Juice Please Mama? Hold the Arsenic.

I know it's a point of contention among many mothers of toddlers and preschoolers, but I do allow my children to drink juice. Usually I mix it about 3 parts water to 1 part juice and I use organic cranberry apple juice (100% juice) most of the time. I was concerned when both Dr. Oz and Consumer Reports independently confirmed that they found high levels of arsenic in apple and grape juice. Since arsenic levels aren't regulated in juice like they are in bottled water (insert brain explosion here), apparently no one was aware of this until just this fall.

Initially, our friends at the FDA were defensive and called Dr. Oz irresponsible, but since the Consumer Reports confirmation of the findings that much of the arsenic was inorganic (from pesticides rather than just naturally occurring in the earth) they seem to have taken a different tone.

Ever since this story broke, I've been kind of... ignoring it. The brand of juice I buy (Trader Joe's organic) wasn't listed on their tests. So I was just sort of thinking that since I buy organic, this whole thing wouldn't really... affect us. Ignorance is bliss right? Unfortunately, the organic brands tested were as bad as the regular ones. I keep thinking of the loved ones (one child, one adult) who are either fighting cancer now or are in remission and I think, maybe I should take the time to let the juice producer know that I am concerned. If not me, then who? I wrote this little message to the fine folks at Trader Joe's:

I am a big fan of Trader Joe's and I appreciate corporate policies like no GMOs in your foods. I am a regular purchaser of the organic cranberry apple juice and was very concerned after the recent reports about arsenic levels in apple and grape juice. I drink this juice all of the time and give it to my twin 2 year olds as well. I'd like to know the country you source the juice from (cranberry, apple, and aronia) and also what internal procedures you are putting in place to avoid high arsenic levels in your juice products. I hope to hear that you are taking steps to avoid arsenic contamination in your juice products and that you will lead the industry to a better way.

What brands of juice do you all purchase? Do you plan to change your buying habits based on these reports? I think that sadly I will have to stop buying my favorite beverage unless we get news back that things are changing. 

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