Cocoa plants do not take lead from the soil and there is no natuaral possibility. The lead contamination may have many other reasons – some countries use still leaded petrol and contamination through water or other sources.

Chocolate is a processed food. The international voluntary standard limit for lead in cocoa beans or powder is 1 microg per g. I all studies lead are found in the chocolate and if eaten in high quantities may bring problem to the children.

Particularly in India where lot of advertisements are made for brain food in the television, it is of great interest to find lead in these formulas. There are more ads for the chocolates. Parents who buy these costly brain food (?) must ask their children to limit the consumption of their cacao products. It is for chocolates, icecreams, pudding, hot drinks based on cacao.

There are two important reasons for this and they are:

• There is no known limit for lead’s effect on children’s brain function and even small quantities of lead can cause problems in neurological functions including impaired IQ. The marks of your child will not be good in the school.
• Chocolates are high in calories and one of the reasons among obesity in Children. You need not ban your child in eating chocolates but reduce it drastically. Explain them the facts.

We read a lot about the chocolates, but lead is a environmental poison present in many thing which we use daily. The cumulative effect is more important than from only the chocolates.

We must eat healthy food and this always good for our health. The parents must think and learn first about all these dangers.