Essential Takeaways
- Heavy metals are naturally occurring elements that exist in the earth’s crust but that can also be introduced to the environment via soil, air, and water pollution.
- Plant-based and chocolate protein powders are at a higher risk for heavy metals, but rigorous ingredient sourcing and testing practices can help reduce contamination.
- Protein powders have come under scrutiny for the presence of heavy metals, and currently, no federal limits exist for this category. Ritual is asking Congress for health protective limits on heavy metals in protein powder and supplements.
- Though not legally required to do so, Ritual showcases an unprecedented level of transparency, showing our specific Essential Protein test results on our Certificate of Traceability, easily accessed on each product’s page
Heavy metals are naturally occurring elements, are abundant at the earth’s core, and exist in the soil, air, and water. Lead, mercury, arsenic, cadmium, and chromium are examples of heavy metals that are most concerning to human health, while elements like iron and zinc are essential for our bodies in trace amounts.*
How Do Heavy Metals Get into Protein Powder?
Heavy metals are naturally occurring and therefore, no company is adding heavy metals to their protein powder; they are contaminants that tag along with raw materials. The highest risk ingredients include the protein itself (whey or peas) and flavors (chocolate is the highest risk). Brands must be diligent in their sourcing, selecting the best suppliers, or implementing rigorous testing methods. It's important to understand that humans are exposed to heavy metals simply by going about daily life, but there are higher risk activities, such as consuming contaminated food sources, drinking contaminated water, inhaling polluted air, absorbing it through the skin, and occupational exposures in the workplace. (1)
Lack of Federal Limits on Heavy Metals Allows Continued Elevated Contamination
Since 2022, Ritual has been advocating for federal health protective heavy metal limits in supplements and protein powder, since there is a long track record of heavy metals being an issue in our industry. Case in point, in 2016, the FDA conducted testing that revealed the presence of heavy metals in some protein powders. Later in 2018, The Clean Label Project conducted its own research and discovered the same findings alongside Consumer Reports in 2025, raising awareness about the importance of heavy metal transparency and testing in products.
ICYMI: Ritual's entire line--including all of our protein powder--is Clean Label Project certified and won their Purity Award.
Why Can Heavy Metals Be Higher in Plant-Based Protein?
If plant-based protein powders are not carefully sourced or tested, they may have an increased risk for higher heavy metal concentrations since plants pull heavy metals from the soil. (In whey protein, the cows ingest the heavy metals.) Other ingredients like flavor, or the manufacturing process can increase exposure to heavy metals. That is why you shouldn't base your decision on the ingredient list, rather the testing results for each protein option.
Ritual is a great example of how plant-based protein powder can be done safely. We source our organic regenerative peas from North America, which has shown to reduce heavy metal risks.
Why Can Heavy Metals Be Higher in Plant-Based Protein?
If plant-based protein powders are not carefully sourced or tested, they may have an increased risk for higher heavy metal concentrations since plants pull heavy metals from the soil. (In whey protein, the cows ingest the heavy metals.) Other ingredients like flavor, or the manufacturing process can increase exposure to heavy metals. That is why you shouldn’t base your decision on the ingredient list, rather the testing results for each protein option. Ritual is a great example of how plant-based protein powder can be done safely. We source our organic regenerative peas from North America, which has shown to reduce heavy metal risks.
Why are Heavy Metals Sometimes Higher in Chocolate Flavor vs. Vanilla?
A cocoa tree typically absorbs more heavy metals from the ground than the vanilla plant does. There are also differences in harvesting techniques that can lead to additional exposure when the cocoa beans are drying. The more concentrated the cocoa is (dark chocolate) the more exposure to heavy metals. This is why choosing a supplier that tries to mitigate risk from sourcing, harvesting practice, and flavor development can directly impact the amount of heavy metals. Ritual spent three years vetting cocoa suppliers before partnering with Cocoa Horizons, a supplier who met our high standards for heavy metal safety and human rights protections.
How Does Ritual Test for Heavy Metals?
We implement the best-in-class sourcing and testing protocols to reduce heavy metal risk. We third-party test raw materials and every product lot for arsenic, lead, cadmium, and mercury to ensure we are in compliance with our high safety standards. In addition to our third-party testing, we submit all of our finished goods to the Clean Label Project, another layer of external testing. Every Ritual product has received their Purity Award. Finally, publicly share the test results for the most recent batch of protein powder on the product pages, called our Certificate of Traceability. This allows customers to get real (not cherry picked) test results of our latest production in real time before purchasing our products.
Our dedication to ingredient traceability is designed to help us source lower risk peas, like our North American organic peas, with a partner who has direct relationships with farmers in order to oversee soil health and sustainability. Our supplier PURIS, is actively integrating regenerative practices that focus on increasing soil health and conduct ongoing testing for contaminants.
