Lead is a heavy metal with a long history of use in industries like construction, batteries, and even paint manufacturing. It is something you’d expect to find in old pipes or outdated gadgets, but not in your food.
Yet, despite its usefulness in various applications, lead is a toxic substance that our bodies simply don’t need. Exposure to even small amounts of lead is harmful to us. Wondering how? It can potentially lead to serious health issues like cognitive impairment, developmental delays, and other chronic conditions.
Children are the worst victims of lead exposure since its impact lasts on their underdeveloped bodies forever. Even the fetus is at risk of lead exposure through lead’s presence in their mother’s blood.
Today, we’re here to shed light on the dark reality of food products that contain toxic metals like lead.
Lead in Dark Chocolate
Dark chocolate, with its rich taste and reputation as a heart-healthy indulgence, may not be as innocent as it seems. Consumer Reports have revealed that dark chocolate bars contain surprising levels of lead, a toxic metal that no one wants in their diet.
The survey in which it was found was conducted on a mix of brands, including Hershey’s, Alter Eco, Theo, and Trader Joe’s.
But how does lead end up in chocolate? It turns out that lead can enter the cocoa beans during the drying process or from contaminated soil. Once there, the toxic metal makes its way into your favorite chocolate treat.
Does this mean you should forgo enjoying a small piece of dark chocolate? Not really; in moderation, it is unlikely to cause immediate harm. However, regular consumption of lead-contaminated chocolate can pose serious health risks over time.
Which Dark Chocolate Brands Are Lead-Free?
According to Eat This, Not That, some dark chocolate brands that are safest in terms of heavy metal exposure include Mast, Taza, and Valrhona. In addition to choosing these brands, you should also prefer to go for bars with a lower cacao percentage.
Lead in Cinnamon
Cinnamon is the warm, fragrant spice that brings life to everything, from lattes to apple pies. But did you know that it might also be bringing something less desirable to the table? You guessed it right, we’re talking about lead.
In March 2024, the Food & Drug Association (FDA) highlighted the presence of elevated lead levels in certain cinnamon products, especially ground cinnamon. FDA also recommended the brands recall their products voluntarily in light of the revelation.
The names of six American food brands appeared on the FDA’s list. Among these were La Fiesta, Moran Foods, MTCI Santa Fe Springs, Raja Foods, El Chilar Apopka, and Greenbriar International.
Cinnamon isn’t the only spice to expose us to heavy metals. Others like clove, anise seeds, cardamom, coriander, and mint also contain them in varying quantities.
Is Lead Also Found in Baby Foods?
Remember how we discussed lead exposure as being more lethal to younger children than adults? Well, here’s where things get tricky. One would assume that with dark chocolate or spices containing this metal, children would be safe from it. But what if these metals found their way into baby foods themselves?
Any infant consuming these baby foods is naturally vulnerable to a number of cognitive impairments and behavioral disorders. Autism and ADHD are common examples noted in babies who were fed toxic baby foods.
In light of the autism diagnosis of their babies, many parents have come forward to file a baby food autism lawsuit against the manufacturers. This product liability lawsuit claims that the companies knowingly sold toxic baby foods and should compensate their consumers for the same.
What Other Heavy Metals Are Found in Baby Foods?
Besides lead, there are many other toxic heavy metals found in baby foods. TorHoerman Law noted that several commercial baby foods contain unsafe levels of cadmium, mercury, and arsenic. It also reported that the manufacturers of these baby foods continued to sell them even after knowing about the contamination.
Lead Poisoning – The Consequence of Lead Exposure
As you can gather by the name itself, lead poisoning is a condition where one suffers from high levels of lead exposure. It is far more commonly noted in children than in adults. While eating lead-containing foods is the main cause of it, breathing in the toxic metal is another potential threat.
Cleveland Clinic notes that homes built before 1978 often contained lead in their construction materials. Living in such a home can result in lead’s presence in the air around you, making inhalation even more likely.
Children suffering from the poisoning appear restless or fidgety constantly. Other symptoms they’re likely to display include vomiting, cramps, headaches, and anemia.
The worst part of lead poisoning is that its effects can’t be completely reversed. Once your child has got it, all you can do is work towards reducing the levels of lead from their blood through treatment. But the damage it has done already is permanent.
How To Prevent Lead Poisoning in Children?
To prevent lead poisoning in your child, feed them a healthy diet, rich in vitamin C, calcium, and iron. If you’re living in a home built before the 2000s, enquire about the possibility of lead exposure. Be careful about flaky, peeling paint, which is a common source of lead exposure.
Heavy metals like lead are a part of our natural environment, which makes it impossible to eradicate them from our lifestyles. They’re also useful for us in many ways, just not in our diets. Being informed about lead exposure can help us act smarter in preventing lead poisoning, both in us and our children.
