Aluminum: Poison in Your Food

One of my main interests is toxic metals in our environment and how they produce a slow degeneration of our nervous system. One of those metals is aluminum, the third most common element on earth.

We've known since 1911 that aluminum is toxic to the brain, but until recently, scientists assumed that aluminum was poorly absorbed in the GI tract and wasn't a significant problem. It became an issue after it began to be added to antacids in large amounts.

Research shows that certain food components, such as citrate and malate (organic acids), can increase the absorption of aluminum as much as six times the normal rate. This means that all citrus fruits, such as lemons, grapefruit, and oranges, dramatically increase the absorption of aluminum from the GI tract and increase its entry into the brain.

This is why I tell people not to put lemon in their tea — black tea (the type most people drink) has very high levels of aluminum, and the citrate from the lemon significantly increases absorption in the GI tract. (Green and white tea can improve your health in many ways. To learn more, read my report "Miracle Tea.")

Aluminum absorption is much higher in people with Alzheimer’s disease. It has been shown that adding aluminum to drinking water led to accumulations of the aluminum in the very same areas of the brain affected in Alzheimer’s disease.

Many studies found a significantly higher incidence of Alzheimer's dementia in areas where aluminum is added to public water systems. To learn more about what's in the water you're drinking, read my special report “Is Your Drinking Water Fit to Drink?"


Aluminum exposure is widespread. Until recently, the main food source containing aluminum was baking powder used in biscuits, pancakes, and most baked goods.

Some natural products, such as black tea, have very high aluminum levels. (Green tea has far less, and white tea has very little.) Sea salt also contains aluminum.

The No. 1 food source for aluminum is soy products. Soybeans naturally have very high aluminum levels, and Americans consume massive amounts. Soy is even found in the most commonly used baby formula.

A great number of processed foods, medications, and drinks are loaded with aluminum. And because aluminum is added to drinking water, our plant foods are accumulating (bioaccumulating) the aluminum, so that over time the levels will continue to rise, just as we have seen with fluoride. (Check out my report "Why Fluoride is Toxic"for details.)

It is important to check all labels on foods and medications. If you see aluminum, don’t buy it. Next week I will discuss natural ways to combat aluminum's toxicity.