Trader Joe's sued for selling dark chocolate allegedly containing lead and cadmium

As reported by Jonathan Stempel at Reuters, a lawsuit was filed by a New York man earlier this week against Trader Joe's, alleging that the company sold dark chocolate products that contained potentially harmful amounts of heavy metals. According to Consumer Reports, the Trader Joe's Dark Chocolate 72% Cacao was high in lead, while the Trader Joe's The Dark Chocolate Lover's Chocolate 85% Cacao was high in both lead and cadmium. Consumer Reports states that out of all 28 dark chocolate bars tested, every single one contained lead and cadmium: "For 23 of the bars, eating just an ounce a day would put an adult over a level that public health authorities and CR's experts say may be harmful for at least one of those heavy metals." According to this Harvard report, dark chocolate has more flavanols than milk chocolate, which can help boost heart health, as well as help "relax the blood vessels and improve blood flow, thereby lowering blood pressure."