Health

Juice: a daily dose of heavy metals

By Sari Huhtala

Drink juice? Sounds like a healthy way to get an extra dose of vitamin C into a daily diet, that is, if it weren’t for the fact that you may be getting a dose of lead, mercury, cadmium or inorganic arsenic with each sip, according to a new report.

Some brands of juices, particularly juice blends and grape juice, have levels of detectable heavy metals substantial enough to cause potential health effects in children who drink more than half a cup a day, according to James Dickerson, Ph.D., CR’s chief scientific officer. This is just one more reason to replace popular juice boxes in a child’s lunch with a reusable water bottle.

Consumer Reports, an independent, non-profit organization that has being doing independent, unbiased testing of products since 1936, released their findings on recent tests carried out on 45 popular juice brands. Most brands were from concentrate, and included four different categories: apple juice, fruit juice blends, grape juice and pear juice.

Among brands that were tested included: Great Value, Minute Maid, Welch’s, Ocean Spray, Mott’s, R.W. Knudsen, Nature’s Own, Gerber, Good2Grow, Goya, Honest Kids, 365 Everyday Value, Capri Sun and 10 others.

Of all 45 juices and blends tested, each one had at least one of the four heavy metals present in measurable levels.

Forty-seven per cent were found to have concerning levels of cadmium, lead, mercury and/or inorganic arsenic, according to the report.

Of the 47 per cent, 21 juices could be harmful to children who drink more than four ounces a day, and nine of them could pose a health risk at one or more cups a day.

Ten of the juices pose a health risk to adults: five of them at half a cup a day and five of them at one cup a day, the report concludes.

Consumer Reports focused on these particular four heavy metals as previous reports suggest they are commonly found in prepared foods and beverages. In past tests conducted by Consumer Reports scientists have found elevated levels of heavy metals in rice and rice products, infant and toddler baby food, protein powder and some types of fish.

Sari Huhtala is the publisher and editor of Alive and Fit Magazine. She has over 25 years experience in journalism, and over 15 years as a certified personal trainer and fitness specialist, as well as over 20 years as a wellness advocate.

Photo credit: ©[Jupiterimages] via Canva

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