Concentrations of heavy metals found in single servings of some chocolates and cocoa-based products are too low in most cases to pose a health risk to consumers, research set to be published on Thursday in the journal Frontiers shows.
Researchers at the George Washington University School of Medicine and ConsumerLab.com found that 70 of the 72 cocoa-containing products they analyzed fell below limits set by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for lead contamination.
They said the findings of their study showed the products may not pose a health risk when consumed as single servings, though larger portions could exceed strict California limits set in a law known as Prop 65.
The recommended single serving for chocolate is about 1 oz to 2 oz (30 gm to 60 gm). “If contaminated products as a whole are consumed in small amounts and infrequently by most, these contaminants may not be a public health concern,” read the paper, which concluded with a call for more testing of consumer products.
It’s not okay to eat heavy metals in any amount because they accumulate in your bones and get released later when your bone density goes down. That’s literally why Alzheimer’s (which can be caused by heavy metals like aluminum) happens in old age.