How to Avoid Lead and Cadmium in Chocolate
We all probably still remember the (bad) news from last December: a Consumer Reports investigation found that 23 out of 28 dark chocolates from different brands they tested contained harmful levels of lead and cadmium. The results of the investigation made the rounds of the mainstream media and still linger in the minds of those with a sweet tooth, especially when Valentine’s Day is just around the corner and Easter is just around the corner.
It is important to note that the Consumer Reports investigation was not peer-reviewed and did not contain much evidence. However, it shows eerily similar levels of heavy metals compared to a study published by the FDA in 2018, as well as other peer-reviewed studies dating back to 2005.
Fortunately, there are things you can do to reduce the risk of these dangerous heavy metals entering your body.
How much lead and cadmium is safe to consume?
Lead and cadmium are considered heavy metals, and even though they both occur naturally, that doesn’t mean they’re good for you. “Some heavy metals don’t really work in your body. They don’t need to be there and some of them accumulate,” Dr. Katarzyna Kordas, associate professor of environmental health at the University at Buffalo School, told Nourish WebMD .
But since most of us just can’t (well, don’t want to) turn dark chocolate into cold turkey, here are some numbers for you: The US Toxic Substances and Disease Registry recommends a “minimum risk level” of around six. micrograms of cadmium per day for a 130-pound person and, according to European safety standards , 21 micrograms of cadmium per day for the same person, according to the New York Times . For comparison, according to a 2018 FDA report, one serving of dark chocolate contains about 7.6 micrograms of cadmium.
There is no minimum risk level for lead in the United States because, according to the CDC, blood lead levels in children have not been determined to be safe.
The scary thing is that the average American already consumes about five micrograms of cadmium a day in our typical daily diet, according to a 2019 study by Dr. Melissa Melow , assistant professor of nutrition at the University of Delaware. You add a couple ounces of dark chocolate to this average and you can be above those safe levels.
What are the risks of lead and cadmium in our system?
Cadmium stays in your body for decades, and long-term exposure has been known to cause cancer, kidney damage, and weaken bones. These effects are enhanced for the fetus and early in life, according to numerous peer-reviewed studies . Lead affects your respiratory and gastrointestinal tracts, nervous system, and kidneys.
As they accumulate, it’s important to know where you’re eating them from and how much you’re getting into your body. It’s true that it’s nearly impossible to completely eliminate these heavy metals from our lives, so knowing which foods are high (for example, this FDA report shows dark chocolate has the third highest concentration of cadmium and lead out of 300 other foods) can give benefit. us from reaching dangerous levels by limiting our amounts where we can.
How do lead and cadmium get into my chocolate?
Researchers at Consumer Reports found that lead was introduced into cocoa after harvest, mostly on the outer shell of the cocoa bean. As for cadmium, cocoa plants absorb the metal from the soil, accumulating in the cocoa beans as the tree matures.
Certain soils in different geographic regions have different levels of these metals. A 2018 FDA study shows that higher concentrations of cadmium have been found in chocolate from Latin America compared to African. It is important to note that chocolate production in Latin America varies greatly, with increased amounts coming from hotspots, as mentioned in this Clima-LoCa report . So, not all Latin American chocolate will necessarily be of a higher standard than African chocolate, but it’s still worth noting.
A 2018 Consumer Reports study and a 2018 FDA study mention that milk chocolate has fewer heavy metals because it has less cocoa. While there is no official limit to where dark chocolate ends and milk chocolate begins, dark chocolate is generally considered to start at 65% cocoa, Dr. Michael J. DiBartholomeis, a toxicologist who has studied heavy metals in chocolate, told Consumer Reports .
How to avoid lead and cadmium content in chocolate?
The good news is that you don’t have to give up dark chocolate entirely. There are ways to reduce the risk of accumulating dangerous levels of heavy metals in the body from dark chocolate, even for pregnant women and children. Here’s how.
Choose dark chocolate that is low in heavy metals.
Of the 28 dark chocolates tested by Consumer Reports, five were deemed safe to consume. Enjoy those and avoid others . (And in case you’re wondering, organic chocolate has no difference in heavy metal levels, according to the report.) Another great resource for safe chocolate is As You Sow’s chocolate cadmium and lead tracker , which measures levels in foods from several chocolate brands.
Treat chocolate like a treat
Remember that frequent consumption of these heavy metals can lead to a buildup of dangerous levels in the body. So, if you can’t imagine life without dark chocolate, eat it in moderation. Melow recommends eating no more than 30 grams per day to avoid not only heavy metals but also saturated fats. A 2022 study found that all you need to reap the health benefits of dark chocolate is eating one third of an ounce a day.
Eat dark chocolate with a lower percentage of cocoa.
As mentioned, Consumer Reports and FDA tests show that cadmium levels tend to be lower in chocolate with a lower percentage of cocoa. So if you have a choice between 65% and 80%, choose 65%. Unfortunately, the level of lead does not affect the percentage of cocoa.
Go for milk chocolate
Anything below 65% is generally considered milk chocolate, so there will be less heavy metals in milk chocolate overall. Just keep in mind that you will be eating a lot more added sugar and won’t get the same health benefits as dark chocolate.
Children and pregnant women should eat less
Melow told the New York Times that pregnant or breastfeeding women should only consume dark chocolate once or twice a week because of the greater risk of harm from heavy metals in the early stages of human development. Most kids prefer milk chocolate anyway, so at least it shouldn’t be a big deal.