Is There Arsenic in Juice?
New Report Finds Heavy Metals in Popular Juice Brands — Here's What Parents Need to Know
Being wary of naturally occurring sugar in fruit and fruit juice isn't news by any means, but it seems juice might be back in the spotlight for a very different reason. Consumer Reports just announced that it found potentially harmful levels of heavy metals in well-known fruit juice brands.
It tested 45 popular juice brands — including Trader Joe's, Minute Maid, Whole Foods, and Welch's — and discovered that nearly half of them had concerning levels of arsenic, lead, and cadmium (details ahead).
Curious about the implications of this information, POPSUGAR spoke with James Dickerson, Consumer Reports's chief scientific officer, about the findings and the motivation for the study. "Consumer Reports first investigated heavy metals in juice back in 2011. Given the potential impact that heavy metals can have on the development of children, the juice findings from 2011, and our recent investigation into heavy metals in baby food, CR felt that this investigation was timely and more than appropriate," Dickerson noted.
While the findings are cause for concern, the study also found plenty of juice that's safe for families.
How do arsenic and other heavy metals affect children?
Which juice was tested?
An overview of the findings
Juice with potential risk at one cup (eight ounces) or more per day
