Harmful Heavy Metals Found In Popular Dark Chocolate Bars: Report

Dark chocolate is often viewed as the ‘healthier’ dessert or candy. However, as recently reported by non-profit organisation Consumer Reports, dark chocolate may not be as healthy as you may have believed. As per the report, harmful heavy metals like lead may be present in dark chocolate bars of many brands.

As a part of the research for the report, the consumer advocacy organisation tested as many as 28 different dark chocolate bars from popular brands including Lindt, Hershey’s, Godiva and more. As per the text results, all except five of the tested bars contained high levels of contaminants including lead and cadmium. As five out of the 28 tested bars showed relatively lower levels of lead and cadmium, Consumer Reports’ food safety researcher Tunde Akinleye said, ”That shows it's possible for companies to make products with lower amounts of heavy metals—and for consumers to find safer products that they enjoy."

Furthermore, as reported by Consumer Reports, dark chocolate contains higher amounts of heavy metals as compared to milk chocolate. This may be because the former contains more cacao which can be contaminated by the soil it’s grown in or after the picking process of the cacao beans. As per the WHO (World Health Organisation), exposure to lead can lead to harmful side effects like causes anaemia, hypertension, and toxicity to reproductive organs and can also harm unborn children in the case of pregnant women. On the other hand, cadmium has been classified as a human carcinogen as per the WHO and can also cause toxicity in the kidneys and respiratory systems.

To avoid exposure to these metals, it’s best to avoid brands that contain high levels and to consume lower amounts of dark chocolate that contain lower levels of lead and cadmium. These brands include Mast, Taza and Ghirardelli. "Having a serving a few days a week, especially with a product that has lower levels, means you can eat dark chocolate without worrying unduly," says Akinleye.

Image used for representational purposes only.