Dark chocolate could contain high levels of lead and cadmium

Is Dark Chocolate TOXIC? (shocking!)

The Latin word for cacao, Theobroma cacao, literally means “food of the gods.”

And today, millions of Americans consider chocolate – the decadent treat made from cacao – positively heaven-sent as well.

You might even say many prayers were answered when studies found dark chocolate delivers head-to-toe health benefits, thanks to its sky-high levels of antioxidants and other key nutrients.

As a result, many folks eagerly savor a square or two of dark chocolate every day – for health reasons, of course.

After all, when something you love is so delicious and satisfying – and you find out that it’s healthy to boot – why NOT enjoy?

Well, maybe because a respected research and testing organization recently revealed some disturbing news about this luscious treat…

Turns out, DARK chocolate has a very DARK side.

Not-So-Sweet Hidden Dangers

No one can deny that dark chocolate is a superfood.

It’s loaded with minerals that many Americans don’t get enough of, like magnesium, iron, and potassium…

And it’s packed to the gills with antioxidants, including catechins and flavanols – in fact, dark chocolate delivers a bigger antioxidant punch than green tea and blueberries.

That allows it to deliver health benefits galore, like boosting blood flow to the brain, improving memory and cognitive function, reducing the risk of heart disease, lowering blood pressure, and more.

But dark chocolate lovers were thrown into a tizzy when Consumer Reports recently published the results of its investigation into this popular treat.

After testing 28 dark chocolate bars, they found that a whopping 23 of them contained “concerning levels” of lead, cadmium or both.

Their findings were similar to a previous FDA study, which compared the heavy metal levels of 300 foods… and dark chocolate came in third for highest lead and cadmium concentrations.

Friend, these metals are TOXIC – and can pose SERIOUS health risks.

In fact:

Lead can affect nearly EVERY organ and system – especially the nervous system

Long-term cadmium exposure can make bones fragile, and damage lungs and kidneys

Of course, scientists can’t test toxins on humans, so we don’t know exactly how much metal exposure is TOO much.

But we DO know that ANY amount of lead is dangerous – even LOW blood concentrations have been linked to neurodevelopment problems in children.

Treating Yourself

So what should chocolate lovers do?

Well, you might be thinking of satisfying your sweet tooth by switching to milk chocolate.

But while it may be tasty, milk chocolate contains LESS cacao and MORE sugar – meaning it doesn’t deliver the same health benefits of dark chocolate. But it also hasn’t been found to contain high levels of heavy metals.

So due to all that sugar, you definitely don’t want to overindulge.

But if you want to stick with dark chocolate, the good news is, health experts say you DON’T have to give it up entirely.

Instead, enjoy it in moderation, as part of a healthy diet. Aim for ONE ounce or less of dark chocolate per day – in fact, as little as one-third of an ounce delivers potent health benefits.

But to play it safe, stick to a product that contains LOW levels of lead and cadmium.

The website As You Sow tracks levels of both metals in a variety of popular dark chocolate products.

Source:

“Do I Need to Avoid Dark Chocolate Now?” NewYorkTimes, February 9, 2023. (nytimes.com/2023/02/09/well/eat/dark-chocolate-metal-lead.html)