I’ve always been a chocolate person. Not the candy bar kind. The “good” kind. Dark chocolate. Raw cacao. Unsweetened cocoa powder in smoothies. The minimalist packaging, the antioxidant claims, the promise that this was somehow better than coffee.
Turns out, it wasn’t.
Last year, I ran routine blood work, including a heavy metals screen. What came back surprised me.
My arsenic, cadmium and lead levels were elevated. When my practitioner asked about my diet, the first thing that came up was daily chocolate. At the time, I brushed it off. Dark chocolate is a “health food,” right? That sent me down a rabbit hole.
The Problem With “Healthy” Cocoa
Cocoa carries a health halo, but it comes with tradeoffs most people do not see.
Cacao plants naturally absorb heavy metals from the soil, especially cadmium, and independent lab testing has shown that many cocoa powders and dark chocolate products can exceed daily intake limits when consumed regularly.
What surprises most people is that organic is not safer. Third-party analyses have found organic cocoa to be no less likely to contain cadmium or lead than conventional options. Those same tests also highlight just how inconsistent the category is, with wide variation from brand to brand and even batch to batch.
The test showed none of the cocoa products evaluated for high flavanol content were approved, largely due to concerns around heavy metal levels. In other words, the products most aggressively marketed for health benefits were also the ones struggling to meet safety benchmarks.
Higher cacao does not solve the problem either. Processing often strips away the flavanols people are chasing, leaving heavy metals, calories, and sugar for very little return. And because cocoa is usually a daily habit, smoothies, drinks, desserts, or a square or two at night, small exposures can quietly add up over time.
Why I Didn’t Want to Give Up Cocoa Altogether
The frustrating part was that I didn’t want to give up cocoa.
For years, Rhonda Patrick, and other health researchers and physicians have talked about the real benefits of cocoa, specifically its flavanols.
They’ve highlighted that certain compounds in cocoa are associated with:
- Healthy circulation and heart health
- Muscle improvements and increased endurance
- Healthy metabolism and weight loss
- Slower aging
- Improved memory, mood, stress, and inflammation
Finding the Health Benefits Without the Safety Tradeoff
Once I understood that difference, I stopped looking for “better” chocolate and started looking for a smarter way to get the compounds people associate with cocoa, without the baggage.
That’s when I came across Morning Being by VERSO, a high-flavanol cocoa drink made with science-backed ingredients formulated to support steady energy, hydration, and both mental and physical performance, without the jitters.
It doesn’t rely on bulk cocoa powder. Instead, it uses a high-quality, high-flavanol cocoa extract with standardized theobromine, which gives a nice, smooth energy boost that lasts all day.
VERSO goes above and beyond and conducts heavy metal third-party testing on each batch of Morning Being produced. No guessing. No variability.
It also includes isolated epicatechin, which is known to support circulation, muscle strength and growth, and recovery.
Then there’s moringa, a nutrient-dense superfood known for its antioxidant and metabolic support, plus electrolytes to support hydration first thing in the morning.
Just as importantly, it actually tastes good. The flavor is rich and chocolate-forward, more like a light milkshake than a “health drink,” and it works just as well hot or cold, with whatever milk you prefer.
The Takeaway
Cocoa was never the problem. How it’s usually consumed is.
Most cocoa products ask you to trade consistency and safety for vague promises. You take on heavy metals, calories, and sugar, and hope the benefits show up.
Morning Being removes that tradeoff. It keeps the compounds people actually want from cocoa and strips away the guesswork through testing and formulation.
After using it consistently, the benefits became obvious. My energy felt steadier and more predictable throughout the day, without the spikes or crashes I used to get. Mental clarity improved, especially in the morning, and I noticed better focus and mood under stress. Workouts felt more sustainable, with less fatigue during training and faster recovery afterward. Over time, it felt like my body was simply working more efficiently, from circulation and endurance to day-to-day energy.
If something is part of your daily routine, especially in the name of long-term health, it should do what you think it’s doing. For me, Morning Being finally did.
Upgrade your chocolate. Try Morning Being now and take 15% off your first order.