Fans of dark chocolate should make careful to double-check the safety of their preferred brands after a study discovered heavy metals in its ingredients.
The bitter treat is more than simply a guilty pleasure for many chocolate lovers. It can be used as a mood booster, an energy booster, a reward at the end of a difficult day, or a well-received holiday gift.
Harmful Heavy Metals Found
Due to research suggesting that dark chocolate’s rich natural antioxidants may help heart health and other illnesses as well as its comparatively low sugar content, people also prefer it for its possible health benefits.
This healthier chocolate does, however, have a possible drawback. Numerous health issues in both children and adults have been related to at least two heavy metals, according to research.
Dark chocolate from well-known brands including Hershey’s, Theo, Trader Joe’s, and others have been shown to contain harmful heavy metals.
While it has several advantages over milk chocolate, like having more fiber and fewer sugar, these same advantages can potentially be dangerous.
On the packaging of dark chocolate, the percentages of cacao, or cocoa, are stated as markers of the healthiest brands or subbrands. While higher rates are linked to more significant reported health advantages.
According to a recent analysis, eating 1 ounce of each of the 23 chocolate bars under investigation daily would expose an adult to levels of at least one heavy metal considered potentially harmful by specialists.
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Other Dark Chocolate You Can Buy
Fans of dark chocolate should double-check the safety of their preferred brands after a study discovered heavy metals in its ingredients.
Five of the ten chocolate bars examined in the study, including these brands, had lead and cadmium levels above those limits.
- Organic Theo Pure Dark 70% Cocoa
- Theo Organic Extra Dark Pure Dark Chocolate 85% Cocoa
- Trader Joe’s The Dark Chocolate Lover’s Chocolate 85% Cacao
- Lily’s Extremely Dark Chocolate, 85% Cocoa
- Green & Black’s Organic Dark Chocolate 70% Cacao
None of the chocolate companies have yet commented on the study’s findings.
It is well known that heavy metals, notably lead, can negatively affect everyone’s health. This is particularly true for youngsters, as they are more prone to developmental difficulties, brain damage, lower IQs, and other challenges. These factors led to the long-standing ban on the use of lead in paint and plumbing.
Fortunately, the study also discovered a positive conclusion, as scientists discovered five chocolate items that were thought to be safer substitutes, including:
- Mast Organic Dark Chocolate 80% Cocoa
- Taza Chocolate Organic Deliciously Dark Chocolate 70% Cacao
- Ghirardelli Intense Dark Chocolate 86% Cacao
- Ghirardelli Intense Dark Chocolate Twilight Delight 72% Cacao
- Valrhona Abinao Dark Chocolate 85% Cacao
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