Heavy metal contamination of cacao products, and supplements

[Gilgamesh]

http://labs.naturalnews.com/

Consumer Lab (more established than the above site) found huge amounts of cadmium in Navitas Natural (organic) Cacao Powder, and NOW Certified Organic Cacao Powder. Both contained amounts around three times higher than the limit suggested by WHO.

Sigh....

GB

[Gina99]

Mike Adams was on Dr. Oz this morning, basically backing up what had been posted elsewhere on the heavy metal content in the soil, of some Asian countries, (more specifically China). Indicating do not eat imported rice from China or anything made of it. The problem is there is no heavy metal reporting required on imported food. On the show, he noted metals found in some protein powders and Ginkgo. On the cacao product, he noted that the cacao nibs tested ok, but not the powder. So nibs it is.

[Julie G]

I wonder about the Navitas Natural Nibs?

[SpunkyPup]

yikes I got a Now cocoa powder that in the dustbin now and have a bullet proof coca powder I'll be using.
someone told me NOW products are to be watched for quality.

[Gina99]

I believe Dr Oz said Mike Adam's findings would be on Dr Oz website , but I just checked and did not see i.

[Gilgamesh]

I watched the segment last night (free online). Adams said, without mentioning brands, that it was the cacao powder that was the problem, not nibs. Weird. Some heavy metals are introduced in processing (esp., in Africa, lead from the air), but I thought cadmium came from the soil. STrange. But maybe I won't toss my Navita nibs just yet....

Gina, yeah, I can't find the info on Oz's website either. Maybe he got some threatening phone calls from lawyers.

GB

[Gilgamesh]

By the way, I strongly encourage everyone to write to Navitas. We can make a difference!

Email:

info@navitasnaturals.com

Template letter (feel free to improve upon it, and repost here!):

Hello,

Consumer Lab (https://www.consumerlab.com/) just released test results showing your organic cacao powder contains high (excessively high, by all existing standards) levels of cadmium. This is of course highly disturbing. Mike Adams ALSO found high levels of heavy metals in your cacao powder. (http://www.doctoroz.com/episode/whistle ... ricas-food) I've been consuming your cacao nibs for a long time now. My question is the following: Can one presume that the cadmium contamination comes from the source, thus the beans, nibs, or powder all would be contaminated (though perhaps to slightly different degrees), since they all (presumably) come from the same place in Peru?

My second question is: what do you plan to do remedy the problem?

Thank you for your time.
[Name]

[Stavia]

Oh my....scary!!!

[Welcomeaboard]

excellent idea, gilgamesh, hope it works, as many countries don't seem to give a crap if you poison their
citizens or the people that they export their products to for consumption. Chinese fish will soon be extremely high in mercury, if not already do to all the air pollution from power plants and cars, plus whatever other junk they just dump in the soil and rivers.

[Julie G]

Yeah, but Navitas Naturals is based in California and promotes itself as a "superfood" supplier- all organic, etc. BTW, I think it's a great idea to contact them and share our concerns.

It IS frightening to see how many supposedly healthful foods are imported from China & other countries with little regard for food safety. I was recently dismayed to see that my Sam's Club frozen wild caught Atlantic cod was processed in China Geographically, that makes NO sense...and frightens me more than a little.