Can dark chocolate expose your child to lead and cadmium?

What's actually in it

Dark chocolate is made from cacao beans, which absorb lead and cadmium from the soil they grow in. The higher the cacao percentage, the more of these metals end up in the final bar. A square of 70% dark chocolate has more heavy metals than milk chocolate because it contains more cacao solids.

What the research says

A 2026 review in Food Chem Toxicol looked at heavy metal levels in dark chocolate and their effects on children. The review found that many dark chocolate products contain lead and cadmium above levels that health agencies consider safe for daily consumption. Children are at higher risk because their smaller bodies absorb a bigger dose per pound of body weight.

Lead can harm brain development even at very low levels. Cadmium builds up in the kidneys and bones over time. Kids who eat dark chocolate regularly get a steady dose of both metals.

For children, stick to milk chocolate or lower-cacao varieties (below 50%) and limit how much they eat. Some brands test their products for heavy metals and publish the results, so check before you buy.