Children Should Limit Consumption of Fruit Juices

 

If you have been drinking fruit juices rather than soda you should be aware that they may contain concerning levels of lead, arsenic and other heavy metals. In a 2019 Consumer Reports analysis of popular fruit juice brands, CR tested 45 fruit juices sold across the country—including apple, grape, pear, and fruit blends—and found elevated levels of those elements, plus cadmium, commonly known as heavy metals, in almost half of them, including juices marketed for children. “In some cases, drinking just 4 ounces a day—or half a cup—is enough to raise concern,” says James Dickerson, Ph.D., CR’s chief scientific officer.

Fruit juice’s healthy glow has faded in recent years, mainly because it packs a lot of added sugar. But the health risk with these juices from potentially harmful levels of arsenic, cadmium, and lead is equally concerning according to Consumer Reports. 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. In 74 percent of those cases, kids drink juice once a day or more.

Children are particularly vulnerable to the harmful effects of heavy metals. “Exposure to these metals early on can affect their whole life trajectory,” says Jennifer Lowrey, 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. But heavy metals can harm adults, too.

Consumer Reports researchers looked at 45 juices in four flavors: apple (22), fruit juice blends (13), grape (7), and pear (3). Most were from concentrate, meaning that all water was removed from the pressed fruit for transport, then added back in at the factory. Among their findings:

• Every product had detectable levels of at least one of these heavy metals: cadmium, inorganic arsenic, lead, or mercury.

• Twenty-one (47 percent) of the 45 juices had concerning levels of cadmium, inorganic arsenic, and/or lead. (None contained concerning levels of mercury.)

• Seven of those 21 juices could harm children who drink 4 ounces (½ cup) or more a day; nine of them pose risks to kids at 8 ounces (1 cup) or more a day.

• Ten of the juices pose a risk to adults: five of them at 4 ounces or more a day, and five at 8 ounces or more a day.

• Grape juice and juice blends had the highest average heavy metal levels.

• Organic juices did not have lower levels of heavy metals than conventional ones.

Just how dangerous is it for you or your child to drink these juices? And what if your child drinks them every day, for several years?

The total levels of the heavy metals combined were more concerning than the level of any one specific heavy metal. “Each of these metals has shown similar adverse effects on children’s developing brains and nervous systems, and there are potential additive effects,” says says Tunde Akinleye, a chemist in Consumer Reports’ Food Safety division who led the testing. The amounts of heavy metals in any one type of food may be low, but because heavy metals are found in other foods and the environment—and because they tend to accumulate in the body—small amounts can add up. In fact, in some juices the heavy metal levels left little to no room for exposure from other sources.

The good news? Consumer Reports tested some of the exact same juices in 2011 as in 2018; in most of them, heavy metal levels declined, sometimes sharply. For example, the inorganic arsenic level in Gerber’s 100% Apple Juice dropped by 79 percent since 2011, and its lead level dropped by 97 percent. This makes it the most improved juice tested and puts it below Consumer Report’s level of concern.

The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) has long recommended limiting how much juice children consume, "mainly because it contains so much added sugar,  contributing to tooth decay and calories, leading to obesity," says Steven Abrams, M.D., director of the Dell Pediatric Institute and co-author of the AAP’s juice guidance. “Many perceive fruit juice as healthy, but it is not a good substitute for fresh fruit," he says. Because of those nutritional concerns, the AAP says parents should avoid giving children younger than 1 year old any fruit juice. After that, the daily maximum amounts are: 1- to 3-year-olds, 4 ounces; 4- to 6-year-olds, 6 ounces; 7 years and older, 8 ounces.