789: Chocolate | Skeptical Sunday

Feb 5, 2023

David C. Smalley, a fact-checker, comedian, and podcast host, dives deep into the dark side of chocolate. He and Jordan explore alarming issues like child labor, labor exploitation, and environmental damage tied to cocoa production. Smalley reveals that many chocolate farmers earn less than $1 a day, while children are ensnared in a cycle of modern slavery. They also discuss the troubling presence of heavy metals in chocolate and highlight the importance of fair trade practices, urging listeners to make mindful choices in their chocolate consumption.

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INSIGHT

Chocolate's Dark Side

Chocolate production has negative impacts, including child trafficking, slavery-like labor, and deforestation.
These issues exist alongside environmental damage and climate change contributions.

INSIGHT

Heavy Metals in Chocolate

Cocoa products, despite health benefits, contain heavy metals like nickel, cadmium, chromium, and lead.
This poses food safety concerns according to IOP Science.

INSIGHT

Deforestation Due to Cacao Farming

Cacao farming contributes to deforestation, particularly in West Africa.
Farmers often clear rainforests for new trees instead of reusing land, causing 70% of illegal deforestation in Ivory Coast.

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Is chocolate your guilty pleasure? Until you listen to this episode, we can almost guarantee you're not feeling guilty enough about it! But don't fret, because we'll also provide resources to help alleviate some of that guilt and allow you to become part of the problem's solution!

Welcome to Skeptical Sunday, a special edition of The Jordan Harbinger Show where Jordan and fact-checker, comedian, and podcast host David C. Smalley break down a topic that you may have never thought about, open things up, and debunk common misconceptions.

On This Week's Skeptical Sunday, We Discuss:

How the production and consumption of chocolate perpetuates a range of negative impacts, including child trafficking, labor exploitation akin to slavery, deforestation, and climate change.
The chocolate industry brings in $100 billion annually, but the farmers who produce it make less than $1 a day toiling long hours in the grueling heat, constantly exposed to poisonous pesticides in unsafe conditions.
High demand for labor is met by children — some as young as five — who are forced into it either by their desperate families or opportunists who abduct and sell them.
How, despite the health benefits of cocoa, there has been a high food safety concern regarding the presence and levels of heavy metals such as nickel, cadmium, chromium, and lead, both in cocoa beans and cocoa products including, cocoa butter, cocoa liquor, cocoa powder, and chocolates.
How consumers can contribute to positive change by being more mindful of where their chocolate comes from and demanding ethical and sustainable production practices. Vote with your dollars for conscientious producers of chocolate who observe fair trade practices!
Connect with Jordan on Twitter, Instagram, and YouTube. If you have something you'd like us to tackle here on Skeptical Sunday, drop Jordan a line at jordan@jordanharbinger.com and let him know!
Connect with David at his website, Twitter, Instagram, TikTok, and YouTube, and make sure to check out The David C. Smalley Podcast here or wherever you enjoy listening to fine podcasts! If you like to get out of your house and catch live comedy, keep an eye on David's tour dates here and text David directly at (424) 306-0798 for tickets when he comes to your town!

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