Study finds some spices may contain more than the eye – CBS Miami

MIAMI (CBSMiami) – Most of us shake up seasonings on our food and add them to our recipes without giving it much thought.

But Consumer Reports found it there could be the problem with some of them.

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“Of all the spices we investigated, a third of them had heavy metal levels: lead, cadmium or arsenic,” said James Dickerson, chief scientific officer of Consumer Reports.

Dickerson said Consumer Reports tested 126 herbs and spices from 38 different companies. Involved levels of heavy metals were detected in each of the oregano and thyme brands examined. These metals were also found in most of the ginger and basil brands tested, and about half of the paprika and turmeric brands tested.

Studies have shown that chronic exposure to lead, cadmium, and arsenic can be harmful over time.

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“For children, during their early stages of development, these heavy metals can adversely affect their neurological development as well as their respiratory development,” says Dickerson.

Spices are often grown overseas, where contaminated water can lead to heavy metals in the soil. The American Spice Trade Association says an analysis found spices account for less than 0.1% of dietary lead exposure in children aged one to six years and the risk is low in adults. .

The good news is that every brand tested for curry, garlic powder, black pepper, coriander, sesame seeds and saffron had no associated metal content, says Dickerson.

“Think about what herbs and spices you and your family use, and diversify the amount you use, so don’t get too hung up on one particular spice,” says Dickerson.

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In Consumer Reports tests, organic products did not outperform non-organic condiments.