“Some of the worst offenders in the Clean Label Project’s tests were organic, plant-based protein powders. More than 75 percent had measurable levels of lead. And certified organic products averaged twice the heavy metals of their uncertified counterparts.”
Simply stated, organic produce and other ingredients are grown without the use of pesticides, synthetic fertilizers, sewage sludge, genetically modified organisms, or ionizing radiation. Animals that produce meat, poultry, eggs, and dairy products do not take antibiotics or growth hormones” That’s the official definition of organic from organic.org
Organic doesn’t mean free of heavy metals
Most have heard about arsenic risks from consumption of rice and apple juice, however, scientists have known since the 1920s that organic fertilizers used by farmers to supplement conventional systems—composted animal manure, rock phosphates, fish emulsions, guano, wood ashes, etc.—further contaminate topsoil with varying concentrations of heavy metals. Organic advocates, who rely exclusively on these fertilizers, remain well aware of the problem today, even though this appears as well to be an industry secret.
Neurological disorders from heavy metal exposure
The implications of this fact cannot be overlooked. The human body naturally contains 
trace amounts of heavy metals, but when they accumulate faster than the body can excrete them, several serious health problems can follow, including again cardiovascular and neurological disorders as well as kidney and liver damage. A 2017 study led by an environmental scientist published in the journal Nature Communications, suggests that differences in early-life exposure to metals, or more importantly how a child’s body processes them, may affect the risk of autism. They found differences in metal uptake between children with and without autism were especially notable during the months just before and after the children were born.
The researchers observed higher levels of lead in children with autism throughout development, with the greatest disparity observed during the period following birth.
Clean Label Project
This August 2018, Clean Label Project, a nonprofit, dedicated to improving transparency in labeling, released a brand new study about the ingredients you don’t see. They tested 134 of the top-selling protein powders in America for industrial and environmental contaminants an found that forty percent of the products had elevated levels of BPA and heavy metals — like lead, mercury, cadmium, and arsenic.
According to internist Dr. Margarita Kullick, “Some heavy metals affect more of the brain, some of them affect the kidneys, affect the liver, but they actually pretty much affect all the cells. Cancer, autism, Parkinson’s, Alzheimer’s, multiple sclerosis, chronic fatigue.”
Some of the worst offenders in the Clean Label Project’s tests were organic, plant-based protein powders. More than 75 percent had measurable levels of lead. And certified organic products averaged twice the heavy metals of their uncertified counterparts. “Vega Sport Plant-Based Vanilla Performance Protein” ranked dead last. The sample tested contained 67 parts per billion of cadmium — far exceeding daily tolerance levels in states like California, that have set limits. “This is literally one smoothie. One serving. So if you eat nothing else in an entire day, you’ve exceeded that state of California level,” said Jaclyn Bowen, executive director of the Clean Label Project.
All organic products and heavy metals
And it’s not just protein powder. Heavy metals are now being found in USDA certified organic foods, superfoods, vitamins, herbs and dietary supplements at alarming levels. Neither the USDA nor the FDA has set any limits on heavy metals in foods and organic foods
For more than a century concerned consumers have been aware that the synthetic pesticides of conventional farming leave heavy metals in the ground. But it’s been an industry secret that the same toxins are in the organic soil. It also appears to be a secret to most consumers that it’s not just conventional farming methods that are an issue.
In 2007, researchers conducted an analysis of wheat grown on various farms in Belgium; based on the results, they estimate that consumers of organically grown wheat take in more than twice as much lead, slightly more cadmium, and nearly equivalent levels of mercury as consumers of wheat grown on conventional farms.
The Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry, a division of the U.S. Public Health Service, cites fruit and grain consumption as the leading cause of lead exposure in the general population. It’s already well known through a 2004 study that if there is lead in the soil it will be in every aspect of the vegetation that grows in that soil. According to the CDC, no safe blood level of lead for children has been identified, and even low levels of lead can lower a child’s IQ, and exposure during childhood can mess with brain development even decades later according to research.
W hen you purchase an organic tomato, you know it was grown without the use of pesticides, synthetic fertilizers, etc. as per the definition shared above, however without testing you don’t know if that organic tomato is free of heavy metals such as mercury, lead, cadmium, arsenic, copper, and tungsten which are in the soil, water or air and can contaminate food. As consumers, I believe this should concern us more than if something is organic, or if something contains GMOs. Why is this type of testing not demanded by us as consumers?
Slow growing nutrients that are in the soil longer such as turmeric may be organic, but many of them to have been tested to be high in various heavy metals. And certain botanicals such as rice and hemp are known to absorb more heavy metals as they grow. The cannabis plant/hemp is known as an accumulator plant that historically has been used to clean the soil, or water of all toxins (heavy metals -even radioactive soil) Most aren’t aware that the heavy metals will be concentrated in the CBD oil. In a February 2015 edition of “High Times”, Daryl Hudson PhD, president of DOCSolutions, agricultural consultants on speciality fertilisers showed by tests that the extraction process (to produce Hemp paste from which CBD oils can be made) does indeed transfer toxins, both biological (fungal) and heavy metal in contaminated hemp plants.
What to do?
The answer is simple. Look for products that you are going to consume that state clearly that they are tested free of or low in heavy metals. As a mom, of course, I want to know that my patented nutritional composition IQed was and is tested free of heavy metals for my children and family. I shouldn’t be the odd mom out on this though. Heavy metals build up in the body and again “affect more of the brain, some of them affect the kidneys, affect the liver, but they actually pretty much affect all the cells” Unless you purchase a product that specifically states it’s ingredients an final product are tested free of heavy metals, like IQed, you will not know how much lead, copper, tin, zinc, cadmium, arsenic, and mercury you are also consuming.
Correlation doesn’t equate to causation
Redditor Jasonp55 writes that he was practicing Graph Pad when he produced the chart above and discovered the “real” cause of autism: organic food. This was done as a joke to demonstrate that correlation doesn’t mean causation because if it did then organic food causes a rise in autism. However, knowing now that organic foods have been tested higher sometimes double of other foods, and based on this 2017 study that suggests a link between autism and heavy metals do we know for sure this is a joke?
LISA GENG
Lisa Geng is an accomplished author, mother, founder, and president of the CHERAB Foundation. She is a patented inventor and creator in the fashion, toy, and film industries. After the early diagnosis of her two young children with severe apraxia, hypotonia, sensory processing disorder, ADHD, and CAPD, she dedicated her life to nonprofit work and pilot studies. Lisa is the co-author of the highly acclaimed book “The Late Talker” (St Martin’s Press 2003). She has hosted numerous conferences, including one overseen by a medical director from the NIH for her protocol using fish oils as a therapeutic intervention. Lisa currently holds four patents and patents pending on a nutritional composition. She is a co-author of a study that used her proprietary nutritional composition published in a National Institute of Health-based, peer-reviewed medical journal.
Additionally, Lisa has been serving as an AAN Immunization Panel parent advocate since 2015 and is a member of CUE through Cochrane US. Currently working on her second book, “The Late Talker Grows Up,” she also serves as an executive producer of “Late Talkers Silent Voices.” Lisa Geng lives on the Treasure Coast of Florida.
Sources:
- https://getiqed.com/blogs/food-for-thought/102823873-organic-food-and-heavy-metals
- http://www.lowheavymetalsverified.org
- https://cbs12.com/news/nation-world/protein-powders-contaminant-concerns
- http://www.slate.com/articles/health_and_science/green_room/2008/09/rusted_roots.html
- https://manicbotanix.com/hydroponics-versus-organics/
- https://www.nih.gov/news-events/news-releases/baby-teeth-link-autism-heavy-metals-nih-study-suggests
- http://www.npr.org/sections/health-shots/2015/07/31/428016419/toxic-lead-contaminates-some-traditional-ayurvedic-medicines
- http://www.alternet.org/environment/why-food-labelled-organic-no-guarantee-safety-shocking-levels-heavy-metals-found
I have been trying to be more careful about eating organics, and now I need to worry about heavy metals in my organic foods. I just contacted Simply Organic which is a brand of spices I’ve been buying. They said their limit for lead was one part per million, but they would not release actual test results which has now made me somewhat concerned about them. They said it was proprietary information and likened it to a secret recipe that a company wouldn’t want to divulge. Are they kidding? That just made me more suspicious that either their test results didn’t even meet their own standards or that they don’t do any tests.
Have you heard of any heavy metals tests done on Simply Organic brand of spices?
Thanks,
Doug
I haven’t, but I’m rethinking everything too now that I know organic farming methods may be why the foods are higher in heavy metals based on the studies. I mean the stuff I found isn’t some huge secret, anyone can easily read the studies, so why is there not more awareness? I’m sharing to try to raise awareness because as consumers we vote with our wallet.
Doug, I have the same concerns as you and just read that many organic spices and organic teas sourced from India, China and Thailand are inundated with heavy metals!!
This is all horrifying news. Living in Germany, I am not aware of any food products labeled with low amount of heavy metals – I don’t think they are being tested in a proper and regular manner.
It makes so much sense to get a piece of land with low heavy metal levels, grow hemp for a season to remove the accumulated heavy metals, and then keep on growing own food – can we really trust the organic food on the shelves? I simply cannot.