Friday 28 January 2011

Scaremongering




Too many people get caught up in the details, and lose sight of the big picture.

Recently I was told and then later saw) someone put out information about soya milk containing high levels of aluminium, and related it to taking 5 birth control pills a day. What an absolute load of garbage! Yes, soya milk does contain aluminium, but so do a lot of things. Human breast milk contains aluminium. Aluminium is the 3rd most abundant metal in the ground, so it can be found in almost any food. We put it into our water supplies to give the water a clearer 'clean' appearance. It is used as a raising agent in baking, tea has suprisingly high levels of aluminium, as does toothpaste, aspirin and antacids, the list goes on.

 Yes, soya milk has higher levels than cow milk, but the amounts and the effects have been greatly exaggerated. The UK's government Health Protection Agency states "Children exposed to aluminium are not expected to show greater sensitivity compared to adults" and "Little information is available regarding whether aluminium causes cancer in humans. Data from animals studies have shown that it is not thought to cause cancer in animals". The Australia New Zealand Food Authority (ANZFA, now called Food Standards Australia New Zealand, FSANZ), measured the aluminium intakes of Australian infants as part of the Australian Market Basket Survey (which is now known as the Total Diet Survey ).  It was found that although soy based infant formulas contained higher levels of aluminium than other formulas or breast milk, the estimated aluminium intake was still well below estimated safe levels. Interestingly enough in the past 2 years the UK has relaxed the laws and allowed a greater use of aluminium in products we consume. Basically because of the widespread distribution of aluminium compounds through food, drink and even the air we breathe, exposure is unavoidable. 

Sure, we should do our best to reduce the aluminium content in consumption as it is not an essential part of our diet, but it is also worth bearing in mind that there are no definitive links between aluminum exposure through infant formulas and immediate or delayed toxicity in healthy infants. Better safe than sorry - yes; but people tend to see correlations where there are none, and then draw conclusions based on bad science and logical fallacies.

But here is the bottom line - unless you are eating aluminium foil, you don't really have anything to worry about. However if you are still concerned, just make sure you are getting calcium & magnesium in your diet and you will be fine. They block the aluminium.


Challenge everything, Especially yourself.

 Alex Kay Grimmer

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