Eating Vegan: Answering the Chocolate Question
[Creative Commons photo by nicubunu]
From the land involved to the waste produced, conventional dairy production has a huge environmental impact. Not only is conventional dairy not great for the planet, it’s not so great for you. You can do yourself and your body a favor but cutting back on or cutting out the dairy in your diet.
Whenever folks learn that I don’t eat dairy products, there are certain questions they seem to always ask. One of the most common is:
But don’t you miss chocolate?
The assumption is that chocolate has to contain milk, and that’s just not true at all. What makes chocolate….chocolate…is cocoa butter which despite its name is a plant ingredient. There are tons of companies making great dark chocolate that is 100% vegan and 100% delicious! Finding vegan chocolate is as easy as taking the time to do a bit of label-reading. While you might not be able to just grab a Hershey bar, you don’t have to live a chocolate-free existence, either. Here are just a few tasty options:
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- Many varieties of Ghirardelli dark chocolate are vegan, including their semi-sweet chocolate chips.
- Dagoba makes some really tasty dark chocolate. Watch out, though. Since they were bought by Hershey’s a few years ago, I’ve noticed some milk ingredients creeping in. A little label reading is definitely in order here.
- While it’s on the pricier side, Vosges makes amazing dark chocolate.
- Most of Whole Foods’ 365 brand dark chocolate is vegan.
- Sharffen Berger makes a mean dark chocolate bar! And by mean, I mean delicious.
- Not only are there cute critters pictured on every package, Endangered Species’ dark chocolate is 100% fair trade. Recommended: 72% dark chocolate bar with raspberries.
This is hardly a comprehensive list! With a little label reading, you’ll discover lots of other vegan chocolate options out there. Cocoa powder is usually vegan, too, which means you can add chocolate to your soy- or almond milk or to baked goods. Do you have a favorite brand of dark chocolate? I’m always looking for new sorts to try out!
Thanks! Now I know types to never buy!
If a vegan type likes it I want nothing to do with it!
Vegans also like potatoes, bread and tomato sauce (among a whole list of others!), will you also avoid them Russ?
Thanks for the info and the environmental connection of dairy products…
A question from someone who never liked the bitter flavour of dark chocolate - does anyone know of any dairy-free brands that taste more like “milk chocolate?”
Thanks! Now I know what types to buy!
Ps. Trader Joe’s has got several varieties of dark chocolate w/o milk. They are also organic and or fair trade, if I remember correctly!
Dave - I’ve seen rice milk chocolate in stores before. I think it was this brand: http://www.veganessentials.com/catalog/terra-nostra-organic-rice-milk-chocolate-bar.htm
Mmm. I love chocolate!
Thank you so much for the support and including us in your “tasty options”. (:
-Ashlee
Endangered Species Chocolate
Alter Eco has the absolute BEST selection of Vegan, Gluten-Free, Soy-Free and GMO-Free dark chocolate - and it’s USDA Certified Organic and Fair Trade Certified. You can’t get much better than that! My favorites are the Twist which contains crystallized orange peel, and the Mint - which tastes like a Girl Scout Thin Mint cookie but even better. I did not try these bars because I’m vegan, or even on a special diet, but they are simply the best I have ever had! Not bitter and a variety for every kind of taste buds! I will never eat another Hershey’s again!!!! You can find them at Whole Foods or visit the website for a complete list of distributors.
http://www.altereco-usa.com.
Great list, Becky. It’s hard to beat dark chocolate — especially if it’s vegan. Thanks for putting this together.