More on Dr. Oz and Applegate
September 16, 2011, 1:26 pm
As we mentioned in yesterday’s post about the controversy around Dr. Oz and his insinuation that apple juice is poisoning our children with high levels of arsenic, video of segments from that episode seem to have disappeared from the “The Dr. Oz Show” website. (Episodes concerning “Foods That Keep You Regular” and “Warning Signs in Your Toilet” remain up, however.)
Excerpts from that show can still be seen on the piece from “Good Morning America” that preceded the face-off between Dr. Oz and Dr. Richard Besser. (Click on the link above to see GMA‘s excellent coverage.) Despite Oz’s contention that he’s not maintaining apple juice is poisoning children and that he would have no problem with his own kids drinking it, the alarmist tone he strikes when discussing the issue speaks for itself.
Yikes! I just noticed that the link on the “Dr. Oz Show” website labeled “Warning Signs in Your Toilet Part 1″ actually links to the beginning of his apple juice segment. Very strange.
[Addendum Sept. 18 11:40 am] The “Dr. Oz Show” website has now removed all links to its segment on arsenic and apple juice.
Related post:
Is apple juice poisoning our children? Dr. Oz v Dr. Besser smackdown
Lauren Begsten Says:
Dr. Oz describing high levels of arsenic in fruit juice in this segment has been charged with mockery from viewers and by some groups. The Food and drug administration was also not amused by him. However, a brand new study by Consumer Reports has backed up his claims.
Learn more at: http://www.newsytype.com/13756-consumer-reports-arsenic-in-juice/
December 3rd, 2011
Leon Says:
Lauren:
Yes, on November 25 2011 Consumer Reports released a study in which they tested 88 samples of apple and grape juice, and found that about 10% of the samples had arsenic levels greater than the FDA standard for bottled and drinking water — 10 parts per billion. Some apple juice samples had levels as high as 13.9 ppb, and some grape juice had levels even higher. Apparently most of the arsenic that showed up on their tests was inorganic. They are recommending that juices be required to meet the drinking water standards, if not even stricter controls.
We certainly don’t have enough data to know for sure whether the amount of arsenic found in juice causes significant chronic health problems, or whether efforts to lower that amount would be a worthwhile public health endeavor. However, I’m generally opposed to overreacting to hypothetical dangers where the true effects are not known. There are certainly enough well-defined risks to keep public health busy.
As many have pointed out, the sugar contained in juices present a well-defined risk of obesity in children who consume large amounts of juices. This is reason enough for parents to follow FDA recommendations and limit the quantity of juice consumed by young children. Even eliminating arsenic entirely would not make juice entirely safe.
December 5th, 2011