Bruce Abrahamse

Bruce Abrahamse

February 4, 2025

Girl Scout Cookies found to contain toxic metals and glyphosate: Study

Girl Scout cookies originated over 100 years ago when the scouts and their leaders were looking for unique ways to fund their various programs. It all started in 1917, when Girl Scouts based in Muskogee, Oklahoma, made and sold homemade cookies to raise funds for their troop activities. Since then, this simple yet effective idea has grown to become something of an American tradition. However, testing of these cookies was recently commissioned by various consumer groups, such as Mom Across America and GMOScience. The test for the presence of glyphosate and toxic metals produced some surprising results. 

Concerning Results of the Girl Scout Cookies Study

cookies in a pile
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The results of the study revealed that 100% of the samples proved positive for the presence of glyphosate and toxic metals. Additionally, 88% of the samples tested positive for all five toxic metals. Cadmium levels exceeded EPA limits in 76% of the samples. Lead was also found in 96% of the cookies sampled. This is very concerning since high levels of glyphosate alone can lead to various health issues, such as endocrine disruption, cancer, miscarriages, gut issues, autism, and sperm damage. It is typically used as a drying agent before crops such as oats, wheat, barley, and legumes are harvested. It also serves as a weed killer for various GMO crops, such as canola, soy, corn, and beet sugar. Unfortunately, many of these foods are common Girl Scout cookie ingredients. 

More Result Details

a tray of cookies
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Glysophate levels were measured as 13.57 ppb in the Girl Scout Peanut Butter Patties and 111.07 in the Girls Scouts Thin Mints. This means that on average, they contained 334 times higher levels of glyphosate than those considered harmful by doctors such as Dr. Don Huber. Furthermore, 100% of the cookies proved positive for at least 4 out of 5 toxic metals, such as aluminum, cadmium, arsenic, mercury, and lead. It is unclear what the source of the aluminum in the Girl Scouts cookies is. The most highly-sprayed crop containing the most toxic metals was non-organic peanuts. The highest levels of glyphosate were found in the Thin Mints. There is no safe amount of lead recommended in foods, yet 96% of the cookies were found to contain lead. 

How Prevalent Is This Issue?

cookies on a plate
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Not all of the cookies are baked in the same kitchens. In fact, Girl Scout cookies can actually vary by design, taste, and name from one place to another. The cookies are generally made by two main companies – Little Brown Bakers and ABC Bakers. If you go to the Girl Scouts of the USA website, you can even type in your zip code and find out the exact place of origin of your cookies. Cookies made by different bakers can vary in ingredients and appearance despite sharing the same name. These differences also account for the variance in sugar, protein, and fat content from one region to another. 

Not All Girl Scouts Cookies Are Created Equal

milk and cookies
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Let’s take a look at the Girl Scout cookies called “S’mores” as an example. The S’mores made by ABC bakers are covered in chocolate and contain marshmallows and a graham cracker. Little Brownie Bakers’ version of the same cookie is a sandwich-style cookie with fudge and frosting. The Little Brownie Bakers variant had less calories, fat, and sugar content than the ABC Bakers’ version. Because of these differences in cookie production from one region to another, the study included cookies from different parts of the United States, including California, Louisiana, and Iowa. 

The Bottom Line on Girl Scout Cookies

cookies on a plate
Credit: Pexels

According to the authors of the study, their mission was to “make the invisible visible, bringing attention to these hidden dangers”. By doing so, it provides the Girl Scouts with an opportunity to make the necessary changes to ensure the highest quality product. The coalition members say that they are working together to “expose the toxicants in beloved Girl Scout cookies to raise nationwide awareness of the unintentional and detrimental impact of toxic agrochemical mono-crop farming”. The real issue is not only these cookies, but that these toxicants are able to enter the food supply in the first place. The presence of toxic metals and glyphosate is indicative that these issues arise at the growing and harvesting phases of production. 

Read More: Important Facts You Need to Know About Gluten (and Celiac Disease)