Your favorite brands of spices may be tainted with toxic metals

 Many home cooks often use a variety of herbs and spices to prepare various meals.

However, recent reports have revealed that several popular brands of spices are contaminated with heavy metals like lead, which are often linked to adverse side effects.

Data has revealed that there are elevated levels of lead in six brands of ground cinnamon spice. This is the latest contamination of the toxic metal since there was a massive recall of tainted cinnamon applesauce pouches last fall.

The products tested, which included bags and plastic bottles of ground cinnamon often used in home cooking, have much lower levels of lead than what was detected in the lead-tainted cinnamon used in the apple puree pouches.

However, in a statement, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) announced that prolonged exposure to the tested products may be "unsafe and could contribute to elevated blood lead levels."

FDA warns shoppers to throw away six brands of ground cinnamon that contain lead

The FDA is advising shoppers to discard the following brands of ground cinnamon: El Chilar, La Fiesta, Marcum, MK, Swad and Supreme Tradition.

The contaminated products are sold at local and national retailers such as Dollar Tree, Family Dollar, Patel Brothers and Save A Lot.

The FDA has encouraged the companies to issue voluntary recalls. The agency also warned consumers not to eat, sell, or serve the ground cinnamon products.

The agency has listed specific concerns in a table on its official website.

Some spices often contain low levels of lead. Even though growing plants can sometimes absorb lead that is naturally found in the soil, the metal can also be added during processing as a coloring agent or to make spices heavier.

According to the FDA, several federal and state health officials conducted a "targeted survey" of ground cinnamon products sold at discount retail stores after it was discovered last fall that cinnamon applesauce treats from Schnucks, WanaBana and Weis contained high levels of lead.

The latest investigation revealed that the six ground cinnamon products had lead concentrations ranging from 2.03 to 3.4 parts per million (ppm).

According to the FDA, that amount of lead is considered "significantly lower" than the levels found in the ground cinnamon used in the recalled apple puree pouches, which contained 2,270  ppm to 5,110 ppm of lead.

The FDA cautioned that prolonged exposure to lead in the ground cinnamon could contribute to elevated levels of lead in the blood. There are also no safe levels of lead exposure.

The World Health Organization (WHO) warned that young children are at high risk of lead poisoning because they can absorb four to five times as much lead compared to adults.

Additionally, the FDA has cautioned that high levels of exposure to lead over time in babies and young children may cause neurological effects, learning disabilities and lower IQ levels.

A 2023 study has also warned that contaminated spices are second only to paint as the leading cause of lead poisoning in children.

According to the Douglas County Health Department study, contaminated spices were determined to be the second largest cause of lead poisoning in children in 2021 in Nebraska’s most populous county.

Avoid heavy metals and use only organic herbs and spices

Avoid commercial spices to protect your family from contaminants like lead and other heavy metals by using only organic herbs and spices. 

The Health Ranger Store offers clean lots of various products, such as Organic Black Cumin Seed Oil and Organic Turmeric Root Powder.

Black cumin seed oil is a rich, golden oil that is a great source of beneficial omega fatty acids. Health Ranger Select Organic Black Cumin Seed Oil is a 100 percent pure black cumin seed oil that has been carefully cold-pressed to retain maximum nutrition and potency.

If you prefer something with a little kick, try the subtle heat and bold flavor of 100 percent Organic Ground Black Pepper. Our high-quality, freshly ground black pepper is perfect for curries and other dishes

Organic Ground Black Pepper can also help enhance the bioavailability of turmeric powder.

Derived from fresh, raw turmeric root grown on pristine organic farms, Organic Turmeric Root Powder is one of the cleanest, highest-quality turmeric root powders on the market. Full of curcumin and other nutrients, the powder retains the full spectrum benefits and the nutritional content of raw turmeric.

These spices from the Health Ranger Store are vegan, non-China and certified Kosher and organic. They contain no gluten, GMOs, fillers, artificial sweeteners, color additives or preservatives, and are thoroughly lab-tested for glyphosate, heavy metals and microbiology.