Dark Chocolate: Friend or Foe?

You may have heard about the recent Consumer Reports findings linking dark chocolate to high heavy metal contents.  Compared to more than 300 other foods which were tested in a separate study by the FDA, dark chocolate had the third-highest concentrations of both cadmium and lead.  These findings were similar to other studies performed by the Food and Drug Administration.  Bottom line: this was a “dark” day for many chocolate lovers. 

On average, for a one-ounce serving, dark chocolate was found to contain 7.6 micrograms of cadmium and 0.8 micrograms of lead.  Some products contained much more.  The exception?  Milk chocolate’s reputation was somewhat spared as it is known to contain fewer concentrations of heavy metals due to its lower cocoa content. 

Consumption of heavy metals can be especially harmful in pregnancy and childhood.  Heavy metals affect the lungs, kidney and the nervous system and long-term exposure can cause damage to our tissues.

WHAT YOU SHOULD DO:

Check out the As You Sow’s tracker to check for lead and cadmium exposure concentrations in some popular brands.  Review the findings outlined in the Consumer Reports article published in December of 2022. 

Stick to no more than one ounce of dark chocolate per day.  Children and women who are pregnant or breast-feeding should eat it more sparingly. 

Naturopathic physicians can discuss heavy metal exposure and toxicity if indicated and guide their patients through appropriate lab testing and a treatment plan.

 Bottom Line: Don’t let this stress you out more but use it as an opportunity to make more informed decisions about the quality of your diet and the effects of food on your health.