Heavy metals in your food, how unhealthy are they really?

1. Especially when eating fish, there are many warnings about the danger of heavy metals. The term is also sometimes used with other foods, and around tobacco and make-up, for example. Almost everyone knows that it is better not to ingest these substances.

1. But why not? What exactly are heavy metals, and what is the danger of an excessive dose? We'll explain in today's blog what the problem is - and of course how to avoid it.

2. But why not? What exactly are heavy metals, and what is the danger of an excessive dose? We'll explain what the problem is in today's blog - and of course how to avoid it.

What are heavy metals?

1. Heavy metals are substances such as arsenic, cadmium, mercury, lead and tin. By nature they are rare in the environment, but due to pollution they still end up in the soil. This mainly happens around places where metal is extracted and processed, or where coal and waste are burned.

1. Once heavy metals are in the soil, they easily adhere to clay. They are then flushed with that clay towards rivers and seas. Because these substances take a long time to break down, unfortunately they can wander in nature for centuries.

Heavy metals in food

1. Because heavy metals spread like this, they eventually end up in your food. For example, certain fish species contain relatively more of these substances, because they absorb them from the water. This mainly concerns crustaceans and shellfish and predatory fish such as pike and tuna. Liver and kidney meat from animals also contains more heavy metals: these are processed in these organs.

1. Heavy metals can also be found in vegetable products. These are then absorbed directly from the soil. This mainly concerns vegetables that grow underground, such as cabbage, carrots and root vegetables. Potatoes and certain grains also absorb a relatively large amount of heavy metals from the soil.

Are heavy metals dangerous?

1. Very small amounts of heavy metals can be filtered and removed by your body. However, this takes a bit more time than other unnecessary nutrients. If you get too much of it, the result is that the amount of heavy metals around your liver builds up. Depending on the substance in question, this can have dire consequences.

1. The main danger is that the heavy metals bind to cells that are supposed to transport lime and iron. This can lead to iron deficiency and bone loss. If you eat too much arsenic and cadmium for a long time, the risk of lung and skin cancer also increases. Finally, your liver, brain and nerves can be damaged.

Avoid heavy metals

1. All of that sounds pretty alarming. Fortunately, there is also good news: there are less and less heavy metals in your food. This is because environmental requirements for industrial processes are becoming increasingly strict. So less and less waste leaks into the soil. There are also strict requirements for food safety, which means that the chance in the Netherlands that you ingest an overdose of heavy metals is very small.

1. That does not mean that everything is gone immediately. However, you can do a lot to prevent (too many) heavy metals from entering your body! Below we list some practical points to note.

2. That does not mean that everything is gone immediately. However, you can do a lot to prevent (too many) heavy metals from entering your body! We list some practical points to note below.

1. For many people the main source of heavy metals is not food, but tobacco. Cigarettes contain a lot of junk that ends up directly in your body. Also make sure you don't get into the cigarette smoke of others too often, because you might as well inhale heavy metals with that.

2. For many people, the main source of heavy metals is not food, but tobacco. Cigarettes contain a lot of junk that directly ends up in your body. Also, make sure you don't get into the cigarette smoke of others too often, because you might as well inhale heavy metals with that.

1. Do you regularly use make-up? Buy as many â € naturalâ € ™ and environmentally friendly brands as possible. Sometimes there are still some traces of chemicals in it, but considerably less than in regular make-up. The same applies to deodorants: choose a product with as few additives as possible.

2. Do you regularly use make-up? Then buy as many â € naturalâ € ™ and environmentally friendly brands as possible. Sometimes there are still some traces of chemicals in it, but considerably less than in regular make-up. The same applies to deodorants: choose a product with as few additives as possible.

1. Varied eating is sensible because that way you get â € of everythingâ € ™ and thus do not run into shortages. However, the reverse also applies: it prevents you from accidentally ingesting too much of certain substances. By varying a lot, you also prevent an overdose of heavy metals.

2. Varied food is sensible because that way you get â € of everythingâ € ™ and therefore do not run into shortages. However, the reverse also applies: it prevents you from accidentally ingesting too much of certain substances. By varying a lot, you also prevent an overdose of heavy metals.

1. Many non-stick coatings contain unhealthy substances. That shouldn't be a problem if they don't get damaged. But do you scrape it with metal utensils, or do you use soapy water and scouring pads for washing dishes? Then the same substances can end up in your food during the next cooking session.

1. When you are pregnant, you are extra vulnerable to heavy metals. In those cases it is not recommended to eat predatory fish. They can contain a lot of mercury. This category includes, for example, shark, mackerel, eel, pike, tuna and swordfish, both fresh and canned.

Detoxify heavy metals

1. Many health websites recommend that you detox or detox against heavy metals. However, that makes little sense. Heavy metals are processed - albeit slowly - by your liver, and no diet makes your liver suddenly work faster. Sweating in the sauna, for example, does not affect the excretion of heavy metals.

1. Sometimes detox products make things even worse. Many clay-based cures, for example, contain lead - which your liver then has to process again. So never start with crazy supplements, because if it doesn't work, it can actually harm.

1. The best thing you can do to help your body is to just get as little heavy metals as possible! In this way you minimize the work that your liver has to perform and prevent excessive accumulations of toxic substances. Fortunately, you can quickly achieve that by eating healthy and varied food.