Recently, I came across a very shocking article stating that an Indian family found out that their little one’s lead levels were five times the amount that federal agencies consider safe..and one of the reasons suspected was high amounts of lead in the impure turmeric that she consumed. Turmeric is considered to have multiple benefits and is used in almost all Indian dishes since forever .. it also has medicinal uses and has recently gained a lot of attention as a superfood in the US. Talk about “Golden milk”! It’s been touted for its anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties and hailed as a natural defense against cancer and Alzheimer’s disease. However, its popularity and demand have caused a lot of cases of contamination of the spice.

It is extremely important to buy pure turmeric since exposure to even low levels of lead can cause damage over time, especially in children. I did my research and switched to members mark Organic ground turmeric which I found at Sams club. Although the packaging doesn’t mention the country of origin on it, I called and checked that it is Made in the USA and, it is USDA certified – which means that the item must be 95% or more organic i.e. free of synthetic additives like pesticides, chemical fertilizers, and dyes. It is also certified organic by the IOWA Dept of Agriculture.

It is extremely sad and disgusting at the same time how money minded people have become that getting pure food has become so difficult. A few years ago, the US authorities estimated that the fraudulent food market was worth up to 15 billion dollars annually. It is therefore extremely important that we stay informed, read the labels and chose the right products. Otherwise, we might end up harming ourselves and our children without even realizing