Dark Chocolate really Bad for you?

Question

Popular brands like Hershey's is found to have heavy metals like cadmium and lead in them. This is not a good thing to be putting into your body and can lead to alot of bad health effects. However it is important to understand that this might just be because of Hershey's contamination process during the making of their chocolates and it is not applicable to every other chocolate brands as some have alot of benefits and are clean.

I would just make sure to read to packaging when buying them and check to see if there are any chemicals. The claim can be viewed as a bit exaggerated.

Comments

Sadly, this is, at least in part, the result of soil contamination, a problem that definitely isn't being fixed in countries where cacao is generally grown. They're both the result of soil contamination. The lead comes from drying them in the sun in contact with contaminated dirt and the the cadmium comes from the roots absorbing it as they grow. Many plants pick up heavy metals from the soil. Brown rice, for example, has tendency to be somewhat high in arsenic. According to  https://www.consumerreports.org/health/food-safety/lead-and-cadmium-in-dark-chocolate-a8480295550/

You say to check the packaging when buying chocolates and that is true there might be a warning label and emphasis on might. I looked it up and only one product has it and there's no acknowledgement of the potential risk of cadmium and lead on hersey's website. However, at the end of 2022 hershey did get sued for heavy metals in their chocolate. Not just hershey's! Trader joes too!

More information on the lawsuit can be found here:
https://www.consumernotice.org/news/hersheys-trader-joes-chocolate-lawsuits/
and if you really want to get into it the court stuff is here:
https://casetext.com/case/grausz-v-the-hershey-co

(I tried looking into the legitimacy of the consumer notice and didn't find any so beware!)

Anyways, there could be lead in your chocolate!

---

While it has been found that there has been some heavy metals detected in dark chocolate that can negatively affect your health, it is also to known to be very good for your health as well. For example, dark chocolate can be "[enriched] in plant chemicals called flavanols." These plant chemicals are known to help lower heart disease. On the other hand, researchers have found that there could be lead and calcium in your dark chocolate, negatively affecting your health and causing severe health problems.

Name of the article: https://health.ucdavis.edu/blog/good-food/dark-chocolate-health-benefits-the-good-and-the-bad-to-this-sweet-treat/2023/02
https://www.consumerreports.org/health/food-safety/lead-and-cadmium-in-dark-chocolate-a8480295550/

Answer 1

This claim states that dark chocolate and specifically the heavy metals/lead found in the dark chocolate is bad for you. After further review and research I sadly believe this to be true. The provided source of the claim was not taken from an article but rather a social media platform, which made it more tricky to source where the information of this claim was coming from. But after doing some research of my own I found this New York Times article that breaks down a few different sources which I also attached. A study done in 2005 found that “the lead concentrations in cocoa powder and chocolate products were among the highest of any foods”. To conclude, this doesn’t mean you have to completely stop eating chocolate, you should just eat it in moderation, every once in a while. 

https://www.nytimes.com/2023/02/09/well/eat/dark-chocolate-metal-lead.html

https://www.consumerreports.org/health/food-safety/lead-and-cadmium-in-dark-chocolate-a8480295550/

Answer 2

I agree with your point, that cadmium and lead is horrible for you health, however, studies show that it's not specifically limited to Hershey's dark chocolate. I found a research study conducted by Consumer Reports that shows a third of the dark chocolate that is consumed contain some levels of heavy metals. It's not purely a Hershey's problem, but one that is relevant to a lot of chocolates. Here's the article:

https://www.consumerreports.org/health/food-safety/a-third-of-chocolate-products-are-high-in-heavy-metals-a4844566398/

Comments

While it is true that heavy metals can be found in many different types of dark chocolate, I think it's also interesting to point out that heavy metals can also be found in a wide variety of other foods, not just chocolate. according to the article linked, "heavy metals can be found in many foods—such as arsenic in rice, mercury in some types of fish, cadmium in spinach, and lead in carrots and sweet potatoes." It appears that the most important thing is balance and being aware of what you are putting in your body, as it seems unlikely any of these heavy metal levels will change anytime soon.

---

Is the claim true or false? Other? Always select a rating and also state it clearly within your fact-check. Thanks!

---

Thank you for providing more context to this claim. By adding more examples and context around the claim, it allows us to get a more broader understanding of the bigger picture, not just hyper focused on one brand and one product.

Answer 3

From the information that I've found, this claim seems to be true. While dark chocolate can have a few good health benefits, people who eat it are also intaking heavy metals like lead and cadmium. These metals aren't found in all brands of dark chocolate but have appeared in a lot of popular ones such as Hershey's and have caused costumers to develop cardiovascular diseases. This is mostly if they are intaking more than the recommended amount but have affected them still.

Here is my source: https://www.health.harvard.edu/heart-health/heavy-metals-found-in-popular-brands-of-dark-chocolate#:~:text=Because%20dark%20chocolate%20is%20a,Reports%20published%20in%20December%202022.

Comments

This is a good response! Harvard is a great source to rely on and I find it interesting that you clarified that these harmful metals are not found in all dark chocolate. Going off the headline alone, I probably would have leaned toward misleading seeing as Hershey's and other big brands don't represent dark chocolate as a whole.

Answer 4

Dark chocolate is commonly known to have health benefits such as improved immune system function and safeguarding against cardiovascular disease, some cancers, brain-related diseases, it is an anti-diabetic, anti-inflammatory, and overall positive sweet addition to your diet. A journal from the National Library of Medicine lists these benefits but includes that some brands are more processed than others which can lower the healthiness. However, according to a consumer results study, "dark chocolates tended to have higher levels of heavy metals and milk chocolate lower." The heavy metals found in the chocolate decrease the positive benefit it has on health. Exposure to heavy metals can be risky to expecting mothers and can cause immune issues. So the claim holds true in this nature, but it isn't all dark chocolate, and the risk isn't high. Tulane university cites that "only one brand of dark chocolate exceeded the international limit for cadmium in bars." Overall, it seems to depend on the brand as heavy metals in chocolate are often influenced by the soil in areas where it is grown. Consumers can find safe brands of dark chocolate that definitely still have the health benefits.

https://www.eatthis.com/safest-dark-chocolate-brands/

https://news.tulane.edu/pr/dark-side-dark-chocolate-new-study-finds-very-minimal-risk-kids-metals-chocolates

https://www.consumerreports.org/health/food-safety/a-third-of-chocolate-products-are-high-in-heavy-metals-a4844566398/

https://quizlet.com/964345304/midterm-2-boscha-ba101z-flash-cards/?new

Answer 5

I agree that some brands of dark chocolate do contain heavy metals like cadmium and lead, which have been proven to “interrupt metabolic functions and the way our organs perform.” However, dark chocolate has been proven to protect your heart, reduce your risk of diabetes, lower blood pressure, and improve vision. Like any dessert, it is recommended to be enjoyed in moderation, and low levels of these heavy metals have been found across other brand as well, which, again, if consumed in moderation will not affect your long-term health. We cannot base our views of dark chocolate off of one singular brand. Making sure to do proper research before eating dark chocolate, or anything really, is crucial to your health.

https://health.ucdavis.edu/blog/good-food/dark-chocolate-health-benefits-the-good-and-the-bad-to-this-sweet-treat/2023/02#:~:text=Heavy%20metals%2C%20such%20as%20cadmium,considered%20harmful%20to%20our%20health.

https://www.webmd.com/diet/health-benefits-dark-chocolate

Answer 6

Doing this fact-check on dark chocolate helped me understand that food isn’t just ‘good’ or ‘bad’  it’s about how much you eat and why. After looking at reliable sources, I learned that dark chocolate has antioxidants that are good for your heart if you don’t eat too much. Dark chocolate, especially with a high cocoa content (70% or more), is rich in antioxidants called flavonoids, which have been linked to improved heart health by lowering blood pressure and improving circulation.The claim is false. Dark chocolate, when consumed in moderation, is not bad for you. In fact, it has potential health benefits, particularly if it has high cocoa content and is eaten in small quantities. All this information came from cleveland clinic heres the article https://health.clevelandclinic.org/dark-chocolate-health-benefits

Answer 7

Dark chocolate is not all that bad for you. It has plenty of health qualities to it. It is a great source of vitamins and soluble fiber. Dark chocolate has a lot of beneficial minerals like iron, magnesium and zinc in it too. But for you to get the most out of your dark chocolate you have to get at least 70%-80% cocoa and have the least amount of sugar. But like all deserts you have to enjoy this “healthy” treat in moderation.

Dark chocolate does have a small bad side to it. Like anything it does have its drawbacks. Dark chocolate in recent years has been shown to have a “worrisome levels of lead and cadmium” per Consumer Reports in the Harvard Health’s article “Heavy metals found in popular brands of dark chocolate.” These metals, like lead, are found in either “post harvesting processing” or from the soil (Tulane University). But with all of the fantastic minerals in dark chocolate, that can actually cancel out the harmful chemicals: “Not only is it packed with these essential minerals, but they can potentially reduce the absorption of toxic metals in the intestine since these metals compete for the same site,” says Tewodros Godebo in Tulane Universities article “A dark side to dark chocolate? New study finds very minimal risk for kids from metals in chocolates.”

But overall dark chocolate is not the worst thing for you to eat. Dark chocolate has plenty of benefits to it. You should just enjoy it in moderation. This is also what Godebo says: “…we found there is no adverse risk in eating an ounce per day.”

https://www.health.harvard.edu/heart-health/heavy-metals-found-in-popular-brands-of-dark-chocolate#:~:text=Because%20dark%20chocolate%20is%20a,Reports%20published%20in%20December%202022. 

https://news.tulane.edu/pr/dark-side-dark-chocolate-new-study-finds-very-minimal-risk-kids-metals-chocolates 

https://health.ucdavis.edu/blog/good-food/dark-chocolate-health-benefits-the-good-and-the-bad-to-this-sweet-treat/2023/02 

Answer 8

Overall, dark chocolate is not bad for you. While dark chocolate shouldn't be consumed in large quantities due to having sugar and fat(but still less than milk chocolate), it still has many health benefits such as possibly lowering risk of heart disease and being anti-inflammatory.

Risks from dark chocolate can come from the possibility of the chocolate having high levels of lead, which occurs naturally in cocoa. You may want to check the brand of dark chocolate you're getting if you're worried about lead, to see if their production succeeds in removing the lead concentration.

https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/dark-chocolate#risks-and-considerations

Heavy metals being in the food we consume can be problematic to your health by harming organ function. This includes lead and cadmium, another naturally occurring metal in cocoa. You don't need to cut dark chocolate out of your life, it is most likely best to eat it in moderation, as you do with other treats.

https://health.ucdavis.edu/blog/good-food/dark-chocolate-health-benefits-the-good-and-the-bad-to-this-sweet-treat/2023/02

Answer 9

Dark chocolate is not necessarily bad for you, but some brands have been noted to have heavy metals like lead and cadmium in their products. Long term exposure to these chemicals have been linked to cardiovascular disease. Since chocolate is made from seeds from cacao trees, it is likely that these heavy metals come from polluted soil these trees grow in. While not all chocolate brands are found to have these chemicals, many popular brands like Hershey, Godiva, and Dove have been found with high levels of lead and cadmium. However, there are many safe brands with low levels of these metals that won't cause any long term risk. These brands include Ghirardelli and Taza Chocolate. Overall, this claim is true and false, you just have to be cautious with the brands of dark chocolate you choose to consume. 

Articles used:

https://www.consumerreports.org/health/food-safety/lead-and-cadmium-in-dark-chocolate-a8480295550/

https://www.health.harvard.edu/heart-health/heavy-metals-found-in-popular-brands-of-dark-chocolate#:~:text=Because%20dark%20chocolate%20is%20a,Reports%20published%20in%20December%202022.