Armed with this information word soon spread that soya contained high levels of aluminium and posed a health threat. Widespread Use of Aluminium Aluminium is present all around us. Aluminium sulphates are added to water by many local authorities to clear water and give it a 'clean' appearance. The concentration of aluminium in the water may be higher where authorities add flouride salts. It is also high in areas prone to acid rain.
Tea leaves contain very high amounts.
In fact, whilst wheat contains 2,000 micrograms per kilo, dried tea leaves contain a staggering 1,000,000. According to research at the Dept of Renal Medicine at Southmead Hospital aluminium levels in 8 brands of fresh orange juice and 9 brands of reconsituted juice were more than 10 times that in Bristol tap water. Once swallowed, more of the aluminium in the juice is likely to enter the body, they say in a letter to The Lancet , because intestinal absorption of the metal is increased in the presence of citrates in the juice. By contrast, silicates and other compounds in tap water inhibit absorption. Safe levels of aluminium in food and water are not really known.