How Heavy Metals Harm Health

Heavy Metals Get Their Name from Their High Atomic Weights or Their Grouping on the Periodic Table Chart That Hung in Your High School Science Class. Heavy Metals Can Be the Byproducts of Industries Like Mining, Manufacturing and Farming. Those Metals Often End up Getting Polluted Back into Our Air, Water, Soil and Wildlife. for Example, People Who Eat a Lot of Tuna Fish Run the Risk of Having Mercury in Their System.

Why You Should Still Fill up on Spices

But the Benefits of Consuming These Spices and Herbs Are Too Important to Overall Health to Discontinue Their Use, Says Melina Jampolis, Md, a Board-Certified Physician Nutrition Specialist and Chief Medical Officer at Ahara, a Personalized Nutrition App. “I Do Not Recommend That You Cut Back on Herbs and Spices, ” She Says. “In Fact, I Want You to Increase Your Use, Because We Know They Have Head-to-Toe Benefits — from Decreasing Risk of Heart Disease, Alzheimer’s, Diabetes and Cancer and Helping Improve Gut Health, to Name a Few.

How Heavy Metals Get into Herbs and Spices

Most Soil Contains Trace Amounts of Heavy Metals; Some Are Naturally Occurring, While Others Come from Fertilizers, Pesticides, Industry and Environmental Pollution. These Toxins Are Absorbed by Plants as They Grow. Says Dr. Jampolis, Author of Spice Up, Slim Down: a Guide to Using Herbs and Spices to Live a Longer, Healthier and More Vibrant Life: “The Nature of Environmental Contamination Makes It Almost Impossible to Completely Avoid Any Toxins, Even in Foods That Are Organic. ”

Other Ways to Reduce Toxin Exposure from Herbs and Spices

“Eating Spices and Herbs Is So Beneficial for Your Health, ” Says Dr. Jampolis. “Most of My Patients Don’t Eat Enough, and It’s Such a Low-Hanging Fruit That’s So Easy to Take Advantage Of. Just Add Spices and Herbs and You Immediately Improve the Health Value of Any Dish Exponentially — and More Than Likely Will Decrease Your Risk of Many of the Diseases of Aging. ” (Click Through to Discover the Heavy Metal Detox Smoothie That’s Changing Lives!)

Spice Brands Without Heavy Metals Could Help End Brain Fog

Q: Spice Brands Without Heavy Metals

In the Consumer Reports Test of the 126 Spices for Heavy Metals, All of the Products Tested Made by Mccormick, Spice Islands, Simply Organic, Great Value (Walmart’s Store Brand) and Morton & Bassett Had the Lowest Levels of Heavy Metals, Falling into the Study’s “No Concern” or “Some Concern” Categories. “It’s Not Necessary to Spend a Fortune on Fancy Spices, ” Says Dr. Jampolis. When It Comes to Basil, Oregano, Thyme and Turmeric, It’s a Smart Idea to Go with One of Those Five Brands.

By Maya Lin-Takahashi

• Oct 8, 2026 • 7 min read

Spice Brands Without Heavy Metals Could Help End Brain Fog

Direct Answer • Key Takeaway

Dried Herbs and Spices Are Incredible Additions to Your Food, Both in Terms of Taste and Health Benefits. So When a Consumer Organization Tested Dried Herbs and Spices from 38 Brands and Revealed That Some of Them Contained “Worrisome” Quantities of Heavy Metals Like Arsenic, Lead and Cadmium, It Had Us Wondering If We Should Skip Spices All Together — or If There Are Any Spice Brands Without Heavy Metals.

Maya Lin-Takahashi

Consumer Tech & Gadget Reviewer

Maya is a hardware enthusiast who tests and reviews smart home devices, smartphones, wearables, and audio gear. She focuses on practical consumer value and build quality.

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