What are heavy metals?
Heavy metals are naturally occurring substances, for example manganese, zinc, iron, and copper are all heavy metals, though we more commonly call them minerals. And our bodies need them to function. For example, iron helps us to fight off colds and infections, and zinc helps to keep our hair, skin and nails healthy.
Where do heavy metals come from?
Heavy metals are all around us and can end up in our food because they were present in the soil that our food was grown in. For example, volcanic soil is naturally rich in the heavy metal cadmium, which is the type of soil that cacao plants thrive in. As a result, cacao products contain small amounts of cadmium.
Are heavy metals only found in cacao?
No, they aren’t. Naturally occurring cadmium is present in many everyday foods that aren’t necessarily grown or reared in volcanic regions, for example foods like pork, fish, potatoes, milk, and even beer.
Rice is another example — in the UK, rice milk isn’t recommended for children under five because of its arsenic content, which is another heavy metal. Many different heavy metals are present in our drinking water too. Water all over the world contains heavy metals, even in countries that are famed for having the best water, like Iceland.
How do I know my cacao is safe?
In the UK, we have strict laws that state only very small amounts of heavy metals, including cadmium, can be present in cacao, which is why we test every single batch of ours to ensure we produce cacao products that are both the safest and of the highest possible quality.
Should I do a heavy metal detox?
Your body already has a built-in detox system: your liver and kidneys do the heavy lifting. Supporting this system with a balanced diet rich in whole foods, nuts, seeds, and colourful vegetables is the best approach. Nutrients like zinc, iron, selenium, copper, and vitamin C may also help support the body’s natural processes.
Products like our Chlorella and Spirulina tablets could support the body by providing some of the nutrients needed to help kick start the body’s natural detoxification.
