Do Vegans Eat Chocolate?
Chocolate is one of the world’s favorite sweet treats. Rich, decadent, and with plenty of health benefits, it’s no wonder chocolate is a beloved dessert for millions.
If you think a vegan diet is restrictive or unsatisfying, think again! These days, being vegan doesn’t have to mean you are sacrificing delicious snacks to stick with your vegan lifestyle.
So, do vegans eat chocolate? Can vegans eat chocolate? The answer to both of these questions is a resounding yes!
Still, not all chocolate is created equal — and not all chocolate is created vegan. Let’s take a dive into a hot fudge pool of FAQs and knowledge on veganism and chocolate.
What Does Vegan Mean?
Veganism, vegetarianism, pescatarian diets… what’s the difference? If you’re still a little fuzzy on the details of veganism, we are here to help.
The most common definition of veganism is that a vegan lifestyle seeks to exclude all forms of exploitation of (and cruelty to) animals. Putting this into a dietary practice means that vegans choose not to include any animal-derived products on their plates. For example, instead of steak or chicken, vegans will get their protein from beans, tofu, or seitan.
Some vegans transition to a vegan lifestyle to reduce their carbon footprint and lessen their impact on the environment. Other people go vegan to avoid harming animals. You will often see folks decide to become vegan to improve their cholesterol or take advantage of the numerous health benefits offered by a vegan diet.
These days, veganism is more popular and mainstream than ever! This means that you may start to see vegan burger alternatives at your local restaurant and more vegan options at the grocery store.
This is good news for vegans or people seeking to eat less meat! With more plant-based choices available, gone are the days when being vegan meant you were relegated to a side salad when going out to eat with friends or family.
Enter: vegan chocolate. Yes, it’s a thing (and a tasty one, at that)!
You might think all chocolate has dairy in it, but that’s not necessarily true. In fact, milk wasn’t added to chocolate until 1876.
Now, this is the part where we talk about all things chocolate. Are you ready?
Where Does Chocolate Come From?
The cacao or cocoa tree creates seeds that are known as cocoa beans. When those seeds are harvested, they can then be processed into all things chocolate. It may sound like fiction born from Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory, but the delicious byproduct of cacao trees is anything but a myth.
Once cacao beans are harvested from the tree, they are fermented. The cacao beans are then dried and roasted. This part of the process is what helps chocolate get and retain its earthy, classic flavor profile.
The beans will then be ground up to make chocolate liquor, but there’s no alcohol in this miracle liquid. Chocolate liquor is one of the building blocks of chocolate bars, like the ones here at MiiRO.
The History of Chocolate
Chocolate is one of Mexico’s claims to fame, with the ancient Mayans eating chocolate as far back as 1500 BC.
Chocolate’s most common usage was in the form of drinking chocolate. Mayans frequently consumed chocolate drinks in a celebratory manner, paving the way for today’s tasty treats.
After chocolate arrived in Europe in the 1500s and America in the 1700s, people were hooked. New foods and ways of incorporating chocolate soon came onto the scene, with items like cocoa powder making chocolate easily accessible beyond the elite.
Chocolate has come a long way from its origins in Southern Mexico and has the resume to prove it! While chocolate began as quite a bitter-tasting item, nowadays, we know chocolate to be so much more.
You can still find pure chocolate that may be on the bitter side, but most modern uses of chocolate have chocolate being sweetened in some way.
Common chocolate sweeteners include:
- Cane sugar
- Syrups such as maple, agave, or date syrups
- Sugar alcohols, like maltitol
- Coconut sugar
Still, these sugars and sugar alternatives aren’t the best for your body. At MiiRO, we use high-quality chicory root fiber, fermented erythritol, and stevia, so you can have low-sugar goodies with no stomach aches in sight!
What Kinds of Chocolate Are Vegan?
Since those who follow a vegan diet stay away from animal products, any chocolates containing dairy are a no-go. Some chocolate is even sweetened with honey, which some vegans choose to abstain from because it comes from bees.
Milk chocolate is usually creamier and smoother than chocolate with a higher cocoa percentage.
With a name like “milk chocolate,” it would make sense to assume that vegans shouldn’t consume that type of chocolate.
With advances in vegan products, vegan milk chocolate is quickly becoming a craveable part of vegan pantries!
Take our Peanut Butter Chocolate Bar, for example. We’ve replaced dairy milk with nut mylk. Nut mylk offers the same smooth texture in a chocolate bar as you’d find with traditional milk chocolate — and it has its own perks, too, thanks to added benefits from the nuts!
It’s even possible to find vegan white chocolate on the market. Check out our angelic White Chocolate Bar with Almond Pieces. In comes our nut mylk superstar again, giving these white chocolate bars a creamy mouthfeel.
Long-time vegans may remember chocolate that failed to provide the “melt in your mouth” experience we all know and love. Not anymore, thanks to MiiRO!
Is Dark Chocolate Vegan?
We’re all familiar with the different varieties of chocolates: White chocolate, milk chocolate, dark chocolate… but what makes dark chocolate dark?
Dark chocolate contains anywhere between 50% to 90% cocoa solids. This sets it apart from its milk chocolate cousin, which usually contains 10% to 50% cocoa solids.
Usually, the higher the percentage of cocoa solids, the more bitter the flavor. This is why many chocolate manufacturers elect to add a little bit of sweetener to their products.
Another difference between dark and milk chocolate? It’s in the name! Milk chocolate is made from a combination of cocoa solids, sugar, cocoa butter, and milk. Dark chocolate has all of these ingredients, except milk. This means that dark chocolate is suitable for vegans.
Dark chocolate with higher amounts of cocoa solids is more likely to be vegan. This is because there are usually fewer ingredients in the recipe, meaning fewer chances for non-vegan products to sneak their way in.
Vegans should still consult the ingredients labels of dark chocolate that aren’t explicitly labeled as “vegan.” Some companies make chocolate bars with add-ins (think caramel or cookie pieces) that may not be vegan-friendly.
Other companies add small amounts of milk in the form of powder or other additives for a smooth texture. When in doubt, check the labeling!
Vegans can rest easy knowing that MiiRO only uses vegan ingredients in all of our chocolate flavors. No need to scour an ingredients list here! If you do, you’ll see that MiiRO only uses quality ingredients that you can pronounce.
What Are the Benefits of Dark Chocolate?
There are numerous rewards to gain when eating some yummy dark chocolate, too! Dark chocolate is rich in various antioxidants and minerals, such as:
- Iron
- Copper
- Flavonols
- Magnesium
- Zinc
- Phosphorus
It’s a good thing vegans can eat dark chocolate to take advantage of both the health advantages and the delicious taste.
What Makes MiiRO Chocolate Vegan-Friendly?
MiiRO chocolate never uses animal-derived ingredients, meaning all of our products are suitable for vegans. Maybe you follow a vegan diet, want to eat less meat and dairy, or just happen to have a craving for vegan chocolate.
You can trust that MiiRO’s chocolates will always be vegan, low-sugar, and plant-based. (Psst — they’re keto-friendly, too!)
We also pride ourselves on using high-quality, natural ingredients in our products, which is a win-win for everyone, whether or not they’re vegan.
Conclusion
Do vegans eat chocolate? Absolutely! Just because someone is vegan doesn’t mean they don’t want to snack on delicious desserts.
If a MiiRO chocolate bar is what you grab, don’t call it indulging — although it will certainly feel like it! Because our chocolate products are low in sugar and high in necessary dietary fiber, you can munch on these any day of the week.
Here at MiiRO, we want to show you that munchin’ on a delectable chocolate bar doesn’t have to be a “special occasion” event. Our chocolate collection is low in carbs and low in sugar while also toting the antioxidant properties we know and love in traditional chocolate.
Yes, vegans can and do eat chocolate! MiiRO’s chocolate bars, chips, and other tasty treats are here for both vegans and non-vegans alike to enjoy whenever the craving hits.
Sources:
Health Benefits of Cocoa | PMC
A Vegan Diet: Eating for the Environment | Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine
Effects of Vegetarian Diets on Blood Lipids | PMC
Health Effects of Vegan Diets | PMC
Health Benefits of Nut Consumption | PMC
Dark Chocolate | Harvard University
