A George Washington University study reveals that a significant percentage of U.S. cocoa products, including organic ones. They contain heavy metals that exceed guidelines.
This study was known as “A Multi-Year Heavy Metal Analysis of 72 Dark Chocolate and Cocoa Products in the U.S.” and it was recently published in Frontiers in Nutrition. In this study, researchers studied 72 consumer cocoa products and dark chocolate every two years over an eight-year period. They wanted to check if these products were contaminated with arsenic, lead, cadmium and heavy metals that pose a significant health hazard. They checked how much heavy metal was in different types of chocolate sold in stores by comparing it to a safe limit.
When researchers observed the collected data, they found that 43% of chocolate products exceeded the maximum allowable dose level for lead and 35% for cadmium. On the other hand, none exceeded the maximum allowable dose level for arsenic. They also found that organic labeled products showed higher levels of lead and cadmium as compared to non-organic products. It indicates potential heavy metal contamination in grocery store products.
Consuming cocoa products alone may not pose significant health risks. But multiple servings or combining them with other heavy metal sources can lead to exposures that exceed the maximum allowable dose level.
Certain types of foods can contain high levels of lead and cadmium. These are heavy metals that can be harmful for human health. Animal foods like shellfish and organ meats can accumulate these metals, as well as foods or herbal supplements that are grown in soil contaminated with these metals or imported from countries with less regulation, such as Nigeria, India, Egypt and China.
Consumers should understand the potential risk of cumulative exposure to heavy metals, especially in organic cocoa products. These products may contain higher heavy metal concentrations. Dark chocolate is usually considered beneficial for cardiovascular health, cognitive performance and chronic inflammation. But research on heavy metal concerns is limited.
Reference Link:
Study Finds Many Cocoa Products Contaminated by Heavy Metals, Frontiers in Nutrition (2024). 
DOI: 10.3389/fnut.2024.1366231 
