These Popular Dark Chocolate Bars Contain Harmful Levels of Lead, Lawsuit Says (2024)

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These Popular Dark Chocolate Bars Contain Harmful Levels of Lead, Lawsuit Says? ›

The lawsuit follows one filed against Hershey's after a Consumer Reports study showed high levels of heavy metals in some dark chocolate. Trader Joe's is accused in a lawsuit of misleading and endangering shoppers by selling dark chocolate that contains harmful levels of lead and cadmium.

Brands high in lead are Tony's, Lily's, Godiva, Chocolove (Strong Dark and Extreme Dark), Lindt, Endangered Species, Trader Joe's, Hu, and Hershey's. The brands high in cadmium and lead are Theo (Pure Dark and Extra Dark), Trader Joe's, Lily's, and Green & Black's.

Austin, TX – May 17th, 2023 – Hu Products announced today a voluntary recall in the United States of a single production lot of Vanilla Crunch Dark Chocolate Bar product (2.1 oz bar) because some packages may potentially contain undeclared hazelnut, cashew, and/or almond that were inadvertently added to the product ...

Considering the health risks of certain dark chocolate bars, you may want to consider other options. Consumer Reports said safer choices include Mast Organic dark chocolate, Taza chocolate, Ghiardelli and Valrhona.

Choose dark chocolates with the lowest levels of heavy metals. The Consumer Reports study found five chocolates — one each from Mast, Taza and Valrhona, and two from Ghirardelli — with relatively low levels of both lead and cadmium.

The five chocolate bars that came in under the maximum allowable dose level for the metals are: Ghirardelli Intense Dark (both 72% and 86% cacao), Taza Chocolate Deliciously Dark (70%), Mast Dark Chocolate (80%) and Valrhona Abinao Dark Chocolate (85%).

Choose dark chocolates with the lowest levels of heavy metals. The Consumer Reports study found five chocolates — one each from Mast, Taza and Valrhona, and two from Ghirardelli — with relatively low levels of both lead and cadmium.

White chocolate is the worst – it has more calories than milk chocolate and more sugar than dark. Read more: Why does chocolate make us happy?

So, while a little bit of dark chocolate can be a great treat, it's important to keep it in moderation and stick to the recommended daily intake of 30-60 grams.

While dark chocolate can have positive effects on your health, a 2022 study by Consumer Reports found that eating dark chocolate everyday could be harmful for adults, children and pregnant people.

Is it OK to eat a piece of dark chocolate a day? ›

A bite of dark chocolate a day could not only be good for your heart, but may also improve brain function, alleviate stress, and lower the risk of diabetes.

The amounts of heavy metals varied greatly, with bars like Dove Promises Deeper Dark Chocolate showing up with high amounts of cadmium, Hershey's Special Dark Mildly Sweet Chocolate having high amounts of lead, and Trader Joe's The Dark Chocolate Lover's Chocolate showing high amounts of both.

Patients with cadmium toxicity need gastrointestinal tract irrigation, supportive care, and chemical decontamination traditional-based chelation therapy with appropriate new chelating agents and nanoparticle-based antidotes.

Because dark chocolate is a rich source of beneficial plant compounds called flavanols, it's often touted as a heart-healthy treat. However, many popular brands of dark chocolate contain potentially worrisome levels of lead and cadmium, according to a study by Consumer Reports published in December 2022.

Dark chocolate bars tested by Consumer Reports exceeded California's daily maximum allowable dose levels for lead or cadmium. But a toxicologist says eaten in moderation, it's nothing to worry about.

Consumer Reports found that Hershey's Lily's extremely dark chocolate 85 per cent cocoa bar was high in lead and cadmium. Its Hershey's Special Dark mildly sweet chocolate and Lily's extra dark chocolate 70 per cent were also high in lead, according to the report.

The F.D.A. study found that dark chocolate had, on average, 7.6 micrograms of cadmium and 0.8 micrograms of lead per one-ounce serving, and some products had three or four times as much. (Milk chocolate, which contains less cocoa, had much lower concentrations.)

Similarly, a one-ounce serving of Godiva's dark chocolate bar was determined to contain 146 percent of the MADL for lead, the other suit says. “[T]he harmful effects of heavy metals are well-documented, particularly on children,” but also threaten the health of adults, the lawsuits relay.

In late 2022, a study in Consumer Reports claimed that dark chocolate from Trader Joe's and many other brands, including Dove, Lindt, and Hershey's, contained unsafe levels of lead, as well as cadmium.

Dark chocolate is rich in disease-fighting antioxidants. Studies show it can help reduce blood pressure and lower the risk of heart disease. Studies show that dark chocolate — when it is not loaded with sugar and saturated fat — is indeed a heart-healthy chocolate treat and more.

Is 100% dark chocolate healthy? ›

Dark chocolate is loaded with nutrients that can positively affect your health. Made from the seed of the cacao tree, it's one of the best sources of antioxidants you can find. Studies show that dark chocolate can improve your health and lower the risk of heart disease.

Taza Chocolate Organic Deliciously Dark Chocolate 70% Cacao: 33% for lead and 74% for cadmium.

According to a December 2022 Consumer Reports investigation, testing revealed that one ounce of the Trader Joe's Dark Chocolate 72% Cacao bar contained 192% of the maximum allowable amount of lead.

The 2018 settlement agreement also established thresholds for both lead and cadmium that require warning labels on chocolate products if exceeded. Cadmium likely gets into dark chocolate products because the cacao plants take up the heavy metal from the soil, the researchers found.

Unfortunately, coffee also contains toxic heavy metals such as cadmium (Cd) and lead (Pb) [16,17,18], although available studies primarily cover instant coffee. The presence of heavy metals in food is a global problem.

Ask any pastry chef or chocolatier and they will tell you that chocolate's worst enemy is water. Even a tiny drop accidentally landing in a bowl of tempering chocolate can clump up the sugar and cocoa particles within moments.

Dark chocolate is high in calories and fat, contributing to weight gain if consumed in excess. Some types also contain high amounts of added sugar, increasing the calorie count and contributing to chronic disease.

“Tootsie Rolls are chewy, so you can take your time to enjoy them,” says Cassetty. Four mini Tootsie rolls have 150 calories and 19 grams of sugar but no protein or fiber. As our experts have advised for the other candies on our list, cut down the serving size and stick to one piece to limit your sugar intake.

Peanut butter is loaded with so many good, health-promoting nutrients, including vitamin E, magnesium, iron, selenium and vitamin B6. Research shows that people who regularly eat nuts and nut butter, including peanut butter, are less likely to develop heart disease and type 2 diabetes.

What is the daily recommended amount of dark chocolate? The recommended “dose” is approximately 1 to 2 ounces or 30-60g, experts say. Indulge in anything more than that, and you may be consuming too many calories. A 1.45-ounce (41 gram) Hershey's Special Dark Chocolate Bar has 190 calories.

What time of day should I eat dark chocolate? ›

You can enjoy dark chocolates as often as you want. However, for a person who wishes to lose weight with these chocolates, dark chocolates should be eaten on an empty stomach or 30 minutes after a solid-food meal. They can also be eaten as a snack between lunch and dinner.

Ghirardelli dark chocolate is healthy because it is made with quality ingredients, has a high cocoa content, and is low in sugar. The health benefits of dark chocolate include improved blood flow, lower blood pressure, and improved cholesterol levels.

It also helps lower risk of diabetes, heart disease

More good news for chocolate lovers: A new Harvard study finds that eating a small square of dark chocolate daily can help lower blood pressure for people with hypertension.

Yes, in fact, this snack could lower your diabetes risk according to Endocrine Abstracts. Daily consumption of dark chocolate is associated with positive effects on insulin sensitivity and blood sugar — two key factors in developing diabetes.

High-cocoa polyphenol-rich chocolate improves blood pressure in patients with diabetes and hypertension. Shin, J. H., et al. (2022). Consumption of 85% cocoa dark chocolate improves mood in association with gut microbial changes in healthy adults: a randomized controlled trial.

Dark chocolate and cocoa

Flavanols are responsible for chocolate's anti-inflammatory effects and help keep the endothelial cells that line your arteries healthy.

Yes, Dove dark chocolate is healthy. It is a good source of antioxidants and can help improve blood flow and lower blood pressure. Dark chocolate consumption has been shown in a recent study to improve insulin sensitivity and blood sugar levels, both of which are important factors in the development of diabetes.

Because dark chocolate is a rich source of beneficial plant compounds called flavanols, it's often touted as a heart-healthy treat. However, many popular brands of dark chocolate contain potentially worrisome levels of lead and cadmium, according to a study by Consumer Reports published in December 2022.

Choose dark chocolates with the lowest levels of heavy metals. The Consumer Reports study found five chocolates — one each from Mast, Taza and Valrhona, and two from Ghirardelli — with relatively low levels of both lead and cadmium. Treat chocolate as an indulgence.

The amounts of heavy metals varied greatly, with bars like Dove Promises Deeper Dark Chocolate showing up with high amounts of cadmium, Hershey's Special Dark Mildly Sweet Chocolate having high amounts of lead, and Trader Joe's The Dark Chocolate Lover's Chocolate showing high amounts of both.

Does Hershey dark chocolate have lead in it? ›

Consumer Reports found that Hershey's Lily's extremely dark chocolate 85% cocoa bar was high in lead and cadmium. Its Hershey's Special Dark mildly sweet chocolate and Lily's extra dark chocolate 70% were also high in lead according to the report.

The products with the most lead present were Hershey's Special Dark Mildly Sweet Chocolate, Chocolove Extreme Dark Chocolate 88% Cocoa, Hu Organic Simple Dark Chocolate 70% Cacao, and Trader Joe's Dark Chocolate 72% Cacao.

Mast Organic Dark Chocolate

However, in the Consumer Reports study, their chocolate fared better than any other brand, registering the lowest lead level of all the bars tested. Its cadmium content was also under half the maximum allowable level.

Best dark origin bar – PARADAi Chantaburi Dark 70%

“Chantaburi Dark 70%” was best unflavoured dark chocolate bar, made by PARADAi, a small micro-batch chocolate maker in Thailand, with a fabulous score of 91.8 out of 100 on our chocolate scale, which is one of the highest we have seen this year.

Dark chocolate without lead and cadmium:

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.

Heavy metals in Dove dark chocolate products include dangerous levels of lead and cadmium, which could increase the risk of cancer and irreversible damage to brain development.

According to a December 2022 Consumer Reports investigation, testing revealed that one ounce of the Trader Joe's Dark Chocolate 72% Cacao bar contained 192% of the maximum allowable amount of lead.

CR found that: Hershey's Special Dark Mildly Sweet Chocolate and Lily's Extra Dark Chocolate 70% Cocoa are high in lead. Lily's Extreme Dark Chocolate 85% Cocoa is high in both lead and cadmium.