Arsenic in Candy? Some Say “Not So Fast”

Sweet Tooth: If you’re a candy lover, this news out of Florida may give you pause. The Florida Department of Health released a report stating that several popular candies, like Snickers and KitKats, contain levels of arsenic, a harmful heavy metal, in quantities above the safe limits set by the FDA. But there’s a catch — and quite a big one. 

The Study: The study was commissioned as part of the state’s “Healthy Florida First” initiative, which is headquartered online at exposingfoodtoxins.com. The report identifies 28 candies with purportedly unsafe arsenic levels. The catch? The FDOH doesn’t include any documentation on how they collected this evidence. Also, the study didn’t clarify between organic and inorganic arsenic, which have different effects, and it used a screening method that’s typically used for soil and wastewater, not food. Some say the method used is less specific than the one used for food, which could have skewed the results.   

The Takeaway: No one argues that candy is good for us; most people should eat less candy and more nutrient-dense food. And it is true that chronic exposure to arsenic is associated with various health problems. 

Keep in Mind: There are flaws in this research that make experts question its credibility.