Dark Chocolate Brands I Trust: Decoding The Dark Side of Dark Chocolate

WELLNESS

Dr Srujitha Gopu

5 min read

Chocolate lovers, it's probably time we sit down and talk about heavy metals in your chocolate bars. While your favourite bars are packed with antioxidants and heart-healthy compounds, according to the latest report by Consumer Reports, a lot of leading chocolate brands have exceeded California's safe daily limits by over 500% – meaning just one square could put you over the recommended. Both metals accumulate in your body over time, making even small amounts particularly harmful for growing babies, pregnant women, and children.

Why should you care? While lead is linked to brain disorders, learning disabilities, seizures, lower IQ, and increased heart attack risk in adults, cadmium is linked to reproductive issues and kidney dysfunction and interferes with calcium absorption.

What are the WHO and FDA standards on heavy metals?

According to World Health Organisation, there is no safe level of lead intake. FDA limits daily lead intake from all foods combined to 2.2 µg/day for children and 8.8 µg/day for adults and pregnant women. For a 100g chocolate, the FSSAI limit is 250µg for lead and 150µg for cadmium. Most Indian chocolate brands actually comply with FSSAI standards. So technically, they're "fine" according to Indian regulations.

For nearly 60–100g of a chocolate bar, the brands listed above exceeded 100% of the FDA daily limit for kids and reached nearly half of the limit for pregnant women, who are more sensitive and may sometimes eat larger portions than recommended.

Industrial pollution and soil contamination mean even whole foods carry heavy metals. That’s precisely why mindful intake of foods like dark chocolate, where we actually have test results available, can help us keep overall exposure under control.

My post is not to discourage chocolate or single out any brand. At the end of the day, it's all about "moderation."

Safe Options

Don't panic and swear off chocolate forever! There are plenty of safer choices. To stay within the safety limit, follow the serving size indicated on the label.

For instance, you can have

3 blocks/ day of Lindt Excellence "A Touch of Sea Salt",
3 blocks/ day of Ghirardelli Intense Dark varieties
4 blocks/ day of Paul and Mike 87% Dark Chocolate
4 blocks/ day of Paul and Mike 72% Dark Chocolate
As per supermarketnews, Whittaker’s Dark Chocolate (including 72% Dark Ghana, 86% Ghana Extra Dark, 92% Ghana Intense Dark, 70% Samoa Smooth Dark) retested their chocolates to comply with California Prop 65

Safe in Moderation (only 1 block/day)

If the above brands aren't your favourites, then I believe in checking the lab results and seeing what percentages of lead and cadmium are present in each serving or block of your favourite dark chocolate. This makes it safe to enjoy even the chocolates that are tested to have higher lead and cadmium concentrations.

For instance, Consumer Reports tested the following chocolates for exceeding the Maximum Allowable Dose Level (MADL) of cadmium and lead per ounce (28 g). But if you have one block or less than an ounce per day (check the image for reference) of the following brands, you can still enjoy your favourite chocolate and be under the safe limit. Brands like Kocoatrait and Paul and Mike chocolates have their lab results displayed on their website, making them one of the transparent chocolate brands

These brands are considerably high in heavy metals for the serving size mentioned on their label, so have it in moderation

Lindt Excellence 70% cocoa dark
Lindt Excellence 85% cocoa dark
Hershey's dark chocolate
Godiva 72% cocoa rich
Kocoatrait 71% origin 4 blend
Amul Bitter 90% chocolate
Whole truth foods 71% dark

Occasional Indulgence

Cadbury Bournville Rich Cocoa 70% Dark (slightly high in lead, careful)
Soothy's (slightly high in lead, careful)

Final thought

Since heavy metals occur naturally in soil, avoiding them completely is nearly impossible. Your best bet is to choose chocolates that have been tested for heavy metals and show the lowest levels – especially if you're a daily chocolate eater like me. Since we also consume other foods that may naturally contain trace elements (from soil contamination, etc.), it's important to be aware of our cumulative intake and practice moderation.

When test results aren't available, check the cocoa origin. Chocolates made from West African or Asian cocoa (like from Ghana, Nigeria, or India) often have lower heavy metal levels than South American sources. Choose chocolates that contain a lower percentage of cocoa solids, like 70% cocoa, as they can contain fewer heavy metals.

The bottom line? You don't have to give up your chocolate habit, but maybe rotate between different brands and stick to lower serving sizes. Your future self will thank you!

If you are interested in knowing how to calculate heavy metals in dark chocolate and plan your serving size based on the results, then check out this blog.

Word of Caution:

The numbers I’m sharing are approximate; they can change depending on cocoa origin, processing, and even the batch. This isn’t a product promotion; it’s just for awareness and education. Always check ingredient labels, look at lab tests when available, and eat mindfully.

I’ve reviewed multiple brands, including Lindt, Cadbury, Hershey’s, Soothys, Manam, Galaxy Fusions, Smoor, Whole Truth Foods, Godiva, Ghirardelli, Amul, Kocoatrait, Paul & Mike, Bogatchi, Chokola, Whitakers, and Kalories; I included only those that have lab results shown and compared them with the California Prop 65 limit.

Remember: the serving size matters. A chocolate might be safe at the serving size tested, but if you eat more than that, the daily exposure to heavy metals also goes up.

*Disclaimer: There is no intention to defame any brand. Everything shared in this blog is a personal opinion and purely for educational purposes. I do not own the copyright for any logos shown.
This post is not sponsored and does not include any paid promotion.

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