Avoid heavy metals in your chocolate.

You may or may not know that a small amount of dark chocolate can tame
cravings for sweet, salty and fatty foods. Plus, it helps lower blood pressure,
improves cholesterol and reduces the risk of heart disease. But, there’s been
some bad news surrounding dark chocolate of late.

What’s the bad news?
A recent assessment of dark chocolate bars found that 80% exceeded the limit
on lead and cadmium designated by the state of California. And even though
manufacturers aren’t required to include this information on their labels, these
heavy metals can accumulate in the body, impacting blood pressure and memory.

Why is this happening?
It seems the cocoa beans used to make chocolate absorb some metals from the
soil they grow in and during processing.

Should I be concerned and can I continue to have chocolate after this
devastating news?
If you indulge in a bit of choc. everyday or a few times a week, you can rejoice
in the fact that you’d have to eat a couple of candy bars each day to really be
affected and eating just an ounce or two doesn’t seem to cause too much damage,
so choose the latter and eat it (chocolate) in moderation.

And lastly…
Which brands are the safest and least affected by these heavy metals?
Ghirardelli and Mast Organic Dark Chocolate.

Sources:
* UCLA Research Dept.
* Food & Function Journal

Please pass this article on to all of your family and friends who love
an oz. (or two) of dark chocolate each day.
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Thank-You!