Lead is one of the most toxic metals known to humans, yet it continues to lurk in everyday products. Even small amounts can cause serious health issues, including kidney damage, increased risk of heart disease, reduced fertility, and lower IQ levels—especially in children. Despite this, lead contamination is a bigger problem than you think, and lead just keeps showing up in unexpected places.
From food to cosmetics, here are five common products that could be exposing you to lead toxicity.
Lead in Cookies
Cookies are a beloved treat worldwide, but some contain more than just sugar and flour. Studies have found high levels of lead in sandwich cookies and teething biscuits—foods often given to children.
The Environmental Defense Fund (EDF), a US-based non-profit conducted a study backed by 11-year data from the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA). Their analysis reveals the presence of lead in 64% of the arrowroot cookies collected by the FDA.
What’s more concerning is that some of the biscuits (such as teething biscuits) with high lead concentration are often used as baby food in many US households. Experts warn that even tiny amounts of lead in a child’s blood can trigger behavioral problems and lower their IQ, therefore it is safer to feed babies cookies, juices, and foods prepared at home.
Lead in spices
Your spices may have an extra kick we don’t really want.
In March 2024, the FDA issued an alert stating that packaged ground cinnamon from several companies contains high levels of lead (i.e. more than two parts per million). The FDA notice explicitly mentioned the brands and advised consumers to immediately stop using their ground cinnamon products.
However, cinnamon is not the only spice in question here. A report from the Texas Department of State Health Services suggests the presence of lead in turmeric, chili powder, coriander, and saffron. The report doesn’t disclose whether lead was higher than acceptable limits though.
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Another study that involved testing 1,496 samples of 50 spices from over 40 countries, reported the presence of lead (over two ppm) in over 30 percent of the samples. This suggests that lead toxicity in spices is a global health problem.
Lead in protein powder
Millions of people worldwide enjoy a good post-workout shake, but there might be more to it than just protein.
The global protein supplement market is expected to double in size over the next 10 years—and for good reason. People are becoming more health-conscious, and the number of gym-goers continues to rise. For instance, gym visits in the U.S. have doubled since the pandemic.
For most of these health-conscious people, protein powders are the go-to choice to increase and maintain their muscles. However, what they don’t know is that 70 of the 160 best-selling protein supplements in the US come loaded with lead and cadmium.
These protein powders may help you build muscles but in return, they could end up damaging your brain, heart, gut, kidneys, and reproductive system. What’s even more surprising is that organic and chocolate-flavored protein supplements have the highest lead concentration, according to a whitepaper released by a nonprofit organization Clean Label Project.
“On average, organic protein powders had three times more lead and twice the amount of cadmium compared to non-organic products. Whereas chocolate-flavored protein powders contained four times more lead and up to 110 times more cadmium than vanilla-flavored powders,” Jaclyn Bowen, a food safety expert, and the executive director of Clean Label Project, told CNN.
It’s obvious if you want to build muscle, protein is essential. However, you can choose a supplement made from pea or whey and is in vanilla flavor as experts suggest such protein powders are least likely to have high amounts of lead
Lead in chocolate and other cocoa products
Recently, a study detected lead in both regular and organic dark chocolate, one of the best-selling food items in the US and many Western countries. The study authors tested 72 cocoa-containing products sold across the US and 43 percent of the samples surpassed the maximum permitted level of lead.
Moreover, since chocolate is not just limited to chocolate bars and candies but is also used to make brownies, pastries, cakes, ice cream, and numerous other sweets, lead contamination in cocoa products is a big concern.
For instance, in October 2023, a nonprofit consumer advocacy organization tested 43 popular chocolate products and found lead in all of them. In fact, 16 of those products had lead concentrations way beyond the allowed limits.
Lead in lipstick
Lipstick is one of the highest-selling makeup products in the world. Some reports suggest that over two billion lipsticks are sold each year globally. However, not every lipstick is worth putting on your lips, especially the ones that contain lead.
There have been not one but many instances when lead has been reported in lipsticks from different brands. For instance, in 2012, the FDA tested over 400 shades from the top 20 lipstick brands in the US, and none of them was found lead-free.
Although their lead content ranged between seven to one part per million, which is lower than the 20 ppm limit, there’s no guarantee regular exposure to such lipsticks won’t pose long-term health risks to users. Past studies have also shown that prolonged lead exposure can cause hypertension, infertility, miscarriages, mood disorders, and various other health problems in females.
“The CDC acknowledged in 2012 that no level of lead is really safe. Lead tends to accumulate in the body,” Sean Balfrey, a paediatrician and ex-director of lead poisoning prevention program at Boston University Medical Center, told the New York Times.
Lead exposure isn’t just a problem of the past—it’s still hiding in everyday products, from food to beauty items. While regulatory agencies are working to curb contamination, consumers must stay informed and make safer choices. Checking product labels, buying from reputable brands, and opting for homemade alternatives can help reduce exposure to this harmful heavy metal.
