Nutrition Diet: What foods are high in aluminum?

October 1, 2025 •

3 min read

While the earth's crust is rich in aluminum, making it naturally present at low levels in many foods, scientific studies reveal that some products contain significantly higher concentrations, mainly due to food additives and processing methods. This exploration into what foods are high in aluminum will equip you with the knowledge to make more informed dietary choices.

Quick Summary

Processed items like baked goods, confectionery, and certain seafood contain higher aluminum concentrations due to additives. Some vegetables, herbs, and teas also have naturally elevated levels, while cooking with aluminum foil can increase migration, especially with acidic or salty foods.

Key Points

Processed baked goods: Muffins, cakes, and other bakery items often contain high levels of aluminum from leavening agents.
Seafood and powders: Ready-to-eat jellyfish and some powdered mixes for baking or drinks have been shown to contain very high aluminum concentrations.
Natural accumulation: Tea leaves, cocoa, and some vegetables like leafy greens naturally accumulate aluminum from the soil.
Additives and colorings: Aluminum-containing food additives and colorings (lakes) are major sources in processed cheese, candies, and snack foods.
Cookware migration: Cooking or storing acidic or salty foods in uncoated aluminum pots or foil can increase the aluminum content of the food.
Kidney function is key: For most healthy individuals, the body effectively excretes excess dietary aluminum, but this is a concern for those with impaired kidney function.
Reduce intake: Mitigating exposure involves reducing processed food consumption and using alternative cookware and cooking methods for acidic/salty dishes.

Sources of Aluminum in Food

Aluminum in our diet comes from both natural and man-made sources. A significant portion of our exposure is from processed foods that contain aluminum-based food additives. These additives serve various purposes, such as acting as raising agents in baked goods, firming agents, and anticaking agents in powdered products. Additionally, some plants, like tea, naturally accumulate aluminum from the soil. The use of aluminum cookware and packaging can also contribute to dietary intake through migration, particularly when used with acidic or salty foods.

Processed Foods with High Aluminum Content

Processed foods are a major contributor to dietary aluminum intake, primarily due to aluminum-containing food additives. High levels are often found in bakery and cereal products that use aluminum-based raising agents, such as steamed buns, cakes, pancakes, and muffins. Some bakery pre-mixes have shown exceptionally high concentrations. Confectionery like candies, chewing gums, and chocolate products can also contain elevated aluminum, sometimes from food colorings. Powdered mixes for baking or beverages and certain seafood like ready-to-eat jellyfish are also notable sources. Additionally, some processed cheeses may contain sodium aluminum phosphate as an emulsifying agent.

Natural Sources of Aluminum

Beyond processed foods, some natural items contain higher aluminum levels. Tea leaves naturally accumulate significant amounts from the soil. Certain vegetables, especially leafy and root varieties, and cereals like wheat can also have higher natural aluminum concentrations compared to fruits. Cocoa powder also naturally contains notable amounts of aluminum.

The Impact of Cooking and Packaging

The way food is prepared and stored can also increase aluminum exposure. Cooking or storing acidic or salty foods, such as tomato sauces or marinades, in uncoated aluminum cookware or with aluminum foil can lead to the migration of aluminum into the food. A study highlighted significant aluminum leakage from foil into marinated foods during baking. While most modern food packaging is coated, storing food in uncoated aluminum containers can also result in some leaching.

How to Mitigate Dietary Aluminum Intake

For most healthy individuals, the body effectively processes and excretes dietary aluminum. However, those concerned about high intake, particularly individuals with compromised kidney function, can take steps to reduce exposure. These include reducing the consumption of highly processed baked goods and snacks with aluminum additives or colorings. Using non-aluminum cookware, especially for acidic or salty dishes, and employing baking paper with aluminum foil can also help. Limiting excessive intake of naturally high-aluminum foods like tea and cocoa may also be considered. Focusing on a diet rich in fresh, whole foods generally leads to lower aluminum exposure. Regulatory bodies provide guidance and set tolerable intake levels for aluminum-containing additives.

Comparison of Aluminum Content in Different Food Categories


Food Category	Typical Aluminum Level (mg/kg or mg/L)	Primary Source	Notes
Powder mixes for bakery/fried food	Up to 16,000	Food additives (raising agents)	Extremely high levels can occur; check ingredient lists.
Ready-to-eat Jellyfish	Mean: 1,200	Food additives (firming agent)	High concentrations due to processing additives.
Cocoa Powder	Mean: 165	Naturally occurring	Levels are influenced by the soil.
Tea and Herbs	Mean: >10 (higher for herbal)	Naturally occurring	High natural uptake from the ground.
Baked goods (e.g., muffins, cakes)	Highly variable, up to 737	Food additives (raising agents)	Levels depend on the use of aluminum-based additives.
Vegetables (leafy)	Mean: up to 9.37	Naturally occurring	Varies by soil content.
Cereals (grains)	Mean: 6.3 (wheat highest)	Naturally occurring	Varies by grain type and soil.
Unprocessed foods (most)	<5	Naturally occurring	Generally low background levels.
Water	Minor source, generally <0.1 mg/L	Natural, water treatment	Levels can increase during water treatment.

Conclusion

Aluminum is naturally present in the environment and our food, with both natural sources and the use of food additives contributing to dietary intake. Processed foods, particularly baked goods, certain seafood, and items containing aluminum-based additives or colorings, are often higher in aluminum. Natural sources like tea, cocoa, and some vegetables also contribute. Cooking and storing acidic or salty foods in uncoated aluminum can increase exposure. While healthy kidneys efficiently excrete aluminum, those concerned or with kidney issues can reduce intake by limiting processed foods, choosing alternative cookware, and being mindful of naturally high sources. A varied diet of fresh, whole foods is generally associated with lower aluminum exposure. Further guidance is available from health authorities.

Frequently Asked Questions

Yes, cooking or storing acidic (e.g., tomatoes, citrus) and salty foods in uncoated aluminum pans or foil can cause aluminum to leach into the food. This migration increases with heat and duration of contact, but is negligible for most foods.

For most individuals with healthy kidney function, dietary aluminum is not a concern, as the body efficiently excretes the small amounts absorbed. However, those with kidney disease and infants may be more vulnerable to aluminum accumulation from high-intake scenarios.

The primary source of aluminum in processed foods is the use of aluminum-containing food additives, which function as raising agents, anticaking agents, and food colorings.

Yes, regulatory bodies like Health Canada and the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) regulate aluminum-containing additives and set tolerable weekly intake levels. However, some population groups with specific eating habits may exceed these levels.

Studies have shown that bakery products like steamed cakes, muffins, and pancakes often contain the highest levels of aluminum due to leavening agents.

No, it's impossible to completely eliminate aluminum exposure, as it occurs naturally in soil, water, and many plants. Avoiding uncoated aluminum cookware for acidic/salty foods and reducing intake of processed items can significantly lower exposure, but not remove it entirely.

Non-aluminum baking powders typically use ingredients like cream of tartar (potassium bitartrate), sodium bicarbonate (baking soda), and cornstarch to achieve the same leavening effect.