I read a few articles that say the alkali process destroys some of the nutrients. Real or fact? I haven't looked into that deeply.

I did read that Ghirardelli 86% has very low lead and cadmium content in Consumer Reports and a few other publications. It's not as bitter as the Lindt 85% I was eating before I found out about the heavy metal content.

I like dark chocolate so it works for me. Less lead in my diet also makes me feel good.

I used to like not-quite-so-dark chocolate, about 75%, but when I went Atkins (now keto) and found my threshold to be 20 carbs per day, I got used to the more bitter chocolate. Years later, I prefer it.

But of course, that's just me.

Bob

Lindt still uses the original Swiss recipe of the founder. And Aldis has Moser-Roth which are five small bars per package. Doubtless for safety reasons .

I got fond of baker's chocolate!

I was eating Lindt 85% until the Consumers Report came out and showed high lead and cadmium content. So I switched.

I've eaten the Moser Roth, and it's good, but alkalized so supposedly not as healthy.

So I switched to Ghirardelli 86%. It's a little milder and smoother than the Lindt but just as good, even though it's a little different.

Bob

Gosh yes! You should.

Yes, cocoa is "healthy" because of the antioxidants. But I'm restricting oxalate (with excellent autoimmune results!) so cocoa extract is my go to for my Naked Whey smoothies. They test with labs on the site, which is reassuring.

But I looked it up and there is no scientific support for people actually benefiting from the antioxidants. Which are there for the plant's purposes, not ours. Some of the studies even admit there is no scientific evidence for their proposed healthy effect.

And now I'm uncertain about using chocolate at all. Not if it's contaminated, and it turns out "organic" on the label makes it more likely it IS.

Thanks for this important info, Bob. Cocoa extract is looking even better now!

Antioxidants are currently a theory we are all living out based on epidemiological studies of people filling out six month or yearly "What do you remember eating?" food questionnaires.

When people don't fill these out honestly. How can they remember? We KNOW people tend to shade their answers according to the nutritional dogma operating when they fill them out.

So they eat more vegetables and less junk on paper than they do in life.

Won't live by a lie. Even a seemingly "harmless" one.

I like chocolate a lot, and since what I buy is low sugar, and I only eat a square a day, it keeps me from craving other dessert type foods. So it works.

I like the LIndt a bit better than the Ghirardelli, but the low lead and cadmium is worth the difference in taste.

It's still good, just not quite as good.

Bob

Yes, it works that way for me, too. I've cut cocoa down, but it is the last plant I will cling to.

Maybe bad news for anybody still doing The Zone diet or Perfect Health or something. Or maybe not. The macronutrient ratio described is just a stone's throw from a diet entirely comprised of Big Macs.

Interesting post from Nina Teicholz about these "headlines" from last years' ACC meeting


And doctors and Pharma companies why so many people do not trust them now?
The ACC scientific meetings are first week of April…can’t wait for the new "studies" why LDL-C should now be below 55!!

Somehow I missed this thread a year ago - but I have to say, this post perfectly describes most diet related "research".

Worded so perfectly, it's absolutely priceless.