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The rise of social media has led to a giant uptick in unique and sometimes dangerous trends that reach a wider population than ever before. Instagram, a social media platform often used for advertising, has recently popularized a drink called the Moscow Mule. The drink’s iconic mug is traditionally made of 100 percent copper, but recently some skeptics have been trying to warn people about the dangers of the widely popular trend. Controversy over health concerns have left many questioning if the popular drink is safe.
This newly re-invented drink was originally fashioned as Smirnoff Mule, one of the most popular drinks of the 1950s and early 1960s. Smirnoff’s owner, John Martin, and his friend Jack Morgan came up with the idea to market vodka, ginger beer and copper mugs in the now famous Moscow Mule blend. The drink was highly publicized in Hollywood and featured in ads with stars like Woody Allen, Monique Van Vooren and Killer Joe Piro. The trend was so widespread that antique 1940s original copper mule mugs can still be purchased online. For a time, the popular trend faded away, but it has recently been re-sparked through the power of Instagram.
Sensationalist posts about the dangers of copper all bring up solid facts but misrepresent the dangers of a traditional Moscow Mule as a whole.
Like all posts on the internet, the Instagram-perfect cocktail of vodka, ginger beer, lime and ice has been subject to auditing by swarms of internet users. Many were quick to point out the dangers of using copper mugs in combination with the Smirnoff Mule. As a result, the Alcoholic Beverages Division of Iowa decided to post an advisory bulletin to clear up the growing controversy.
The bulletin notes that copper mugs should not be used with drinks that have a pH lower than six and cited the Food and Drug Administration guidelines to give their argument more credibility. The bulletin explains that the Smirnoff Mule mixture has a pH well below the 6.0 threshold for copper mugs. They explain, “This means that copper mugs that have a copper interior may not be used with this beverage.”
Internet users were quick to point out that the US National Library of Medicine additionally warns that copper can leach into foods and drinks from cookware. The copper can cause discomfort in the form of diarrhea, nausea and vomiting. The National Institutes of Health point out that while copper poisoning is rare, it can cause serious health concerns from long-term exposure. The most severe cases can lead to liver failure and death.
Such sensationalist posts about the dangers of copper all bring up solid facts but misrepresent the dangers of a traditional Moscow Mule as a whole. In order for copper toxicity to become concerning, the mixture would need to sit stagnant in a copper mug for several hours. Trisha Andrew, an assistant professor of chemistry at UMass Amherst, explains that “based on the dissolution rates, it’s just nonsensical,” to fear copper poisoning from the popular drink. She concedes that the Smirnoff Mule mixture does fall below the 6.0 pH level, and it is corrosive to copper.
She elaborates that a concentration level of 30 milligrams of copper per liter can cause some mild nausea, but such levels can’t be reasonably reached and consumed in this manner. Andrews additionally points to the important function that small amounts of copper play in our biological functioning. Small amounts of the substance are actually required to survive, and many enzymes in our body contain copper. Copper is very toxic, but Andrews explains that you wouldn’t come close to that limit even drinking an entire liter of the mixture from pure copper.
The growing concern over copper poisoning from this new fad has some scientific basis but is, for the most part, reaching. If you have any doubts, then you can simply purchase a copper mug with inner lining made of nickel, stainless steel or tin. The lining in these cups will negate any copper poisoning concerns. The truth behind this controversy is that the mixture and mug are safe when consumed responsibly. So long as you are drinking your beverages in moderation and not leaving them stagnant for hours, you shouldn’t have any issues partaking in this lighthearted internet trend.
