New Study Reveals Presence of Heavy Metals in Dark Chocolate

Moderation is the key

This research may be unsettling for chocolate lovers, but Ana M. Rule, assistant professor in the Department of Environmental Health and Engineering at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, says, “I don’t think anyone needs to panic” if we look at the big picture.

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Although metal contamination in food remains a global problem, levels in the United States have declined in recent decades, the study authors note. Environmental health researchers stress that people who consume them moderately should not have a problem. “If you’re a big chocolate eater, maybe you should (reduce) your consumption,” Rule says.

When it comes to chocolate, it can be hard to set limits, says Frame, director of integrative medicine at the George Washington School of Medicine and Health Sciences. “It’s very hard to sit down and eat a small amount of chocolate, right?”

Based on the accumulated research, she and other researchers recommend sticking to a daily serving of 1 ounce if you’re indulging, or 2 ounces every other day.

“(The results) shouldn’t mean, ‘Oh, I can never eat chocolate,'” Frame says.

One reason: Much of the research that has linked dark chocolate to potential heart-healthy benefits has studied chocolate at this serving size, Frame says, so you won’t miss out on any possible benefits.

“And we think that at that level of intake, you’re probably not seeing any adverse effects from heavy metals,” Frame adds. Another study published this summer in the journal International Food Research found that eating just one ounce of dark chocolate a day does not pose a health problem for adults.

“You don’t want to consume too much chocolate as part of a healthy lifestyle anyway,” says Laura Corlin, an environmental epidemiologist at Tufts University School of Medicine. Even high-cocoa bars can be high in fat, sugar and calories, which can lead to excess weight gain and the health complications that come with it.

In response to the latest study, the National Confectioners Association, an industry trade organization, issued a statement saying, “Consumers understand that chocolate and candy are occasional treats, not premium foods.”

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