If you have been reading about cacao online, you have probably seen warnings about heavy metals — particularly cadmium and lead. The headlines are real. Some cacao does contain levels worth thinking about. But the picture is more nuanced than scary listicles suggest, and good cacao testing turns the question from a fear into useful information.

What is being tested and why

Cacao heavy metals testing usually focuses on two things: cadmium and lead. Cacao trees, like many plants, pull metals up from the soil into their tissues. The amount that ends up in the bean depends on the soil, the elevation, the farming system, and the variety.

Cadmium is naturally present in most soil. Some regions have higher background levels than others. Volcanic soils in parts of South America, for instance, tend to be higher in cadmium. Industrial pollution can add lead as a post harvest contaminant. Both can show up in the bean.

How testing works

Reputable cacao brands send batch samples to accredited laboratories. The labs use ICP-MS — inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry — to measure metals at parts per million or parts per billion. The numbers are then compared against safety thresholds set by regulators like the European Commission and Prop 65 in California.

Pacha Mana publishes batch results openly. You can see them in our Pacha Mana heavy metals testing results.

What good results look like

There is no perfect zero — these are naturally occurring elements. The question is whether the levels are well below regulatory thresholds and consistent batch to batch. Pacha Mana's recent results: lead under 0.010 PPM, cadmium around 0.126 PPM. Both well below EU and Prop 65 limits.

If a brand cannot tell you their numbers, take that as data. Quiet does not mean safe.

Why our cacao tests low. The best low heavy metals results in the industry. Very few compare to us.

Three reasons, mostly geographic and agricultural:

Elevation. Highland cacao tends to absorb less cadmium than lowland cacao. Our Chuncho ceremonial cacao paste is grown high in the Peruvian highlands.

Living soil. Regenerative agroforestry produces healthier soil that binds metals differently than depleted commercial soil. The metals are still there in the dirt, but the plant pulls less of them up when the rest of the system is alive.

Heirloom variety. Different cacao genetics absorb metals differently. Chuncho, our heirloom variety, is part of the picture.

How to read a heavy metals report

When a brand publishes results, look for the analyte (lead or cadmium), the result in PPM, and the regulatory threshold. Compare the result to the threshold. A result well under — say, ten times under — gives you a real margin. A result close to the threshold is worth a question.

Also check whether the test is per batch or one historical sample. Per-batch testing is meaningful. A single result from years ago is not.

What to do with this information

Choose brands that publish numbers. Lean toward high-elevation, single-origin cacao from regenerative farms. If you have a specific health concern, talk to a qualified clinician — the levels matter for some bodies more than others.

And if you are buying ceremonial cacao for daily ritual, this work should already be done for you. Try our pure ground ceremonial cacao or shop the full range. The numbers are public, and they are not buried.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why does cacao contain heavy metals?

Cacao trees, like many plants, absorb naturally occurring metals from the soil. Cadmium is naturally present in some volcanic and mineral-rich soils. Lead can come from soil background or industrial pollution. The amounts vary widely by region and farming method.

How can I tell if a cacao brand has safe levels?

Look for batch testing published openly. Compare the lab results — usually in PPM — against EU and Prop 65 thresholds. Results well below the thresholds are a good sign. Brands that do not publish numbers leave you guessing.

Is Pacha Mana cacao tested for heavy metals?

Yes. Every batch is tested. Recent results show lead under 0.010 PPM and cadmium around 0.126 PPM, both well below EU and Prop 65 limits. The full results are public.

Should I be worried about heavy metals in cacao?

It depends on the cacao. Some commodity cacao does test high. High-elevation, regenerative, single-origin cacao tends to test much lower. Choosing transparency over silence is the simplest filter.