Ultra Processed Foods - Lindt 70% Dark Chocolate

[Wheninromme]

I bought ‘the book’ a while ago and have only got round to reading it recently. I feel disgusted, as I assume most did, with the food industry. I have cut out every possible UPF from the family’s diet (with the exception of some moderately processed condiments - mainly soy sauce, stock). We are now consuming up to 5% PF/UPF (previously 15-20%).

I have also recently switched to One-meal-a-day for its health benefits. I have thoroughly enjoyed it and it has definitely helped my cognitive functioning, especially during work.

In the past week, I have really enjoyed a dessert to follow my main: Greek yogurt, frozen berries (blueberries, strawberries or raspberries), Manuka honey and crushed cashew nuts. With a few calories to spare, and previous knowledge that dark chocolate has health benefits; I purchased Lindt Excellence 70% Dark Chocolate.

After eating it with my coveted dessert, I went to research the benefits of dark chocolate again - only to find this exact brand and bar is linked with high levels of heavy metals.

I am gutted and don’t understand how these companies continuously get away with playing with the public’s health (rhetorical question). AIBU to bin the chocolate? What are the alternatives you enjoy…

A cult?! What have I missed because whenever I search up these types of subjects I try to be objective.

scholar.google.com/scholar_lookup?doi=10.1037%2F1089-2680.2.2.175

You, and often the more genuine authors of these books on food or promoters of diets are suffering from confirmation bias.

The less genuine are exploiting natural anxieties we have, focussing it on controllable things, and supplying products to suit IE they are grifters.

I love the 70 % Lindt noir intense 😍. Is life worth living if you give up all pleasures in order to live 100% bio, ethical, upf-free etc? To me the answer is no.

cocoa is harvested in South America where there are rich sources of metals in their soil, which gets absorbed into crops.

Sorry, which book are you referring?

OP also look out for manufacturers that get their beans from Africa, the soils are much lower in lead there.

Bloody Nora, I eat tons of 90% chocolate every day.

YABU to choose Lindt, it tastes grim. I've swapped to Waitrose 90% and it's sensational. Have a bar of 100% in the fridge too.

Ultra processed people by Chris van Tulleken.

I didn't find it surprising, it confirmed what I already suspected.

And you can get fat on nuts, sourdough, avocado and dark chocolate.

@AdoraBell https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/62586003-ultra-processed-people

@Hunglikeapolevaulter yes thanks I am going to look for Ghanaian chocolate and buy Montezuma’s in the mean time.

Thank you, I’ve watched him on TV . I’ve been thinking to buy his book.

The whole message of his book is to NOT get obsessive. UPF is our food system, it's everywhere, to avoid it entirely requires a level of dedication, diligence, and paranoia that isn't possible or healthy for most people.

OP, just enjoy the chocolate. Eat as healthy as you can, make choices based on clear information. But enjoy the chocolate.

I might have missed it, but... What book is it?

What's the one meal thing?

@AshCrapp https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/62586003-ultra-processed-people

@Monvelo ultimately it’s a type of intermittent fasting - eating all of your daily calories within 1-2 hours. Your height, weight and lifestyle will determine how suitable it will be for you. I fasted for most of the day before following OMAD (also I am petite both in height and stature) so it is fairly easy for me.

the heavy metal is naturally in chocolate depending on growing conditions.
with less percent chocolate the contamination is diluted.

just enjoy the ocassional piece.

I'm really surprised by the replies to this. I thought everyone would be telling you to not be silly and to use your own judgement, but people are taking your question seriously.

On a different thread, you'd be accused of orthorexia or cultish diets.

It is a serious question. UPF is not a cultish diet and has been backed with scientific research (fairly new nonetheless) which this is why I prefaced with this. It’s a concern for many.

Your moderately crunchy?

Metals are in the soil. So what’s in the soil is in the food grown in the soil.
We eat toxins like Oxalate and Pytate in vegetables all the time.
Green potatoes are toxic.
A man died from a surfeit of Oxalate in Samphire soup.
A little bit of a toxin is a Hormetic stressor and makes the body thrive.
Because the body fights to stay alive.
You can’t omit every stressor from food it is impossible
I like to remind myself that Dark Chocolate is extremely rich in Magnesium.

A little bit of a toxin is a Hormetic stressor and makes the body thrive.

Not heavy metals like lead. No benefits, and build up in the body. I can understand the concern about lead levels from anyone health-conscious who is fond of dark chocolate.

@stargazerlil I understand that it may be naturally occurring in cacao from certain regions. I still don’t think it is ok or ethical for companies to produce from these crops and commercialise it. Now that I know this, AIBU to throw it out was the question.

Haven't RTFT, but I would recommend Montezuma 100% dark chocolate. With a little bit of 100% almond butter. Delicious.

Actually yes, they are why don’t you go and look up the science around cadmium and hormosis.

Actually yes, they are why don’t you go and look up the science around cadmium and hormosis.

You're arguing that there are health benefits to consuming lead? Can you provide any evidence of this?

you get one comment only .