According to a new study, some of the most common beverages were found to contain toxic metals that go beyond the standards for drinking water.
Toxic Metals Found in Common Beverages
Science Daily reports that five beverages out of 60 contained toxic metal levels that exceeded the standards. This was discovered by researchers from Tulane University, who published their study in the Journal of Food Composition and Analysis.
The beverage sample covers several drinks found in the supermarket, including plant-based milk, sodas, mixed and single fruit juices, and teas. These items were assessed for 25 different trace elements and toxic metals.
According to the study, plant-based milks, including almond, oat, and mixed-fruit juices, were found to contain higher toxic metal concentrations than other beverages.
Overall, out of the 25 elements, seven were found to go beyond the recommended water standards. These elements included manganese, nickel, cadmium, boron, selenium, arsenic, and strontium.
Lead, on the other hand, was found in roughly 60% of the samples. However, most drinks had low lead concentrations, with quantities not exceeding 1 part per billion. However, the highest concentrations were observed in a lime sports beverage. Levels were 6.3 micrograms per kilogram. Notably, this is below the WHO and EPA guidelines for standard drinking water, as reported by Science Daily.
Read also: Electrolytic Sports Drinks: Are They a Myth?
Harmful For the Body?
According to a statement by Tulane University, Tewodros Godebo, the study's lead author and an environmental health sciences assistant professor, explains that the research is vital because of the few studies that look into beverage composition.
Godebo adds how surprising it is that not many studies look into the essential and toxic elements of soft drinks in the US. He notes that this demonstrates a need to delve deeper.
The researchers advise that young children and infants should not consume high quantities of plant-based milk and mixed fruit juices. Godebo explains that cadmium, lead, and arsenic are carcinogens and lead to cognitive harm and damage to children's internal organs. This is especially the case when the brain is in its early stages of development.
Godebo adds that most spotted elements could have come from contaminated soil.
Julia Ashmead and Hannah Stoners, students from Tulane University who took part in the research, note that they hope their results encourage others to be cautious about consumption. Stoner notes, however, that fear may not be necessary as the dosage differentiates things when it comes to toxicity. Nevertheless, there may be a need for further study.
Moving forward, the next step would be to assess risk based on the gathered data to see how consuming toxic metals may affect adults and children.
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