Heavy metals affect brain development, lead to lower IQ in young children, and cause developmental problems for pregnant women
Swiss chocolatier Lindt & Sprungli – known across the world for its premium chocolates, finds itself in a legal battle after admitting that its chocolates contain traces of heavy metals like lead and cadmium. The revelation comes as part of the company’s defence in a class action lawsuit filed in the United States.
According to court documents, Lindt acknowledged that "lead and cadmium are unavoidable in the food supply." The company, however, has maintained that the trace amounts present in its products are within regulatory limits and do not qualify as significant safety violations.
The controversy began in 2022 when Consumer Reports published a study highlighting alarmingly high levels of lead in Lindt’s Excellence Dark Chocolate 84 per cent Cocoa, and cadmium in its Excellence Dark Chocolate 70 per cent Cocoa.
In 2023, a group of consumers in the US filed a class action lawsuit, accusing Lindt of violating labelling laws in states like Alabama, California, Florida, Illinois, Nevada, and New York. The plaintiffs alleged that Lindt deceived customers into paying a premium for a product that was not as exceptional as advertised.
Even though the study featured other brands as well, it led to a class action lawsuit against Lindt.
According to experts, consistent and long-term exposure to even some amounts of heavy metals like lead and cadmium can have a variety of health problems.
How do heavy metals affect your health?
Ingesting heavy metals like lead and cadmium over a period of time leads to poisoning as they bind to parts of your cells that prevent your organs from doing their job. According to experts, symptoms of heavy metal poisoning can be life-threatening, and they can cause irreversible damage.
Doctors say lead and cadmium get absorbed by and accumulate within organs like the kidneys and liver and are associated with many diseases including cardiovascular disease and kidney dysfunction as well as developmental disorders and neurodegenerative diseases.
While we use and interact with metals every day, certain heavy metals are toxic because the molecules that make up the metal damage or negatively interact with the cells in your body that are essential to keep your organs functioning.
Signs and symptoms of heavy metal poisoning?
Doctors say signs and symptoms vary for each type of metal and range in severity based on your body’s exposure. A few of these include:
- Abdominal pain
- Chills or a low body temperature
- Dehydration
- Diarrhoea and weakness
- Nausea and vomiting
- A scratchy feeling in your throat
- Numbness or prickly sensation in your hands and feet.
- Abnormal heartbeat
- Anemia
- Brain damage and memory loss
- Difficulty breathing
- Kidney and liver damage
- Miscarriage in pregnant women
- Risk of developing cancer
How do heavy metals cause poisoning in your body?
According to experts, the accumulation of heavy metals happens in your blood or tissues, which spreads from your head to your toes.
They fight with components in your cells, like enzymes and proteins which are important to help your organs function properly. If your organs are not able to do their job because they are getting bullied by heavy metals, you experience symptoms of heavy metal poisoning that can be life-threatening without treatment.
Ways to reduce your risk of metal poisoning
To reduce your risk of heavy metal poisoning, you can minimize your exposure by:
- Limiting the amount of foods like fish that contain metals (mercury) in your diet
- Washing your hands before you eat
- Reading labels on products you purchase to see if they contain metals
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