How to Get the Best Chocolate and Cocoa Powder and Minimize Toxins

Is your chocolate or cocoa toxic or healthful? Consumer Reports just reported dangerous levels of heavy metals in dark chocolates only days after ConsumerLab.com reported similar findings (bit.ly/3Fw5goW) in dark chocolates as well as in cocoa powders. ConsumerLab also tested these products for beneficial cocoa flavanols, choosing Top Picks high in flavanols and low in toxic metals.
Tod Cooperman, M.D., of ConsumerLab explains how to choose the best dark chocolate and cocoa powders.
#darkchocolate #heavymetals #cocoapowder #consumerlab #lead #cadmium #flavanols

[@cocoazen]

As someone who's used Hershey's Special Dark Cocoa for many years on a daily basis and has chronic health issues, this is very valuable.

[@trevinjack2045]

do you think those things are connected?

[@maxi-me]

I'm giong to defend _Cadbury_ here: They _tried_ to tell us, it's right there in the name!......

[@devilofshield]

😂😂😂😂

[@mohsinalithecver8]

Very intelligent

[@thevlogszone]

Cadmium bury 😂

[@kenm2709]

Very dumb

[@janice8514]

I know im late, but this was my thought as well immediately after he said 'cadmium'.

[@Lexielouwho]

We've come so far in food production yet every time you turn around you're warned about toxins in the food.

[@lampkin9287]

Heavy metals are in everything nowadays.

[@lost_inspace6080]

How do we know the amount of heavy metals in cocoa powder?

[@doejohn6197]

Someone tell me which one is good is it the Terrasoul one?

[@Zgski7]

Do you take recommendations on brands to test?

[@ShouldaWaved]

All i can get my hands on tonight is Hershey's cacao should i go for it, i love cocao, but I think I get enough heavy metal exposure at work and I'm paranoid about the cocoa having unknown amounts, stay safe everyone and no phones when you're driving

[@Giceraider]

It has a lot of heavy metals

[@Carperama]

Seem like everything at the supermarkets have issues?

[@literalshipley]

How do lead and cadmium end up in these products? And why would some brands have more than others?

[@oscarholley891]

A lot of stuff we consume come from china

[@netional5154]

I read that old cocoa trees accumulate cadmium and one solution is to plant younger trees.

[@Havok4191]

It’s where they grow the bean. Exposure or being grown too close to where it’s being manufactured is what’s causing it

[@literalshipley]

@Havok so in other words it is pollution from the chocolate manufacturing facilities themselves? or pollution from some other source?

[@netional5154]

@@literalshipley Lead appears to come from the manufacturing process, cadmium from the soil.

[@totoro3007]

Why is lead in coacoa not acknowledged. This is very concerning.

[@Living2PleaseHim]

Heavy metals are in just about everything we consume, from the water to the food. As it pertains to Cocoa, it's roots run deep as they grow, and the earth contains heavy metals.

[@mboiko]

No, the REAL question is why are they talking NOW about Lead and Cadmium in Dark Chocolate...and not anytime in the...last 100+ years! SpaceX is getting ready to go to the Moon and then Mars...but we're just now developing the "advanced" technology to measure lead/cadmium in chocolate...please. What is really going on...?

[@MochaZilla]

SpaceX is a scam. Cant believe you think that garabge is real 😂

[@deathandrebirth-y8x]

lol mars. they never getting there. it was a scam

[@mboiko]

@@deathandrebirth-y8x Not without Dark Chocolate...

[@Joseph1NJ]

were these results send to FDA, and if not, why not?

[@carolmatteson2453]

The FDA doesn't care, their basically slowly killing us with their recommendations 😢

[@anthonyx3576]

Dude didn't give a list or anything. Basically all that talk just to say eat less for less risk

[@ItsOverNEINTHOUSAND]

Go on the site he has so much listed lol

[@akshaymate954]

@@ItsOverNEINTHOUSAND site also doesn't state. have to pay for membership to get info.

[@ItsOverNEINTHOUSAND]

@@akshaymate954 true. If you want details it be that way :(

[@_sb_1168]

@@akshaymate954I went on the site without any membership and saw all the brands and the specs of lead and cadmium

[@terri90069]

The problem is most products do not list cadmium levels. Where do I find that?

[@ConsumerlabPlus]

Right. That's why we test products and publish the findings on ConsumerLab.com.

[@angel.heart007]

Thank you for this information! I drink a shake every morning. I use a vegan protein powder. I’m very concerned about the toxic metals.. what are some brands whether chocolate protein powder or pore cocoa powder? I may need to stop using those protein powders and go straight to cocoa powder. But which brands are the safest?

[@JustReckles5]

I personally use Garden of Life protein powder and I get the unflavored. I then mix in a cacao powder from Imlakesh Organics, to cut the bitterness I sweeten with monkfruit. Best of luck!

[@charlesfuchs]

@@JustReckles5 so much heavy metals in that

[@scuba453]

Is it still ok to buy the NOW Cocoa Powder?

[@inaciobrito8259]

What a crazy world = clean mind is the best way

[@viveviveka2651]

I just bought a big bag of bulk cacao powder from Winco Foods. How does it do in tests?

[@ConsumerlabPlus]

It was not among those that we tested. You can see which ones we tested here: bit.ly/3Fw5goW

[@smileyone1612]

They don't do reviews on every day products that every day people use.

[@MochaZilla]

​@smileyone1612 not true i use many of the products they test. You must use low quality crap

[@L1ttlef0ot]

There shouldn’t be a paywall to educate ourselves

[@viveviveka2651]

Useful information. Thank you.

[@L1ttlef0ot]

So if Cocoavia is approved by y’all, but it also contains dutched (alkali processed) cocoa which you’ve also said removes the flavonols, is the only reason it’s beneficial is because they added cocoa extract to the dutched cocoa?

[@ConsumerlabPlus]

It is very high in cocoa flavanols, as it includes a high-flavanol extract that has no cadmium.

[@allenalsop6032]

More on the metals and less on the flavonols please. As someone who's used Hershey's Special Dark Chocolate Bars for many years on a daily basis and has chronic health issues, I have more interest in the heavy metal problems.

[@MochaZilla]

Hershey is one of the lowest quality chocolate products out there. Im curious why you chose them?

[@aperson1181]

This is not informative. At least Consumer Reports does give you top picks, but not ConsumerLab, they suppress the info. Yes, he discloses the top pick, but it is a very expensive supplement.

[@MortezaParkook]

Isn’t all products a concern for heavy metal these days? You mentioned milk, how about the use of activated charcoal powder?

[@Pepeekeo808]

How about nibs?

[@Justice_TRUTH_Martyr]

*Trader Joe's Toxic Cadmium Organic Fair Trade Power!!!*

[@Acer0c]

The calcium in dairy should also should help reduce oxalates *some.

[@viveviveka2651]

2:40 Approximately how much powder gives you 200 mg of flavinols?

[@ConsumerlabPlus]

It depends on the product. Among those with higher concentrations of flavanols, like our Top Pick (see our Review), it would be about 2 tablespoons (10 grams). Be aware that Dutched or alkaline-treated cocoas have little, as this process removes flavanols.

[@viveviveka2651]

@@ConsumerlabPlus Thanks for answering. Toxicology can be psychologically and factually tricky. My own journey with it has taken some challenging twists and turns. At first, after reading a couple of early books [like 'The Poisons Around Us: Toxic Metals in Food, Air, and Water,' by Dr. Henry A. Schroeder from Dartmouth, and 'Toxicants Occurring Naturally in Foodstuffs' (from the National Academy of Sciences, as I recall)] about heavy metals and other toxicants in foods, beverages, and the environment, I became overly concerned - bordering on obsessed and paranoid. I mean, who wants to poison oneself, right? I developed a full-blown case of Environmental Toxicology 101 Syndrome. It got to the point of becoming literally almost like this guy (interesting ending here): kzbin.info/www/bejne/a5u0h4ylZdVqZsk In fact, watching that video substantially helped me to loosen up. So did listening to a group of intelligent professional toxicologists discuss the "Clean Fifteen" and "Dirty Dozen" lists, which I took overly seriously for a while. They shot the sensationalization and fear-mongering behind those lists down - big time, and for real, scientifically and utterly clearly. The statement (and the principle behind it) "the dose makes the poison" also helped put things in perspective for me. So did a close examination of the relevant statistics and dosages. Specificity and quantification can be very helpful in forming a balanced, more accurate perspective. They put things in perspective. Arsenic in rice and in drinking water was a recent issue for me, which I finally resolved. In short, it has taken me a while and some serious digging to find a balanced and accurate perspective on all this. And it has involved some twists and turns.

[@davidhinricksen9873]

Basically everything you eat is going to have a trade off. Dark chocolate is excellent in moderation, typically something in the 80-90% range, overall I would say lindt is probably the most promising, from what I’ve read. However do your own research.

[@Moananuiākea]

Ok so which brand is best to buy pure dark chocolate with out the heavy metals and is organic non gmo slave trade free?

[@Living2PleaseHim]

From what I have researched they all contain Cadmium & Heavy Metals, however ""Navitas Organics" supposedly tested the lowest of them all.

[@brunoantony9257]

this is a real drag:(

[@windsofmarchjourneyperrytr2823]

Dude, not my Dove bars!!

[@lauramendez8973]

How does someone know they been exposed to led by eating this?

[@marialupitab.1536]

People need to get tested: blood lab work.

[@smileyone1612]

You're brain starts going funky.

[@teevee2145]

You go stuperifous

[@rolog6771]

Why is the video choppy, keeps cutting some of the parts... Bad edit??

[@vins7cv139]

Diatomaceus earth 🙏🏼 Really high in silica

[@sirjohnahayfalcon]

What is the silica good for?

[@Sarnum-ez2sd]

Diatomaceus earth can destroy your lungs if you inhale it 😬 and even kill people.. many people have had irreversible life threatening diseases by being exposed from working to make and inhaling this stuff 😬😬😬😬

[@MochaZilla]

DE hekps with parasites and detoxification ​@@sirjohnahayfalcon

[@Justice_TRUTH_Martyr]

*ALTER ECCO Very High in Cadmium!!!*

[@jkbc]

Soon the chocolate lovers will turn into Man( or woman) of Steel

[@i-Consume-Only-Useful-Content]

Your liver will rot when you eat this much toxic metals

[@gaildimick1831]

Eat dark chocolate and watch you poop turn black. Eat white chocolate and it’s still brown.