Cadmium, additives... Lidl Easter chocolate is better than Jeff de Bruges, according to UFC-Que Choisir

UFC-Que Choisir compared the nutritional value but also the cadmium content of 15 Easter chocolates from major brands such as Kinder, Lindt or Milka.The rankings show that milk chocolate bars, even those from Lidl, are the most recommended.

Cadmium, additives... Lidl Easter chocolate is better than Jeff de Bruges, according to UFC-Que Choisir.

Since Easter is fast approaching, you're definitely planning to buy chocolate for the egg hunt on the morning of Sunday, April 5.Maybe you have already bought one.But make sure you buy what's best for your health?

Even this year, the price of chocolate is an important topic for consumers, but the question of its cadmium content also arises.Warnings about this heavy metal, which is harmful to health and abundant in our food, have been increasing in recent months.

On March 25, ANSES (National Health Protection Agency) published a warning report on the exposure of the French to this substance, classified as carcinogenic.And bread, pasta, potatoes ... but also in chocolate.Regarding this presence in chocolate, UFC-Que Choisir issued a warning in an investigation published last August.

15 Easter chocolates tested by UFC Que Choisir

This year the consumer association is interested in the composition of Easter chocolates.In total, 15 references were compared.National brand chocolates such as Kinder Schokobons, Lapin Or (milk and dark) from Lindt and even Smarties eggs from Nestlé.But also distributor branded products (Carrefour, Lidl, Action...) and high quality chocolates from Jeff de Bruges and Leonidas.

The analysis focuses on the cadmium content, but also on the content of sugars, saturated fatty acids and additives.And the result provides a surprising lesson: the best chocolates are not the best, far from it.

Jeff de Bruges rabbit: both expensive and rich in cadmium

Indeed, at the very bottom of the scale we find the product of Jeff de Bruges, "Bunny Gaby in dark chocolate decorated".UFC-Que Choisir takes into account the high price in particular (100 euros per kilogram), the presence of additives to avoid, the absence of a cocoa stabilization label... and above all, the high cadmium content.

The association states that "eating even half of this small package (43 grams) would be enough to exceed the daily value, from which a risk cannot be excluded, for a child weighing 25 kg".

This high content is explained by the fact that it is dark chocolate.The latter is high in cocoa, which concentrates cadmium itself.In addition, cocoa comes from Latin America, where the cultivated soils are often much higher in cadmium than in other producing regions such as West Africa.

Thus, in the category, some dark chocolates in the sample stand out with a high content of cadmium: Black Gold Rabbit from Lindt or Dark Chocolate Chicken from Monoprix Gourmet.However, they rank better because they are cheaper, less sweet, and contain better ingredients than Jeff de Brugge.

Do you prefer milk chocolate over dark chocolate?

So you will understand: to avoid cadmium, it is better to avoid dark chocolate.Although some milk products can be avoided.UFC-Que Choisir especially highlights Action's Milk Chocolate Rabbit, which has great content.And it is one of the sweetest in the test.

If you want to avoid cadmium absolutely, you should go to Carrefour.And buy their "Party Spirit" milk heart eggs.As for cadmium, it is the product that performs best in the entire test.With a price of 15.80 euros per kilo, it is even one of the cheapest.However, the lack of a sustainability label for the cocoa prevents it from winning the award for the best Easter chocolate.

That's the name of milk chocolate "Duck Favorina" from Lidl.This relatively cheap product (€19.90 per kilo) is made with Fairtrade chocolate, is not too greasy, has little cadmium and "only" two additives and has a natural taste.Golden Rabbit, but this time with Lindt milk, is well placed on this list.

However, this ranking shouldn't be a free ticket to eating chocolate and eating it all in a few days.UFC-Que Choisir recommends spreading consumption over several weeks.