By Elise Jones, babybites blog editor
The apple juice toxicity news has been bubbling to the top of the parenting news cycle on and off for the past year. After Dr. Oz did a show on the topic, there was a murmur of doubt that entered into the minds of parents. But since the FDA and other groups dismissed his findings, parents continued to serve juice without a thought.
Now Consumer Reports has just released its findings that not only was Dr. Oz right but that is far worse than he actually initially found through his small study. Here were the main points from the Consumer Reports study:
- Roughly 10 percent of our juice samples, from five brands, had total arsenic levels that exceeded federal drinking-water standards. Most of that arsenic was inorganic arsenic, a known carcinogen.
- One in four samples had lead levels higher than the FDA’s bottled-water limit of 5 ppb. As with arsenic, no federal limit exists for lead in juice.
- Apple and grape juice constitute a significant source of dietary exposure to arsenic, according to our analysis of federal health data from 2003 through 2008.
- Children drink a lot of juice. Thirty-five percent of children 5 and younger drink juice in quantities exceeding pediatricians’ recommendations, our poll of parents shows.
- Mounting scientific evidence suggests that chronic exposure to arsenic and lead even at levels below water standards can result in serious health problems.
- Inorganic arsenic has been detected at disturbing levels in other foods, too, which suggests that more must be done to reduce overall dietary exposure.
So here are the facts: there are alarming amounts of arsenic and lead in juice. These toxic levels are NOT regulated by the FDA. The arsenic and lead are getting into the juice through contaminated soil where the apples and grapes are grown. The majority of juice is made from concentrate that comes from China.
Why this matters is because we know that continued exposure to arsenic and lead can lead to the following:
- gastrointestinal problems
- skin discoloration or lesions
- increase risk of various cancers
- high blood pressure
- diabetes
- reproductive problems
- poor scores in language, memory, and other brain functions
These problems can result in continued exposure to lead and arsenic from five years on. That means if your child, like most, started drinking juices at 2 or 3 years old, they are definitely still drinking it 5 and more years later at a pretty consistent pace. When combined with the amount they drink, which is generally more than 7 oz a day on average for most children over the age of 2, that means they are continually drinking at least 10 ppb (parts per billion) per ounce per day. Wow.
Here is what you can do, demand their be regulation from the FDA on toxins in juice. Here is their page on the issue. You can also cut back on the intake of juice until the problem is solved. Also, this problem isn’t restricted to just juice, foods also are contaminated (including chicken). Take a look at what you are eating and if possible, switch to organic items that have stricter regulations about arsenic and lead levels.
As always, do what is best for your family, your lifestyle and you. So many things seem to scream “I am a carcinogen” it is hard to feel you can avoid the dangers. But if you can make small choices and changes, it does add up.
Have any suggestions or questions for our Green Parenting blog? Email [email protected].
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Like what you see? Here are some more Green Parenting columns:
- Genetically Engineered Food- To Label or Not to Label
- What’s Up With Green Laundry Detergent?
- The Peanut Butter Jar
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The views and opinions expressed on this blog are purely the blog contributor’s. Any product claim, statistic, quote or other representation about a product or service should be verified with the manufacturer or provider. Writers may have conflicts of interest, and their opinions are their own.
