A new study has found that a significant percentage of the U.S. cocoa products researchers sampled contained worrying amounts of heavy metals.
Cocoa ContaminationScientists analyzed 72 cocoa and dark chocolate products and found that 43 percent contained lead levels above safety standards.
Strict standards for heavy metalsThe authors relied on California’s “maximum tolerable dose levels” as the threshold for acceptable heavy metal concentrations.
Organic is no exception.The authors evaluated 72 cocoa products, including dark chocolate, every two years over an eight-year period.
Moderation is keyFor the average American, consuming one serving of these cocoa products is unlikely to pose a significant health threat, the scientists said.
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However, these products can be more dangerous when taken in multiple doses or in combination with other products that contain heavy metals.
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“It’s important to enjoy it in moderation,” said Lee Frame, M.D., an associate professor of clinical research at the George Washington School of Medicine. statement.
Take with cautionFrame said chocolate lovers should follow the same approach that applies to “other foods that contain heavy metals, such as large fish like tuna and unwashed brown rice.”
“While it’s not realistic to completely avoid heavy metals in food, we should be mindful of what we eat and how much of it we eat,” she added.
