Life Is Like

A Box of Lead...

Giggle: “Chef La-de-Dah’s fancy chocolate is laced with lead!”

That Guy and Dearie sign up for a chocolate cooking class with Francois. Meanwhile TG reads in the newspaper that chocolate contains lead! So, he grabs his metal detector, which he uses at the beach to find other people’s lost jewelry, and brings it to class to fact check the news. No one signed up for this! Attendees are shocked at the news and begin to trash the chocolate. A run on the tip jar is just getting started. And Dearie is left with a mouthful of lead! Poor, Francois.

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Gab: Apparently, lead in chocolate is old news.

Lead contamination of chocolates was first discovered in 1820, when a British study found the poison widespread in London confectionary products. But it is news to me. I thought dark chocolate was good for my heart.

What is the source(s) of these heavy metals? Some of the lead occurs in post-harvest of the cacao when the beans are fermenting and air drying. If they are dried on the ground, they may absorb lead from the ground. But most of the contamination occurs during the shipping and processing phase.

Researching further I read more about the lead and cadmium are found in dark chocolate. And until now I never heard of cadmium, which is a metal found in zinc ores. Yet I quickly learned that cadmium is a toxic metal that can cause cancer, as well as damage the kidneys, lungs, and brain.

Consumer Reports found dangerous heavy metals in Hershey’s Theo, Trader Joe’s, and other popular brands.In fact, Consumer Reports researchers detected heavy metals, lead and cadmium in all 28 dark chocolate bars they studied. Long term, consistent exposure to lead is a health risk for everyone. Yet the risks are greater for pregnant women and children. Lead can cause developmental delays and affect brain development in children, resulting in a lower IQ. Unbelievably the U.S does not limit the amount of lead or cadmium allowed in food products.

Goods: What is the safest chocolate tested?

The lowest amounts of heavy metals among the 28 bars tested is MAST, which is 14 percent lead and 40 percent cadmium. So, if you must, buy MAST. Milk chocolate also has the same leads but less than dark chocolate.

Sadly, one of my favorite things in life is now a health risk. Hold the chocolate. Flowers for Valentine’s Day!