Apple juice. For many of us, it’s a nostalgic drink taking us back to our childhood. For others, it is perfect mix with other beverages. Now, according to Dr. Oz, drinking Apple Juice could be dangerous and downright deadly to drink.
According to The CW 33, Dr. Oz recently told the audience on his medical television show that "Some of the best known brands in America have arsenic in their apple juice.” The article explains that arsenic is naturally found in two different forms, organic and inorganic, in basic necessities such as water and food. Organic arsenic is harmless to the body but inorganic arsenic can cause cancer if it comes in high levels.
According to the Washington Post, the federal Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is disputing his claim. The government organisation argues that he has skewed data because he did not break down the different types of arsenic.
On the show, Dr. Oz said that 60% of apple concentrate comes from China, where manufacturers might use pesticides that contain inorganic arsenic. He stated that apple juice that was tested in a lab in New Jersey gave results that revealed troubling levels of arsenic.
The FDA also tested the juice, and found that its results produced a much lower level of arsenic. “There is no evidence of any public health risk from drinking these juices,” said the FDA in a statement. The FDA also said the lab used on Dr. Oz’s show was not as reliable. It also gave the producers of the Dr. Oz show a warning that the results of the programme's test were misleading before the episode premiered.
Dr. Richard Besselar is the former active head of the Centers of Disease Control and Prevention as well as a former colleague of Dr. Oz. Dr. Besselar feels that Dr. Oz needlessly scared consumers in an “extremely irresponsible” act.
There is also concern that general consumers do not have enough knowledge about the topic, and might be easily misinformed. As an article on Nola.com quotes, "... a lot of things can have organically bound arsenic like kelp, but most of those flow right through you and don't accumulate", said William Obermeyer, a former FDA chemist who cofounded ConsumerLab.com.
Dr. Oz and his producers are standing by what they said. In a statement they released via email, they said: "We don't think the show is irresponsible. We think the public has a right to know what's in their foods."
Nicole Dales - Journalism is my passion. I have been writing for the last 5 years. I wrote for my high school paper for three years and I had an ...
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