets into the soil. Soil near roadways
may also be contaminated from past use of leaded
gasoline in cars. Avoid these areas when planting
vegetable gardens.
Other Sources of lead
Contaminated drinking water from older
plumbing fixtures
Lead-based painted toys and household furniture
Imported lead-glazed pottery and leaded crystal
Lead smelters
Hobbies
Folk remedies like azarcon and pay-loo-ah
Cosmetics like kohl and kajal
Do not store M.\
inqlaz
pottery
from foreign countries.
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Meal and Snaek Ideas
Tips to nelp you and your childr
ips to help you and your children plan meals and snacks
Breakfast
Oatmeal swirlers
Sliced banana
Orange juice
-or-
Cheese omelet
Applesauce
Low-fat milk
lunch
Grilled cheese & tomato
Coleslaw
Low-fat milk
-or-
Tuna salad sandwich
Cranberry juice
Pear slices
Dinner
Sloppy joes
Watermelon
Low-fat milk
-or-
Macaroni and cheese
Stewed tomatoes
Melon slice
-or-
-or-
-or-
French toast
Orange sections
Low-fat milk
Pizza bagel
100% fruit juice
Fresh or canned peaches
Low-fat milk
Chicken stew
Rice
Strawberries
Between meals offer small snacks such as:
Cereal with low-fat milk, whole wheat crackers
with cheese, apple or pear slices, oranges or
bananas, raisins, yogurt, frozen fruit juice pops,
and fruit smoothies.
Many of the foods listed in this brochure can
be bought with food vouchers from the
WIC program. To find out more about
WIC, call your child's pediatrician or
visit www.fns.usda.gov/wic
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Oatmeal Swirlers
Makes 4-6 servings
1 1/2 cups of quick cooking oats
1/3 cup of peanut butter
1/3 cup of fruit jelly or jam
Steps:
Follow the package directions to cook oats.
Spoon peanut butter and jelly on top of cooked oatmeal.
Stir and spoon into bowls.
Serve with low-fat milk.
Omelet * Makes 2-3 servings
3 eggs
1 tablespoon of low-fat milk
Vegetable oil
3 tablespoons of cheese
Steps:
Mix eggs and milk in a bowl.
Lightly coat pan with vegetable oil. Use medium heat.
Add egg mixture and cook.
When omelet is cooked on the bottom, add cheese.
When cheese is melted, fold omelet in half.
Top with salsa if you like.
Serve with toast, fruit, and low-fat milk.
lYeneh ToaSt * Makes 4-6 servings
3 eggs, beaten
1/2 cup of low-fat milk
Vegetable oil
6 slices of bread
Cinnamon
2 bananas, sliced
Steps:
Mix eggs and milk.
Lightly coat pan with vegetable oil. Use medium heat.
Dip bread into egg mixture, so that bread is covered.
Brown one side of bread in pan.
Sprinkle top with cinnamon.
Turn over bread and brown the other side. Top with
sliced banana.
Serve with low-fat milk.
Grilled Cheese & Tomato
SaildWieh Makes 1 serving
2 slices of bread
2 slices of American cheese
1 slice of tomato
Vegetable oil
Steps:
Make sandwich using bread, cheese, and tomato
Lightly coat pan with vegetable oil.
Brown sandwich on both sides over low
heat to melt the cheese.
Serve with low-fat milk or fruit juice.
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Tuna Salad Sandwich
Makes 2 servings
4 slices of bread
1 can of water packed tuna
4 teaspoons of low-fat mayonnaise
Onion and celery, chopped
Steps:
Mix tuna with low-fat mayonnaise, onion, and celery.
Try your sandwich with cheese and tomato.
Serve with low-fat milk.
BaฃelS Makes 2-3 servings
1 bagel
2 tablespoons of tomato sauce
Garlic, basil, or oregano
2 tablespoons of cheddar cheese or part-skim mozzarella
Steps:
Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
Slice open a bagel and place on a flat pan.
Add tomato sauce, seasonings, and cheese.
Bake for 3 minutes or until cheese melts.
Serve with fruit juice.
Makes 4-6 servings
1 pound of lean ground beef, turkey, or chicken
1 small onion, chopped
1/2 green pepper, chopped
1 cup of tomato sauce
Your choice of seasonings
5 hamburger buns or pita pocket breads
Steps:
In a pan, cook lean ground meat, onion,
and green pepper until meat is well done.
Drain fat.
Stir in tomato sauce and seasonings.
Cook for 5 to 10 minutes.
Spoon into hamburger bun or pita.
Serve with fruit juice.
Baked Macaroni and Cheese Makes 3-5 servings
Vegetable oil
2 cups of low-fat milk
Salt and pepper
4 cups of cooked macaroni
3 cups of grated cheddar cheese
2 tablespoons of margarine
2 tablespoons of flour
Steps:
Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Lightly coat casserole
dish with vegetable oil.
Mix cooked macaroni with grated cheese and pour
into casserole.
Melt margarine in a pan. Remove from heat, stir in
flour. Return to heat.
Add low-fat milk slowly, stirring until smooth.
Season with salt and pepper to taste.
Pour over macaroni. Stir.
Cover. Bake for 30 minutes.
Uncover and bake for another 15 minutes.
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SteW * Makes e-S servings
3 pounds of frying chicken, cut up into small pieces
Vegetable oil
1 medium onion, chopped
1 stalk of celery, chopped
28 ounce can of stewed tomatoes
Poultry seasoning
Steps:
Lightly coat pot with vegetable oil. Use medium heat.
Cook chicken until it is well done.
Add can of stewed tomatoes.
Add vegetables and seasoning.
Cover and cook over low heat for 30 minutes.
Serve with rice or noodles.
Banana Strawterry
SmOOthie Makes 2-3 servings
1 cup of low-fat milk
1 cup of fresh or frozen strawberries, mashed
1 ripe banana, mashed
Steps:
Mix all together in a blender or use a wire whisk.
Eat as a snack or for dessert.
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Awareness
Program
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Regularly Eat Healthy Toods
Children with empty stomachs absorb more
lead than children with full stomachs.
Provide your child with
four to six small meals
during the day. The
following nutrients
can help protect
your child from
lead poisoning:
Iron-Rich Foods
Normal levels of iron work to protect the body
from the harmful effects of lead. Good sources
of dietary iron include:
Lean red meats, fish, and chicken
Iron-fortified cereals
Dried fruits (raisins, prunes)
Calcium-Rich Foods
Calcium reduces lead absorption and also helps
make teeth and bones strong. Good sources of
dietary calcium include:
Milk
Yogurt
Cheese
Green leafy vegetables (spinach,
kale, collard greens)
Vitamin C-Rich Foods
Vitamin C and iron-rich foods work together
to reduce lead absorption. Good sources of
vitamin C include:
Oranges, orange juice
Grapefruits, grapefruit juice
Tomatoes, tomato juice
Green peppers
A healthy diet can help
your~ \^.l 1110
from the harmful effects
of lead.
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Simple Steps You Can Take
tolProtect Your Family from lea a
Hazards
If you think your home has hiฃh levels of lead:
Make sure your children eat healthy, low-fat foods
high in iron, calcium, and vitamin C.
Get your children tested for lead, even if they
seem healthy.
Get your home tested for lead if it was built before 1978.
Call 1-800-424-LEAD for more information.
Always wash your hands before eating.
Wash children's hands, bottles, pacifiers,
and toys.
Do not use imported pottery to store or serve food.
Let tap water run for one minute before using.
Use only cold water for making your baby's formula,
drinking, and cooking.
Regularly clean floors, windowsills, and other
surfaces using wet methods that control dust.
Wipe or remove shoes before entering your house.
If you rent, it is your landlord's job to keep paint in
good shape. Report peeling or chipping paint to
your landlord and call your health department if the
paint is not repaired safely.
Take precautions to avoid exposure to lead dust
when remodeling or renovating.
Don't try to remove paint yourself!
poisoningis
completely* -ป
preventable.
For more information on childhood lead poisoning prevention:
Call
Your child's pediatrician
The National Lead Information Center
1-800-424-LEAD (424-5323)
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA)
Safe Drinking Water Hotline
1-800-426-4791
Awareness
Program
EPA Lead Program Web site
www.epa.gov/lead
U.S. Centers for Disease Control
and Prevention (CDC) Web site
www.cdc.gov/nceh/lead
U.S. Department of Housing and
Urban Development (HUD) Web site
www.hud.gov/offices/lead
Printed with Vegetable Oil-Based Inks, Recycled Paper (Minimum 50% Post-consumer) Process Chlorine Free
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