Don’t Buy These 12 Chocolate Brands (And 6 That Are Actually Chocolate)

Key Findings

Consumer Reports (CR) tested 28 dark chocolate bars. Every bar contained lead and cadmium, and eating an ounce a day would put 23 of them above levels CR and public-health experts consider potentially harmful.

The video emphasizes that cocoa percentage is not a health or safety score. Higher cocoa content can mean more cadmium, while lead can be introduced after harvest, including while beans dry.

Avoid List

Figures are percentages of CR’s comparison limit per ounce, unless otherwise noted. “Below” means below that limit.

Rank Product Test results and other concerns 12 Lindt Excellence 85% Lead: 166%. Its sister 70% bar reached 116% for cadmium. Lindt disputes the allegations and says its bars are safe; a judge declined to dismiss a consumer lawsuit. 11 Godiva Signature Dark 72% Lead: 146%; cadmium: 25%. Despite its premium positioning, it exceeded the lead limit. Godiva was among brands sued over dark chocolate. 10 Tony’s Chocolonely Dark 70% Lead: 134%; cadmium: 28%. Its fair-labor mission concerns cocoa production, not the metal content of the finished bar. 9 Chuao Love Extreme Dark 88% Lead: 240%, the second-highest lead result; cadmium was 83% below the limit. The video explains that lead can contaminate beans during drying, while cadmium can enter from soil as the plant grows. Chuao questioned CR’s benchmark. 8 Hu Organic Simple Dark 70% Lead: 210%. Hu’s dark chocolate chips later measured 121%. The company said the results matched its own tests and were below levels in a California agreement. Mondelez acquired Hu in 2021. 7 Green & Black’s Organic Dark 70% Lead: 143%; cadmium: 181%. The brand is also owned by Mondelez. CR found that organic certification did not reliably predict lower metal levels. 6 Theo Organic Pure Dark 70% and Extra Dark 85% Both were high in both metals: 70% bar: 120% lead, 142% cadmium; 85% bar: 140% lead, 189% cadmium. Theo says it tests to meet the standards in a 2018 California agreement; those warning-label levels differ from CR’s comparison limits. 5 Pascha Organic Very Dark 85% Cadmium: 253%, the highest in the test; lead was 68% below the limit. Its allergy-friendly, organic positioning does not address cadmium. The video flags metal exposure as a particular concern for children and during pregnancy. 4 Trader Joe’s The Dark Chocolate Lover’s 85% Lead: 127%; cadmium: 229%, the test’s second-highest cadmium result. Its 72% bar had 192% lead. Trader Joe’s did not respond to CR. A judge later ruled for the company in a lawsuit, citing longstanding public awareness of the issue and supplier testing as standard industry practice. 3 Great Value milk-flavored hot chocolate mix Had the highest lead result among six tested hot-cocoa mixes. Four of the six exceeded CR’s lead limit, including Starbucks and Trader Joe’s; Swiss Miss had less lead. By contrast, Walmart’s Sam’s Choice 85% dark bar was below CR’s levels for both metals. 2 Kinder, made by Ferrero A separate food-safety issue: salmonella contamination at Ferrero’s Arlon, Belgium, factory led to a European outbreak, with 150 recorded cases by April 2022, mostly among children under 10. About 40% required hospitalization. The factory was suspended and two U.S. products were recalled; no U.S. illnesses were reported. 1 The Hershey Company and related brands Hershey’s Special Dark Mildly Sweet (45% cocoa) had 265% lead, the highest result among the 28 bars. Related products also raised concerns: Lily’s Extremely Dark 85% was high in both metals; Lily’s Extra Dark 70% had 144% lead; and Scharffen Berger Extra Dark 82% had 136% cadmium. Hershey’s natural cocoa ranked second-highest for lead per tablespoon in a later test. Its milk chocolate had the most lead among five tested milk-chocolate bars, but was at 67% of the limit. The video also notes criticism of recipe and labeling changes to some Hershey products. Hershey said most products had not changed and announced plans to return to classic milk- and dark-chocolate recipes starting in 2027.

Broader points: The video says organic, fair-trade, slavery-free, allergen-friendly, and short-ingredient-list claims do not establish heavy-metal levels. Lead contamination may occur as beans dry; researchers cited in the video recommend drying them on clean surfaces, away from roads and under cover. Cadmium comes from soil and generally tends to rise with cocoa content. The video also cautions that recipes and supplies can change, so the results are a snapshot, not a guarantee about current products.

Better-Performing Options

These products also contained some lead and cadmium, but tested below CR’s comparison limits.

Rank Product Results and notable points 6 Lindt Classic Recipe Milk Chocolate Lowest overall in CR’s milk-chocolate test: 11% lead, 13% cadmium. The video notes that milk chocolate usually has less cocoa solids and lower metal levels, but more sugar, and is not considered a health food. 5 Ghirardelli Intense Dark 86% 36% lead, 39% cadmium; the lowest cadmium result among the five safer bars. Widely available. Ghirardelli is owned by Lindt, but its double-chocolate brownie mix exceeded CR’s lead level. 4 Valrhona Abinao Dark 85% 63% lead and cadmium 73% below the limit. Shows that a very dark bar can test below both limits, though the video says it costs more and is harder to find. 3 Taza Deliciously Dark Organic Drinking Chocolate 70% 33% lead, the second-lowest lead result among the 28 bars; 74% cadmium. Taza’s CEO said the company blends beans from different origins to lower levels. 2 Navitas Organics organic cocoa powder Per tablespoon: 77% lead, 17% cadmium, the best overall result in CR’s cocoa-powder test. Navitas says it has finished products tested by a third party. Hershey’s natural cocoa had 125% lead. 1 Mast Organic Dark Chocolate 80% 14% lead, the lowest lead result among the 28 bars; 40% cadmium. The three-ingredient bar had almost twice the cocoa of Hershey’s 45% Special Dark, yet about one-twentieth its lead in this test.

Practical Takeaway and Verdict

The video recommends treating cocoa percentage as an indication of cocoa content—not as a health rating—and keeping dark chocolate occasional, especially for young children and during pregnancy. It suggests considering 70% rather than 85% if uncertain, and occasionally choosing milk chocolate.

It also advises checking the front label: “milk chocolate” must meet the FDA standard described in the video, while terms such as “chocolate-flavored” or “chocolate coating” may describe products that do not meet that standard.

Overall: Based on the tests discussed, avoid the listed high-result products and consider the better-performing options. Keep in mind that no tested chocolate was metal-free and results may change over time.

Different Perspectives Mentioned

• Consumer Reports: Tested products against its comparison levels, petitioned companies to act, and identified substantial variation among products.
• Companies: Lindt says its bars are safe and disputes accusations; Hu said its results were below the California agreement levels; Theo says it tests to that agreement; Chuao questioned CR’s benchmark; and Hershey said most products had not changed and announced recipe plans.
• Courts and regulators: A judge allowed the Lindt case to proceed past dismissal, while a judge ruled for Trader Joe’s in its case. European agencies documented the Kinder-related salmonella outbreak and the Belgian plant suspension.