10. Water
How is it possible that water is bad? It seems that almost no beverage is spared from arsenic contamination! Water is probably one of the main reasons why there is arsenic in all the foods mentioned above, because it is used in beer and beverage production, watering plants, and in the production of animal feed. However, don’t panic. Water can only have large amounts of arsenic if it is not treated properly. The water that comes out of our faucets and sold in bottles are constantly monitored by the FDA for arsenic, and if it goes ever so slightly beyond the limit of 10ppb, measures are taken immediately. To avoid accidentally ingesting arsenic from water, do not drink water straight from wells or other direct sources. Likewise, do not water your vegetables with the same water, and keep it away from anything that will become a product that you will eat or drink.
Final Words
In the end, as long as you don’t consume more than the recommended level of arsenic, you’re most likely safe. However, with most of these foods, it’s easy to lose track of how many servings you’ve had (beer, wine, apple juice), and it might lead to unpleasantly unexpected instances of arsenic poisoning and a trip to the ER. Make sure to follow recommended serving sizes to ensure you don’t go beyond the human arsenic tolerance levels—eat moderately, drink moderately, and don’t eat too many Brussels sprouts.