Drink Your Apple Juice Without Fear

COMMENTARY | While I have great respect for Dr. Oz, I do not agree with his findings on unhealthy levels of arsenic in apple juice. In fact, it is especially misleading as organic arsenic is something that is found naturally in our water, our food, our soil, and even in the air we breathe. It's the inorganic arsenic that is toxic.

The claim by Dr. Oz only incites fear in the public; the only positive out of this is that the customer service representatives who work for companies that sell or make apple juice will have extra job security with all of the extra telephone calls and emails they'll have to field from scared consumers.

It is unfortunate, but people will believe almost anything they hear or read, whether it be on television or over the Internet, without any facts to base it on. Then they panic.

While I don't necessarily trust our Food and Drug Administration, if we believed every food scare that came out in the media, we might not have anything left to eat. I hope the hysterical mothers who are now afraid to give their children apple juice will also hear that Dr. Oz will continue to give his children the beverage, reports Long Island Press.

What happens much of the time is that people only hear the headline in the issue. "Arsenic in apple juice!" Then their mind begins to close to all of the rest. Before crossing apple juice off your list of safe things to ingest, do your own research.

There have been many food scares over the years that have been started by information that is only partially fact. Canola oil is another one of them.

The canola oil scare began with an email over the Internet that spread like wildfire. Someone did some digging and put together a few facts mixed with misinformation, and suddenly rumors were flying about its dangers. One of the many comments I heard was, "But it comes from the rapeseed!" Anything that comes from the word rape must be bad.

Fluoridated water is yet another rumor that was started when people leaped to the conclusion our drinking water leads to cancer. Grapes that are grown in soil naturally containing arsenic caused panicking consumers to question their wine consumption. Really, if you're drinking that much wine, I think you've got problems far worse than ingesting so-called poisoned grapes.

The lesson here is to, of course, be cautious, but don't believe everything you hear. Think for yourself. Don't panic over every food scare you hear. You'll be a much happier person, and your emotional health will thank you for it.