Toxic metals in our fruit juices? It’s a fact, says a study

Do you know exactly what you are drinking when you serve yourself a good 100% fruit juice, or a vegetable milk drink? Unfortunately, the answer is sometimes less “pure” than it seems. In any case, this is the finding of a study conducted in the United States by Tulane University, which measured the presence of 25 toxic metals and trace elements in around sixty common drinks.

Lead in nearly all beverages studied

Thus the beverages making up the test sample were those most commonly found in commerce, in Louisiana and in the rest of the United States: single and mixed fruit juices, sports drinks, vegetable milks, sodas and teas. The measurement of the 25 toxic metals and trace elements thus gave astonishing results:

• 7 of the 25 elements measured exceeded the standards applied to drinking water in the country in certain beverages, including nickel, manganese, boron, cadmium, strontium, arsenic and selenium;
• Lead was detected in over 93% of the 60 samples, most at very low levels. The highest level (6.3 micrograms/kg) was found in a lime sports drink, which however was still below WHO standards for drinking water;
• A cranberry juice, a mixed carrot and fruit juice, and an oat milk each had cadmium levels exceeding the standard of 3 parts per billion;
• Two blended juices had arsenic levels above the standard of 10 micrograms/litre;
• Finally, blended fruit juices and plant-based milks (such as oatmeal and almond) more often contained high concentrations of toxic metals than other beverages.

A danger that remains low, when you drink in moderation

The study also points out that arsenic, lead, and cadmium are known and well-established carcinogens to cause internal organ damage and cognitive damage in children, especially in early brain development.

However, the authors believe that their study should not make you panic.

On the other hand, this simple observation should invite parents to be careful about the drinks they offer their children.

According to the authors, these elements found in the drinks probably come from contaminated soils. “These metals are of natural origin, so it is difficult to get rid of them completely”, said Dr. Godebo. But for the authors, the simple fact of having updated the presence of metals should encourage further studies on the subject.

Although the measurements were taken in the United States, the French population is also exposed to metals daily through its environment and its diet. A study conducted in 2021 also established that 97% to 100% of the French population was affected by exposure to metals, through the consumption of fish, vegetables and cereals.

Regarding drinks, Alexandra Murcier, dietician-nutritionist consulted on the subject is surprised by this observation:

But this observation is an opportunity, according to her, to recall certain basic tips for choosing the most neutral and healthy drink possible:

The opportunity also for the expert to recall that the products studied are all sweet products, even vegetable milks if they are flavored, and therefore not essential to good health: