Despite its reputation as a healthier sweet option, some dark chocolate bars actually contain harmful heavy metals, a new report reveals. According to the research from Consumer Reports, some brands of dark chocolate have been found to contain these heavy metals in potentially dangerous amounts, including high levels of cadmium and lead. The new study—published by the nonprofit advocacy organization on Thursday, Dec. 15—found that popular brands, including Hershey’s, Trader Joe’s, Lindt and Dove, all contain levels of these heavy metals which could lead to a slew of health issues, according to the experts. Out of the 28 dark chocolate bars tested in the study, cadmium and lead were detected in all of them, and for 23 of the brands, eating just an ounce a day would “put an adult over a level that public health authorities and CR’s experts say may be harmful for at least one of those heavy metals.” “Five of the bars were above those levels for both cadmium and lead,” the CR also added in the report. According to the research, long-term exposure to heavy metals, even in small amounts, can lead to a variety of health problems, including developmental problems, making it especially dangerous for pregnant people and young children. “But there are risks for people of any age,” stated Tunde Akinleye, the CR food safety researcher who led the study. He also notes that frequent exposure to lead in adults can lead to nervous system problems, hypertension, immune system suppression, kidney damage and reproductive issues. Even for those who don’t eat dark chocolate regularly, lead and cadmium can apparently still be cause for concern, as they are found in many other foods, including sweet potatoes, spinach, carrots and more. On the bright side, though, Akinleye assures that dark chocolate doesn’t need to be avoided at all costs, as it is possible to find brands with lower levels of the heavy metals, including five of the tested brands which were relatively low in both cadmium and lead. “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,” he said. You can review CR’s complete chocolate test results to find a list of safer dark chocolate brands, and find out exactly which products to avoid.
