Minerals Guide – ALUMINUM

Aluminum in Food

Aluminum is a common element found in many foods, but there is some concern about its potential health effects among nutritionists. While some studies have suggested a link between aluminum exposure and certain health conditions, such as Alzheimer's disease, the evidence is not conclusive. Discover more about the truth about aluminum in food and what you can do to minimize your exposure to the metallic form.

Is Aluminum in Food Dangerous?

Aluminum is naturally present in some foods. However, it can also be added to food as an ingredient or as a result of food processing. While the body can handle small amounts of aluminum, excessive exposure can potentially lead to health problems. For example, some studies have linked high levels of aluminum in the body to neurological disorders, such as Alzheimer's disease.

Inconclusive

However, the evidence is inconclusive, and more research is needed to determine the long-term effects of aluminum exposure. In the meantime, it is recommended to minimize exposure to aluminum in food and other sources, such as by avoiding cooking acidic foods in aluminum cookware and choosing aluminum-free personal care products, such as our deodorants.

Plant-derived Aluminum is Safe

Aluminum, as found in the soil, is a metallic mineral. Metallic aluminum, like that which can be dissolved or leached from aluminum pans, is harmful. But aluminum in food is NOT toxic because it is pre-assimilated by plants and is naturally tied to hydrogen in the form of sulfate.

In food, Food aluminum is the triply ionized ion Al³⁺.

Naturally occurring aluminum sulfate minerals are alums. Aluminum sulfate increases stomach acidity, improves digestion and absorption of nutrients, stimulates gastric and pancreatic secretion, and has a mild diuretic effect. Not a lot of people know that.

Aluminum in Food is Abundant

Aluminum is one of the most abundant minerals on earth, second only to silica. It is in virtually everything we touch, most of the air we breathe, most water we drink, and most food we eat. The table below shows the levels of aluminum in some foods:

The root of all disease chapter 11 table 1

Can you see how safe plant-derived aluminum is? Potatoes have 100 mg; tomatoes have 90 mg. That’s relatively high. Beans have 165 mg. That’s quite impressive, and it shows how abundant the mineral is in farm soils. It is because aluminum is so plentiful that the mineral, unlike most other minerals, has not suffered depletion in farm soil due to erosion or poor farming practices. So, you’ll be glad to know there’s no need to supplement with aluminum. Who would want to do that anyway?

Aluminum in Food is NOT Dangerous

Nearly everyone, including recognized nutritional experts, must be made aware of plant-derived minerals. But unfortunately, most people simply and ignorantly group plant-derived minerals with metallic minerals from oyster shells, calcium carbonate, limestone, soil and clay, and sea salts, which is poor science.

As Dr. Garry Price-Todd said:

“Our bodies are similar to electric generators. There is electric conductivity between the cells, and this conductivity is vital to cellular functions. The conductivity can’t be transmitted if minerals are inadequate in the body fluids between and inside the cells. We live and die at the cellular level, so we need to be aware of what might be killing us. We must focus on wellness instead of treatment."

Aluminum in Food Scare Stories

Ignore the nonsense spouted about the dangers of aluminum in food. Food plant-derived aluminum is very safe and beneficial. But, unfortunately, it is the metallic aluminum, like that leached from aluminum kitchen equipment, that may be harmful.

Can Cooking With Aluminum Foil Increase Aluminum Metal in Foods?

Aluminum kitchen foil is frequently used for cooking food. But is there any danger of the metal leaching into food in contact with it? First of all, understand that pure aluminum metal is highly reactive. So, when exposed to air, it instantly combines with oxygen to form a thick layer of aluminum oxide, Al₂O₃. So, when you handle aluminum kitchen foil, you’re touching the oxide surface, not pure aluminum.

The oxide coat is stable

That oxide surface is chemically stable, and if there’s any leaching going on, it won’t be much of anything. There is currently no strong evidence linking the use of aluminum foil with an increased risk of disease. Cooking with aluminum foil can increase the amount of aluminum in your food by a minuscule amount, but the amounts are so small that aluminum foil is deemed safe by researchers.