Is Chocolate Vegan?
Raw chocolate originates from a plant, so yes, it is vegan. However, cacao goes through quite an intricate process before getting to the grocery store. A variety of additives are added to give it that rich, irresistible flavor that includes loads of sugar and of course, cow’s milk.
Vegan chocolate, however, will have purer ingredients, no additives, and the ingredient list will be much simpler. Believe it or not, well-baked vegan chocolate actually has substantial nutritional perks.
Vegan Chocolate vs. Regular Chocolate
There is a world of difference between vegan chocolate and regular chocolate. We all know that regular chocolate has one isignificant drawback- it’s filled with processed sugars and fat. Not ideal if you’re trying to lose weight or avoid a blood sugar rush! Understandably people are now motivated to turn to a more wholesome alternative.
Besides the unfavorable sugar content of regular chocolate, how is vegan chocolate any different, you ask? Indeed, it too contains sugar to maintain a rich, delicious flavor, but sugar is not the issue here.
While it is accurate that some vegan chocolate brands simply replace or remove the cow’s milk and retain the sugar, there are a lot of vegan chocolate companies that use vegan sugar brands or coconut blossom sugar instead.
For those who aren’t sure why this kind of sugar is much better than regular cane sugar, we’ll get right into it. Coconut sugar is a special kind of sugar- it is less processed than cane sugar and carries many more minerals. Additionally, it’s also a valuable source of inulin, giving it a lower count on the GI index than regular chocolate.
The most notable difference between vegan chocolate and regular chocolate is dairy, but there are lots of dairy options that vegan chocolate brands use to give their chocolate that familiar smooth and rich taste.
Coconut milk is a conventional dairy milk alternative, preferred for its luscious, smooth flavor. It’s also plentiful in minerals like calcium, selenium, magnesium, and B vitamins! Rice milk is another popular alternative and is deemed to be the least allergenic of the milk family, making it quite popular among those who have digestive issues!
How Do You Make Vegan Chocolate
It’s remarkably simple to make your own vegan chocolate at home. Most of the ingredients can be found at your local supermarket. Making vegan chocolate is not so different than regular chocolate. We’ll get to it in the next section.
At the end of this read, you’ll be confident enough to take on bigger challenges. We’re talking vegan chocolate mousse, vegan chocolate cupcakes, vegan chocolate pudding, and of course some delicious vegan chocolate cookies.
But today, we are making some vegan chocolate bars…from scratch! You heard us from scratch! Ready to get started?
Vegan Chocolate Variations
Although this recipe yields 12 vegan chocolate bars, you can always adjust if you are expecting a bigger crowd. There are many variations to this recipe- You can make vegan chocolate chips, vegan chocolate pie, you name it. If you are a dark chocolate or white chocolate aficionado, there is definitely an avenue for you. Since we only have time for one recipe, you’ll have to check us out in the future.
