Who doesn’t love chocolate? The problem is that while we indulge in the sweet bliss of chocolatey goodness, we're also consuming unwanted contents that are hidden in our beloved treats. Recently, heavy metals in chocolate have been receiving more attention and for a compelling reason, they can be harmful to our health. The truth is that heavy metals are found in many foods we eat regularly, but this post is going to focus on chocolate, with specific emphasis on dark chocolate as it typically contains more heavy metals than milk chocolate.
The reason heavy metals, specifically lead and cadmium, are commonly present in chocolate is linked to two factors. It has been found that cadmium is taken up from the soil by the cacao plants, which causes this metal to accumulate in the cacao bean (used to make chocolate) as it grows. [1] On the other hand, lead is typically influenced by where and how the cacao beans are managed during the harvesting and manufacturing of them. [2] It’s important to be cautious of our intake of heavy metals as they can pose many health risks.
The bitter truth about hidden heavy metals in chocolate:
Lead & Cadmium: These are the two primary heavy metal offenders present in many chocolates, especially dark varieties. Heavy metals are present in the food we eat, the water we drink, and the products we use daily, but excessive exposure to heavy metals can raise health concerns. Lead exposure can impact almost all organ systems, including the brain, as well as cause high blood pressure and developmental problems, particularly in children. [3] Cadmium can also lead to a host of health concerns like stomach problems, kidney damage, and others. [4] Health risks of heavy metal exposure present ongoing concern, making it critical to increase consumer awareness of heavy metals in foods and other products.
Arsenic & Mercury: Though less common than lead and cadmium, some chocolates may also contain arsenic and mercury, which can enter cocoa plants through soil or water contamination. Mercury has been linked to brain and kidney damage, digestive problems, and other health concerns. [5] Arsenic is a carcinogen (cancer-causing) and can cause problems with breathing and the nervous system. [6] Both can have harmful impacts on developing brains, making them especially concerning for children.
Prolonged exposure to heavy metals can cause damage that will stay with you forever, making it essential to be more mindful about heavy metal exposure in all products. That’s why opting for chocolates that have been tested for heavy metals allows for safer consumption and reduces the risk of exposure to heavy metals. [7]
Top Non-Toxic Chocolate Choices
The below percentages of lead and cadmium under each chocolate option are based on the maximum allowable dose level (MADL) as defined by the state of California for one ounce of chocolate and are derived from testing done by Consumer Reports (CR). This testing offers some necessary chocolate quality control in the chocolate industry with the selection below offering safer chocolate options.
*Please note, I am not going to specifically mention arsenic or mercury levels in the chocolate options below as none of the products listed raised concern of exposure to these particular heavy metals. [8] [9]
Milk Chocolate Options:
365 Whole Foods Market Organic Milk Chocolate was found to contain 37% lead and 40% cadmium by CR.
Ingredients: Organic Milk Chocolate (Organic Cane Sugar, Organic Cocoa Butter, Organic Whole Milk Powder, Organic Chocolate Liquor, Organic Ground Vanilla Beans).
Lindt Classic Recipe Milk Chocolate Bar was found to contain 11% lead and 13% cadmium by CR. Lindt offers a decent chocolate option, but their chocolate does contain a couple of ingredients that aren’t preferred like artificial flavor. They are solely being recommended as they showed significantly lower amounts of heavy metal during testing than most other chocolate, so if heavy metal exposure is your main concern then they may be a good choice. Available as single bar or box of 12 bars.
Ingredients: Sugar, Cocoa Butter, Milk, Chocolate, Skim Milk, Soy Lecithin (emulsifier), Barley Malt Powder, Artificial Flavor.
Dark Chocolate Options:
Mast Organic Dark Chocolate (Vegan)
Mast Organic Dark Chocolate 80% Cocoa was found to contain 14% lead and 40% cadmium by CR. Their dark chocolate is organic and only contains a few ingredients. It’s also non-GMO, gluten free, dairy free, vegan, and kosher, allowing for a safe dark chocolate brand for many with dietary restrictions. Available as single bar or box of 12 bars.
Ingredients: Organic Cocoa Beans, Organic Cane Sugar, Organic Vanilla Bean.
*Note, their facility is recovering from a fire, so some of their items are currently out of stock, but they plan to get up and running again soon, so check back on their website regularly.
Ghirardelli Intense Dark Chocolate 86% Cacao was found to contain 36% lead and 39% cadmium by CR. Ghirardelli offers a decent dark chocolate option, but their chocolate does contain a couple of ingredients that aren’t the best like natural flavor. I’m still recommending them because testing results indicated less heavy metal in their chocolate than most others and their chocolate does contain less ingredients than many other bars on the market. Available as single bar or box of 12 bars.
Ingredients: Unsweetened Chocolate, Cocoa Butter, Cane Sugar, Milk Fat, Natural Flavor, Vanilla Extract, Soy Lecithin (emulsifier).
Taza Chocolate Organic Deliciously Dark Chocolate 70% Cacao was found to contain 33% lead and 74% cadmium by CR. This chocolate offers an option that is organic, direct trade certified, gluten free, non-GMO, and kosher. It is also dairy free, soy free, vegan, and only contains a few ingredients. Available as single bar or box of 10 bars.
Ingredients: Organic Cacao Beans, Organic Cane Sugar, Organic Cocoa Butter.
Baking Chocolate Options:
Ghirardelli Premium Baking Bittersweet Chocolate Chips 60% Cacao was found to contain 29% lead and 57% cadmium by CR.
Ingredients: Unsweetened Chocolate, Cane Sugar, Cocoa Butter, Milkfat, Soy Lecithin (emulsifier), Vanilla Extract.
Enjoy Life Semi-Sweet Mini Chips (Vegan)
Enjoy Life Semi-Sweet Mini Chips was found to contain 49% lead and 36% cadmium by CR. They are non-GMO, gluten-free, vegan, and kosher.
Ingredients: Evaporated Cane Juice, Chocolate Liquor (non-alcoholic), Non-dairy Cocoa Butter.
Available on Amazon.
365 Whole Foods Market Semi-Sweet Chocolate Baking Chips was found to contain 46% lead and 24% cadmium by CR.
Ingredients: Cane Sugar, Chocolate Liquor, Cocoa Butter, Milkfat, Soy Lecithin (emulsifier), Vanilla Extract.
Nestlé Toll House Semi-Sweet Morsels was found to contain 36% lead and 37% cadmium by CR. Again, the ingredients could be better, but they offer an overall decent baking chocolate option and their testing with regards to heavy metal contents was lower than most other chocolate.
Ingredients: Semi-Sweet Chocolate (Sugar, Chocolate, Cocoa Butter, Milkfat, Soy Lecithin, Natural Flavors).
Available on Amazon.
Though these chocolate options do offer safer alternatives with regards to heavy metal content compared to many others on the market, it is important to monitor your intake of heavy metals to the best of your ability. Be vigilant about reducing your heavy metal exposure through safe chocolate consumption practices, which may mean cutting back on chocolate altogether.
Let's keep savoring our chocolatey delights while staying mindful of heavy metals in the process, allowing for a healthier, happier, and tastier chocolate experience!
References
[2] https://www.consumerreports.org/health/food-safety/lead-and-cadmium-in-dark-chocolate-a8480295550/
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