Popular Hot Chocolate Mixes Found to Contain Lead & Heavy Metals
Hot cocoa is delicious year-round, but it's especially great in the winter. However, a new study may raise concerns before you buy a package of hot chocolate mix
Consumer Reports (CR), a nonprofit that tests and researches products, recently tested a variety of chocolate products to find which contain
more hazardous heavy metals like lead and cadmium. Due to the lack of federal limitations on lead and cadmium in most foods, CR tested each product against California's
The state's lead MADL is 0.5 micrograms per day and cadmium 4.1. Chocolate goods that surpass California's regulations contain more heavy metals
The study tested many common hot chocolate blends, and the findings may surprise you. Nestlé, Trader Joe's, Starbucks, and Great Value (Walmart's house brand)
The CR discovered that Nestlé's Rich Milk Chocolate Flavor Hot Cocoa Mix contains 108% of California's lead limit per serving, while Trader
Joe's Organic Hot Cocoa Mix contained 112%. Starbucks' Classic Hot Cocoa has 159%, while Great Value's Milk Chocolate Flavor Hot Cocoa Mix had 345%.
CR warned that even modest quantities of heavy metals in food can cause health issues over time. Pregnant women and young children are
more at risk because metals can disrupt brain development. Adults who are frequently exposed may develop hypertension, immune system suppression
Sweet potatoes and spinach contain heavy metals, so even if you don't eat chocolate, you can be exposed.