Simply Orange Juice Is Coming Under Fire For Its 'All-Natural' Claims
Despite many juice brands claiming to be "all-natural" and "organic," all those nice green-flag buzzwords aren't exactly the reality for most of these products. Consider back in 2013, when Naked Juice got in some legal trouble for downplaying the presence of synthetic vitamins and genetically-modified ingredients in its products, or more recently when customers sued Trader Joe's over cold-pressed juice they were led to believe contained no preservatives. All in all, not a good look for either company.
Sadly, Simply Orange Juice has now joined these other disgraced juice brands, with many nutrition and environment experts being up in arms regarding its so-called "all-natural" ingredients. As you would expect, the juice allegedly has something in it that's definitely not naturally occurring. If you guessed chemicals, you'd be correct, and that already has the potential to be harmful. However, the situation could be a whole lot worse than we initially thought. So, just how bad is this not-so-simple juice? Well, let's get into it.
This juice contains some really scary chemicals
A recent series of third-party testing found Simply juices to contain dangerous chemicals. According to The Guardian, these chemicals, also known as "forever chemicals" or PFAS, are highly toxic. Worse, they were found in the juices in amounts "hundreds of times" more concentrated than considered safe for human consumption. Per the CDC, consumption of PFAS increases one's risk of birth defects, high blood pressure, several kinds of cancer, immune deficiencies, and liver damage.
While the health considerations are already bad enough, more attention is being given to the misleading labels on Simply juices. As noted by the Daily Mail, many lawsuits are targeting Simply's parent company Coca-Cola, who you would expect to "know the importance of marketing and labeling." Either way, PFAS are inarguably not "all-natural," nor are they "made simply," as the juice's labeling would have customers believe. However, these chemicals may not be in all Simply juices — both The Guardian and Unicourt's lawsuit summary state that the complaint applies to Simply Tropical, a specific blend the company makes containing pineapple and mango.
Scientists have discovered a way to break down "forever chemicals" in recent years, but the dangers are still very real. Until we have more efficient testing and detection at lower levels, as well as updated FDA guidelines, we have to be leery of PFAS contamination.