Kinkini Gupta
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Study Finds Lead And Cadmium In Leading Dark Chocolate Brands
Dark chocolate is often recommended for its great health benefits. Recently, a US-based advocacy group which is dedicated to independent testing published a consumer report which stated the presence of heavy metals in dark chocolate which are manufactured by leading brands. These metals which were found were stated as very dangerous for health. Give how often people consume dark chocolates, be it for health reasons or otherwise, this study just found out that it is a looking health risk as of now.
As per the report, it examined almost 28 different dark chocolate bars. The brands that were tested include few of the most widely consumed and well known worldwide like, Hershey's, Lindt, and Godiva as well as products of smaller US-based brands such as Alter Eco and Mast. The report stated that they found traces of heavy metal like lead and cadmium in all of these chocolate bars. The report also states that among 23 of the bars, if people were to eat just an once a day, it an adult over a level that public health authorities and Consumer Reports' experts say may be harmful.
Dark chocolate is famous and recommended especially for its health benefits. As per many studies, it is very rich in antioxidants, could improve heart health, bioactive compounds present in it can improve blood flow in the arteries which can help reduce blood pressure. However, cocoa solids the component of chocolates responsible for all the health benefits are also where lead and cadmium are most likely to lurk. This makes the consumption of most commercially available dark chocolate potentially harmful.
Lead and cadmium exposure in foods is a major global health concern.
As per a report by the World Health Organization (WHO), in 2019, exposure to lead was responsible for the loss of 2 million lives to known chemicals. Many regulatory authorities have taken steps to ensure a limit on the amount of lead and cadmium all food products can contain. But, even after that, many brands have apparently continued to manufacture foods with excess amounts of both lead and cadmium. Both of which are extremely dangerous to health.