Quick Summary
What did ConsumerLab test dark chocolates, cocoa powders, and supplements for?
Cocoa-based products contain flavanols that are associated with modest, potential health benefits (see What It Does) at a daily intake of about 200 to 900 mg, but many products don’t provide these amounts and/or may be contaminated with cadmium and lead, which are toxic heavy metals.
To identify the best dark chocolates, cocoa/cacao powders, and supplements, ConsumerLab tested popular products for flavanols and heavy metals. It also checked caffeine levels (see How Products Were Evaluated). Brands of products tested are Anthony's, Baker's, Blueprint - Bryan Johnson, Chocolove, Cocoa Dynamics, CocoaVia, Dove, Endangered Species, Ghirardelli, Good & Gather (Target), Guittard, Hershey's, Hu, Lily's, Lindt, Montezuma's, Moser Roth, Navitas, Terrasoul, Tony's, Trader Joe's, and 365 Whole Foods Market.
What did ConsumerLab’s test show?
Seven of 14 dark chocolate bars were NOT APPROVED due to high levels of cadmium. Several also had amounts of lead that should be avoided by children and pregnant women. The flavanols per serving of dark chocolate ranged from as little as 2.4 mg to as much as 309 mg. Some products labeled as having very high “% cocoa” had surprisingly low levels of flavanols, likely due to larger amounts of cocoa butter in their formulas or being Dutched (alkali-treated) (see What CL Found).
Two of ten cocoa or cacao powders were NOT APPROVED due to high levels of cadmium, and many had levels of cadmium or lead that should be avoided by children and/or pregnant women. Flavanols per 5-gram serving of powder ranged from just 10 mg to 676.5 mg.
Three cocoa supplements (which were powders or capsules) were APPROVED, providing 580 mg to 878.4 mg of flavanols per serving
Which dark chocolate and cocoa products are best?
Among APPROVED products that minimized heavy metal exposure, maximized flavanol content, and offered superior value without sacrificing flavor, we selected Top Picks for each of the following:
- Best High Flavanol Dark Chocolate
- Best Lower Calorie Dark Chocolate
- Best Very High Flavanol Cocoa Powder
- Best High Flavanol Cocoa Powder
- Best Tasting Cocoa Powder
- Best Very High Flavanol Cocoa Supplement - Powder
- Best Very High Flavanol Cocoa Supplement - Pill
What amount of cocoa flavanols is associated with health benefits?
- Cardiovascular health: About 200 to 900 mg per day
- Blood sugar/insulin improvement: About 200 mg to 600 mg per day
- Memory/cognitive function: About 500 to 900 mg per day
- Skin elasticity/wrinkles: 320 mg per day
Which dark chocolate and cocoa products are best?
Among APPROVED products that minimized heavy metal exposure, maximized flavanol content, and offered superior value without sacrificing flavor, we selected Top Picks for dark chocolate and for cocoa/cacao powders.
