In News or Noise, Jennifer Mobilia takes a look at questionable articles posted online and sorts out what’s real (news) and what’s not (noise).
This is the article that’s circulating just in time for Memorial Day:
It says things like “Simply put, if you cook with aluminum foil, you are playing with your health” and “It’s linked to Alzheimer’s disease.” Scary and no doubt something you’ll see at your Memorial Day picnic — but is the cook putting your risk? The article goes on to says “The higher the temperature, the more the leaching. Foil is not suitable for cooking.”
And “The takeaway: If you cook with aluminum, you’re risking your health.” At the bottom of this article, you’re encouraged to share this health warning with your friends and family on Facebook.But is any of this true? The Alzheimer’s Society of Canada and the international Alzheimer’s Association’s official stance is that aluminum is not a risk factor.
And according to a 2008 CDC toxicology report, a number of studies have found weak associations between living in areas with elevated aluminum levels in drinking water and an increased risk of Alzheimer’s disease; other studies have not found significant associations.
So while this controversial topic continues to be debated and studied – at this time — the claim is unproven.
