Environmental Toxins

Nutrients connected to Environmental Toxins

A link means the body needs the nutrient for this, or that low intake is linked to it. It does not mean extra supplements help if your intake is already adequate; each link shows how strong the evidence is.

• Bay boleteDocumented risk

  Bay bolete is among the strongest accumulators of radioactive caesium from forest soil; samples ranged from tens of Bq per kg fresh in Poland to millions of Bq per kg dry in the Chernobyl-affected Ukrainian reserve.

• Poison hemlockDocumented risk

  A naturally occurring plant poison (coniine); poisoning follows mistaking the plant for edible plants.

• Comfrey and Coltsfoot TeasDocumented risk

  PAs are natural liver toxins; PAs also turn up as contaminants in other herbal teas.

• ShilajitDocumented risk

  Laboratory studies found toxic metals in some shilajit samples, so the product itself can be a source of exposure.

• Blue-Green Algae (AFA)Documented risk

  Microcystin contamination has been found in blue-green algae supplements, including AFA from Klamath Lake.

• ManganeseDocumented risk

  Manganese can reach people through polluted water, soil and air as well as work settings; overexposure can harm the nervous system.

• Burdock rootDocumented risk

  A case of atropine-like poisoning followed a burdock tea thought to be contaminated with belladonna; the EU report says contamination and substitution must be excluded by quality control.

• PorciniDocumented risk

  Wild porcini can hold radiocaesium from old fallout, with very large differences between regions and fruiting-body ages.

• Calamus (sweet flag)Documented risk

  The plant's own asarone is genotoxic and causes liver cancer in rodents; this is a natural-product hazard rather than an environmental toxin.

• Hedgehog mushroomDocumented risk

  Collected from the wild, it can accumulate radioactive caesium-137 from soil, more than boletes in one Croatian study; levels vary a lot by site.

• Pine boleteDocumented risk

  Wild pine bolete from European forests held caesium-137 (about 810 to 1,195 Bq per kg dry in Polish caps, 1998 to 2000) and takes up mercury from soil.

• Birch boleteDocumented risk

  Wild birch bolete takes up radioactive caesium from forest soil, at low levels on the Polish coast but still elevated in parts of Ukraine and Eastern Europe according to a review.

• Smoked paprika (pimentón)Documented risk

  Smoke-drying leaves PAH residues in the powder. Levels vary widely between samples, and a Spanish survey judged intake from it to be a small share of total PAH intake.

• Horse mushroomDocumented risk

  As a wild mushroom it takes up metals from the soil; the origin of the mushroom matters.

• The princeDocumented risk

  As a soil-metal accumulator, a wild-collected prince reflects the contamination of its site.

• Death capDocumented risk

  A natural fungal toxin; included because it is a poison people meet outdoors, not a supplement effect.

• Deadly webcapDocumented risk

  A natural toxin from a wild mushroom; poisoning is almost always accidental.

• Iceland mossDocumented risk

  Lichens absorb pollutants and radioactive fallout from the air; the EU report documents lead and radionuclides in some samples.

• Amethyst deceiverDocumented risk

  Soil pollution is passed into the fruiting body: Danish samples rose from 23 and 77 to 1,420 micrograms of arsenic per gram dry weight at a contaminated site.

• Deadly parasolDocumented risk

  A natural toxin ingested by mistake from wild-picked mushrooms.

• Man on horsebackDocumented risk

  A wild mushroom linked in reports to poisoning; environmental-toxins is used meanwhile (see proposed terms).

• Green-spored parasolDocumented risk

  A natural fungal toxin people meet on lawns; included because it is a poison, not a supplement effect.

• Sulphur tuftDocumented risk

  A natural toxin in a wild mushroom; fasciculol E and F are the identified toxic principles.

• Amanita smithiana and Amanita proximaDocumented risk

  Eating a poisonous wild mushroom is a toxin exposure; no more specific root-cause term exists.

• Chinese arborvitae seed (bai zi ren)Documented risk

  Stored seed is often contaminated with mould toxins such as aflatoxins; many batches exceeded official limits in one survey.

• Poppy seedDocumented risk

  Seeds can carry traces of opium alkaloids picked up from the plant; EFSA says large eaters are likely to pass its reference dose on some days. This is a natural plant contaminant, not an industrial toxin.

• Scaly hedgehogDocumented risk

  It had the highest caesium-137 of 19 wild species in a Polish study; where it grew matters.

• Poison fire coralDocumented risk

  A natural fungal toxin; used as the closest available term.

• PeanutsDocumented risk

  Aflatoxins, mold poisons, can contaminate peanuts.

• Tangerine Peel (Chenpi) TeaDocumented risk

  Aged peel stored in damp conditions can carry mold and aflatoxins; choose tested peel and discard moldy peel.

• Brown RiceDocumented risk

  Arsenic from soil and water collects in rice bran; the FDA links early-life exposure to possible neurodevelopmental effects and higher lifetime cancer risk.

• Corn Masa & Corn TortillasDocumented risk

  Maize can carry aflatoxins and fumonisins when stored badly (WHO); nixtamalization lowered aflatoxin in a lab study.

• Hominy & GritsDocumented risk

  Maize can carry aflatoxins and fumonisins when stored badly (WHO).

• Water (Tap & Bottled)Documented risk

  WHO reports microbial and chemical contamination (arsenic, fluoride, lead) in some supplies.

• HijikiDocumented risk

  Seaweed takes up arsenic and cadmium from seawater; hijiki carries much more inorganic arsenic than other types.

• Diatomaceous EarthDocumented risk

  Crystalline silica dust exposure is the documented hazard.

• Fuller's EarthLab or animal research only

  Emergency skin decontamination after chemical agents in pigs; not a daily detox.

• Eating Clay (Geophagy)Documented risk

  Metals, microbes and radionuclides are reported in eaten clays.

• Borax (Sodium Borate)Documented risk

  Borates are household and industrial chemicals; keep out of children's reach and use labelled containers.

• Bee BreadDocumented risk

  Pesticide and other residues have been measured in bee bread, which varies by hive and place.

• Mad Honey (Grayanotoxin Honey)Documented risk

  A natural plant toxin carried into honey from rhododendron nectar.

• BhringrajDocumented risk

  NCCIH warns that some Ayurvedic products contain lead, mercury or arsenic; this is about product quality in general, not bhringraj specifically.

• ChanterelleDocumented risk

  Wild chanterelles can carry radiocaesium from fallout; levels depend on the forest.

• Culinary trufflesDocumented risk

  Wild truffles could in principle take up soil contaminants; ten Hungarian white truffles had no significant caesium-137, and no metal data for Tuber were found.

• Safed musliDocumented risk

  Sold herbal roots can be adulterated with look-alike species; the sources we read did not describe other contaminants for this herb.

• BlewitDocumented risk

  Wild or bed-grown blewit can take up radioactive caesium; results below the Japanese limit in one study.

• Saffron milk capDocumented risk

  Wild mushrooms take up radioactive caesium from soil; measured levels in this species differ widely between sites.

• Field mushroomDocumented risk

  Wild mushrooms reflect their soil; one study found metals in A. campestris caps and stipes at levels that depend on the site.

• Slippery jackDocumented risk

  Wild mushrooms in parts of Europe still hold radiocaesium from the Chernobyl fallout.

• Bakuchi (babchi)Documented risk

  A tested bakuchi product in one case contained lead and arsenic.

• Pavement mushroomDocumented risk

  A forager guide notes roadside mushrooms may carry pollution; the UK study measured cadmium, lead, copper and zinc in urban-grown specimens.

• White truffleDocumented risk

  Wild fungi can take up radioactive caesium from soil; ten Hungarian white truffles were not significantly contaminated, which is reassurance for that area only.

• Caesar's mushroomDocumented risk

  The mushroom takes up metals and arsenic from the soil where it grows; levels depend on the site.

• PaprikaDocumented risk

  Surveys have found mold toxins (ochratoxin A, aflatoxins) in paprika and spices made from other peppers; levels vary by batch.

• Curry powderDocumented risk

  The CDC report lists soil, water, grinding dust and deliberate adulteration as routes of lead into spices.

• Chili powderDocumented risk

  The CDC report lists polluted soil and water, grinding dust and deliberate adulteration as routes of lead into spices.

• Cajun and Creole seasoningDocumented risk

  A CDC report found lead in some retail spice samples, including an all-purpose spice mix; it does not test this blend.

• WatercressPreliminary or mixed

  A watercress drink raised urine markers of toxin breakdown in one 2025 trial; no health outcome was measured.

• Summer cepDocumented risk

  Wild summer cep from fallout-affected forests carried caesium-137 (up to about 6,600 Bq per kg dry in caps); levels depend on where it grew.

• Deadly ConocybeDocumented risk

  A natural toxin from a wild mushroom; closest available term, see proposed new terms.

• Sweet CornDocumented risk

  Mycotoxins can contaminate corn crops; the FDA monitors aflatoxin and fumonisin.

• Lotus SeedsDocumented risk

  Mold toxins (aflatoxins) were found in 63.4% of 41 natural lotus seed samples.

• Chrysanthemum TeaDocumented risk

  Pesticide residues were found in market chrysanthemum products and part moves into the cup; the authors judged the risk from consumption acceptable.

• Burdock Root TeaDocumented risk

  Contamination with belladonna-type alkaloids has been reported in burdock tea (EU assessment report; MSK).

• Lima BeansDocumented risk

  A natural cyanide-releasing compound in raw lima beans; cooking lowers it. This is a natural food toxin, not a pollutant.

• Palm OilDocumented risk

  Refined oils can contain 3-MCPD and glycidyl esters, which EFSA assessed.

• Apple JuiceDocumented risk

  Patulin from moldy apples is the main mold toxin WHO links to apple juice; arsenic and lead are contaminants FDA watches.

• Bentonite ClayLab or animal research only

  Seller claim based on lab binding; no human evidence read.

• Attapulgite (Palygorskite)Documented risk

  Fiber dust exposure at mining and milling sites was studied by IARC.

• Honeydew HoneyDocumented risk

  Reviews list trace metals, pesticide residues and plant toxins as concerns in honey in general; Bulgarian honeydew honeys had lead far below the EU limit.

• Bee PollenDocumented risk

  Surveys found mold toxins and pesticide residues in bee pollen samples; levels vary by producer.

• HoneycombDocumented risk

  Pesticide and mite-treatment residues collect in beeswax and were found in comb honey; no study measured illness in people.

• Marine Collagen (Fish)Documented risk

  Marine raw materials can carry environmental contaminants; one survey found low levels that varied by product.

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