Most were from concentrate, meaning that all water was removed from the pressed fruit for transport, then added back in at the factory. Our most recent tests were conducted to see whether products have improved since then, to examine other types of juice, and to test for additional heavy metals.įor CR’s current project, we looked at 45 juices in four flavors: apple (22), fruit juice blends (13), grape (7), and pear (3). In 2011, CR found elevated levels of inorganic arsenic and lead in apple and grape juices. “Minimizing consumption of juices and other foods that have heavy metals can reduce the chance of negative outcomes in the future.” “The risk comes from chronic exposure,” he says.

Still, Dickerson says it’s never too late to change dietary habits even if you, or your children, have been drinking juices higher in heavy metals. And long-term cadmium exposure increases the risk of bone damage and kidney disease, among other issues. Arsenic is linked to cardiovascular disease. Lead, for example, is associated with high blood pressure, heart disease, and fertility problems. Over many years, even modest amounts of heavy metals may raise the risk of bladder, lung, and skin cancer cognitive and reproductive problems and type 2 diabetes, among other conditions.Īnd arsenic, cadmium, and lead each pose their own set of potential harms. Heavy metals may be less risky to adults, but exposure can still lead to health problems. “We’re exposed to these metals so frequently during our lives that it’s vital to limit exposures early on.” “In the course of a lifetime, the average person will come into contact with these metals many times, from many sources,” says Tunde Akinleye, a chemist in Consumer Reports’ Food Safety division who led our testing. The toxins may also be in the environment, including the water, the air, and the soil.

Previous tests from CR and others have found elevated levels of heavy metals not just in juices but also in infant and toddler foods, rice and rice products, protein powder, some types of fish, and sweet potatoes. Though the risks of heavy metals from any one source may be low, when people are exposed to even small amounts from multiple sources, over time the danger multiplies.Īnd such exposure is common. Depending on how long children are exposed to these toxins and how much they are exposed to, they may be at risk for lowered IQ, behavioral problems (such as attention deficit hyperactivity disorder), type 2 diabetes, and cancer, among other health issues. The harmful effects of heavy metals are well-documented. Here, we look into why heavy metals are dangerous, why so many products have high levels, what manufacturers are doing to lower those levels, and how parents can protect their children-and themselves. The chart below shows the juices we tested and the daily serving sizes that pose potential health risks for adults and children. “Five of the juices we tested pose a risk to adults at 4 or more ounces per day, and five others pose a risk at 8 or more ounces,” Dickerson says. “There is so much development happening in their first years of life.”īut heavy metals can harm adults, too. “Exposure to these metals early on can affect their whole life trajectory,” says Jennifer Lowry, M.D., chairperson of the American Academy of Pediatrics’ Council on Environmental Health, as well as director of clinical pharmacology, toxicology, and therapeutic innovations at Children’s Mercy Kansas City. In 74 percent of those cases, kids drink juice once a day or more.Ĭhildren are particularly vulnerable to the harmful effects of heavy metals. More than 80 percent of parents of children age 3 and younger give their kids fruit juice at least sometimes, according to a recent national Consumer Reports survey of 3,002 parents. Our test focused on cadmium, lead, mercury, and inorganic arsenic (the type most harmful to health) because they pose some of the greatest risks, and prior research suggests they are common in food and drink.Īnd Americans, especially the nation’s children, drink a lot of juice.

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