#MiddleburyCT #Seniors #DarkChocolate #HeavyMetals
It appears that our beloved dark chocolate candy bars can contain dangerous amounts of lead and cadmium – the dark chocolate we intentionally chose for its health benefits like lower blood pressure and antioxidants that protect cells from damage.
Consumer Reports did research to test the levels of lead and cadmium in dark chocolate candy bars.
Of the 28 different dark chocolate bars they tested, all of them had lead and cadmium. Specifically, their tests were to look for mercury, lead, cadmium and arsenic, all heavy metals. The result: 23 of the dark chocolate candy bars had enough heavy metal in them that eating just one ounce of the candy would be harmful.
For those of us who’ve believed that a little daily dark chocolate would benefit our health, it turns out all that heavy metal could lead to immune system suppression, kidney damage and more.
Still, five remaining bars had levels low enough to be safer – not completely safe, but safer. They later did tests on an additional 48 chocolate products in several categories: chocolate chips, cocoa powder, brownie mixes, cake mixes and hot chocolate mixes. Of the 48 products, 16 of them had concerning amounts of heavy metals. However, they did find safer options for each item.
How do we get the benefits of dark chocolate without putting our health at risk from the heavy metals? Don’t eat it every day, they say. Pick something with lower levels of the lead and cadmium.
I’ve long been a fan of Consumer Reports and have subscribed for years, now reading each issue online. With a yearly subscription, I have access to all of their past reports and research. To me, the cost is worth it. If you want to take a look, see www.consumerreports.org.
© 2025 King Features Synd., Inc.
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