What chocolate is vegan? This is a common question worldwide. After all, not many people are aware of vegan-friendly food, let alone chocolate. In fact, even people who’ve turned vegan don’t know that something like vegan chocolate exists. Are you one of those people? The good news is that vegan chocolate exists and you can enjoy it in the same way as regular chocolate. With these treats, you can easily satisfy your chocolate cravings. Skeptical about the taste and mouthfeel of these vegan delights? Well, a lot of vegans are. So, here is your guide on the flavor, texture, and everything else you need to know about what is vegan chocolate.
What Chocolate is Vegan?
As you start exploring altenatives dishes for your vegan-friendly diet, you should also see what chocolate is vegan. After all, no matter your dietary restrictions, you deserve to enjoy the sweetness of these treats too. Besides, you should know that vegan food doesn’t contain dairy. Hence, vegan chocolate also doesn’t contain dairy. Because it doesn’t contain milk, does this mean it’s not tasty? NO!!! VEGAN CHOCOLATE IS AS TASTY AS THE REGULAR ONE! In fact, chocolate makers use the best combo of ingredients to make sure that you get to experience the exact same taste and texture as non-vegan chocolate.
“The definition of vegan chocolate is dairy-free. It doesn’t contain milk, eggs, or butter. Instead, it has all plant-derived ingredients.”
If not milk, what does it contain? People wondering what chocolate is vegan, often wonder this too. Well, in this blog, you’ll get all the answers you need.
What is Vegan Chocolate Made of?
As we’re exploring what chocolate is vegan, we should also know what it’s made of. Milk is the ingredient that give chocolate its creaminess and melt-in-your-mouth texture. However, vegan chocolate doesn’t contain milk. So, does it mean that it’s not creamy? Vegans!! Don’t worry; your chocolate is as delicious as the regular one. Moreover, it’s true that it doesn’t contain any dairy but that doesn’t mean it’s not tasty. After all, chocolate brands use plant-derived alternatives of milk. These include soya milk, oat milk, almond milk, coconut milk, etc. Additionally, the highest quality ingredients are used to make these treats. This is how they mimic the amazing taste and texture of regular – non-vegan – treats.
Did You Know? | Pure chocolate that contains only cocoa and sugar is vegan. After all, it doesn’t contain any dairy content. |
Ingredients of Vegan Chocolate
What chocolate is vegan? Well, the one which doesn’t have milk or butter or eggs. Want to know what else it contains? Here is a list of basic ingredients vegan chocolate has:
- Cocoa Beans
- Plant-based Milk
- Sugar or Alternatives
When these basic ingredients bring the right quality and quantity to the table, they form the best treat ever. Yes, that’s right! These are the components behind the magic of vegan chocolate. Other than these, chocolate makers may also add vegan additives to exactly mimic the amazingness of non-vegan treats.
Quick Question: Are Cacao Beans Vegan?
Absolutely, yes! Cocoa beans are totally vegan. How so? Well, cocao beans come from the cacao tree. This means that these beans are totally plant based. It is the base ingredients of every chocolate ever. However, this doesn’t mean that every chocolate out there is vegan. In fact, it all relies on what ingredients you are mixing it with. So, always check the vegan label on packaging before you purchase any chocolate.
Ingredients to be Wary of
The presence of the above-mentioned content signal that your chocolate is vegan. But hey, did you know that there are ingredients you should be wary of? Yes, that’s true! The following are some non-vegan additives that you should make sure your chocolate doesn’t have:
The above given list is the key to creating the best vegan chocolate. However, you should also know that there are some red flag ingredients you should watch out for. These make your make your chocolate NOT AT ALL VEGAN. They include:
- Gelatin
- Carmine
- Shellac
Furthermore, the choclate making process of both vegan and non-vegan versions is the same. By going through different steps of fermentation, drying, roasting, grinding, and tempering, the highest-quality chocolate treats are produced.
Quick Question: Does Dairy-Free Mean Vegan?
Not at all! It’s true that all vegan chocolate is dairy-free. But it doesn’t make every dairy-free chocolate vegan. After all, they may not contain dairy products, like milk. However, they may have non-vegan additives, flavoring or preservatives in them. Besides, non-dairy chocolates are also at risk of cross-contamination during the production process. Hence, checking vegan labels is your only way out.
Is Dark Chocolate Vegan?
After all, its dark chocolate I’m talking about; it usually doesn’t contain milk. So, with dark chocolate, you don’t need to do much extensive research. Besides, dark chocolate is not characterized by its creamy texture. Instead, its intense and indulgent nature is what defines it. Hence, it doesn’t need any milk, butter, eggs or other dairy products. But hey!!! Less intensive varieties of dark chocolate exist too. And they can contain small amounts of milk. So, beware of them! How? Well, for that, you’ll have to:
- Do Your Research
- Check the Vegan Label
- Verify the Ingredients
The best part: you can enjoy vegan chocolate in so many different forms. From truffles to flavored bars and whatnot, you name it, brands have it. So, don’t think of your dietary restrictions as a hurdle. After all, there is a world of vegan chocolates awaiting you.
Ending Thoughts – What Chocolate is Vegan?
Let’s go back to where we started: what chocolate is vegan? Well, you now know the answer to it: chocolate that doesn’t contain any animal-derived product is vegan. Besides, most vegans think that they can’t enjoy chocolate. But its not true. They can and sometimes in a better way than regular people do. It’s true that these chocolates don’t contain milk. But they are still tastier than ever. Vegan or not, you should try vegan-friendly chocolate and see for yourself. I bet it will make you go YUMMM…