Dark chocolate has long been touted as a healthier alternative to traditional chocolate, but a recent study suggested there is something sinister lurking within many of these popular sweets.
A recent Consumer Reports investigation found significantly high levels of dangerous heavy metals lead and cadmium in over 20 popular kinds of dark chocolate bars.
In fact, five kinds of dark chocolate bars were shown to contain relatively low amounts of both toxic metals, based on California's maximum allowable dose level, which Consumer Reports described as the "most protective" standard in the country.
Once revered as pioneers in the artisanal chocolate movement, New York-based Mast Brothers faced controversy in 2015 over claims that their confections did not always live up to their professed "bean-to-bar" standards.
A mom and pops-founded shop from Massachusetts, Taza claims to be the first American chocolate maker to set up a third-party certified Direct Trade-sourcing program.
One of America's oldest chocolate makers, California-based Ghirardelli is also one of the most ubiquitous brands, commonly found in supermarkets and drug stores nationwide.
The 72% Cacao bar contains five ingredients, with vanilla extract and soy lecithin rounding out the combination of unsweetened chocolate, sugar and cocoa butter.
A century-old French brand, Valrhona upholds its stated mission of excellence by making the safer category as well. Still, its self-described "powerful & tannic" dark chocolate bar, made of 85% Cacao, had the highest levels of lead among all the "safer choices" in the study.