The Dark Side of Chocolate

I love to eat chocolate & many studies are showing an increasing number of health benefits, especially from dark chocolate, including:

• rich in antioxidants, vitamin C, Omega-6 fatty acids, chromium, magnesium and iron
• reduces risk factors for heart disease
• lowers blood pressure
• increases HDL cholestrol
• reduces inflammation
• boosts mood
• improves symptoms of chronic fatigue syndrome

But there is also an uglier side to the much loved treat.

Up to 75% of the world's cocoa beans are grown in small farms in West Africa, employing 7.5 million people, including children. In the Ivory Coast alone, there are an estimated 200,000 children working the fields, many against their will & without pay. Reports indicate that the conditions are hazardous, with workers, including children under 14, being required to operate dangerous machinery & apply chemical pesticides without protective equipment. The hours are long, interfering with many children's oppurtunities to go to school & incidents of trafficking & abuse occur. The issue of child labour stems from the larger issue of poverty, both among the families who send their children to work & the farmers who use child workers, as labour is an easy place to cut costs for the producer. The efforts of many stakeholders to eliminate such issues have been found to be insufficient.

The sustainability of the cocoa industry is also at risk. A typical cocoa crop requires 5 years to mature & will typically yield about 18 years of harvest. Threats include pests, disease & the depletion of sustainable growing areas. Establishing & maintaining a profitable operation requires substantial knowledge, planning & resources, which many farmers do not have & therefore turn to child labour & the use of unsustainable farming practices that often lead to deforestation & the reduction of biodiversity.

What to look for when choosing your chocolate:

Organic- ensures that sustainable & chemical free farming practices are used.

Fair-Trade Certified- usually requires sustainable & organic farming practices & also ensures that workers are treated right, including fair prices, labour conditions, direct trade & democratic & transparent organisations. It helps to support communities financially, preventing child labour & reducing poverty & promotes community development & environmental sustainibility.

Rainforest Alliance Certified- this label is slowly starting to appear on more chocolate products & ensures that the cocoa is responsibly grown & harvested & that the farm has met a number of environmental & social standards, including improved water & soil quality & access to education & health care for workers.

Raw- also known as raw cacao, this is essentially made up of cold-pressed cacao beans. Some people choose this form of chocolate as it is believed that the heating process results in the loss of certain vitamins & minerals, therefore making this the most nutritious form of chocolate.

Products with at least the first two of these labels are becoming more widely available & some reputable manufacturers include:
   Camino (a Canadian company that began in Ottawa & a personal favourite!)
   Olivia Chocolat (Canada)
   Green & Black's (US, but not all varieties are fair trade)
   Divine Chocolates (US)
   Haigh's Chocolates (South-Australian)
   Cocolo (Australian)

I will definitely need to continue with the research on this topic in order to expand this list further!

Let me know any of your personal favourites!

Larger Manufacturers

The good news is that larger manufacturing companies are also responding to consumer pressure & making commitments to move towards more ethical & sustainable practices. This year Ferrero, the maker of Ferrero Rocher chocolates, Nutella Spread & Kinder eggs pledged to eradicate slavery from farms where it sources its cocoa by 2020. The Hershey company pledged $10 million over the next five years to educate West African cocoa farmers on improving their trade and combating child labor. Nestlé recently gave approval for the completion of an independent investigation into its cocoa supply chain & plans to eventually eradicate forced labor and child labor in its production cycle. In 2009 Rainforest Alliance began working with Mars Corporation to promote changes in their production.

For more information watch CNN journalist David McKenzie as he travels to the Ivory Coast to film the documentary 'Chocolate's Children Slaves'.
http://thecnnfreedomproject.blogs.cnn.com/2012/01/12/chocolates-child-slaves/

References:
'The Conscious Kitchen'- Alexandra Zissu
'Alive' Magazine, October 2012, Issue 360
http://thecnnfreedomproject.blogs.cnn.com/category/chocolates-child-slaves/
http://www.ethical.org.au/