The History of Vegan Chocolate

Vegan chocolate has a history longer than you'd think

When people think of vegan chocolate, they will typically think of dark chocolate, and in the past, that was how chocolate was enjoyed. But, since then, vegan chocolate has come a long way.

Chocolate was first enjoyed over 3,000 years ago in Mesoamerica, where cacao was consumed as a bitter drink, which people drank for energy. In the 19th century, Europeans used this recipe to create solid bars, usually made with a recipe that used milk and animal fats to make a sweet, creamy treat. Over time, recipes were experimented with, and nuts and other flavourings were added.

For vegans and those who did not consume dairy, there was little to choose from, there was only really dark chocolate. The change came when people started to add plant milks to chocolate, working with traditional recipes until they found a formula that worked.

Chocolate is yet another thing that you don't have to give up when you go vegan

Vegan Milk Chocolate

Plant milks, soya, almond, coconut or oat, were the addition that made vegan milk chocolate possible. These milks were able to take the place of cow's milk and create a creamy chocolate that had a nice mouth-feel, one that replicated dairy chocolate. Sugar was another ingredient that could be problematic for vegan chocolate, as sugar is often processed with bone char, a black powder made from charring animal bones. This powder is then used to filter and decolourise sugar. To avoid this, alternative sweeteners can be used, including coconut sugar and agave or maple syrup.

Morals and Ethics

Any food that doesn't involve the exploitation of animals already has the moral high ground over one that does, but vegan chocolate goes further than that. Vegan chocolate is often made using cocoa and other ingredients that are responsibly and ethically sourced. Cocoa comes from farmers who cultivate the coca bean in environmentally friendly ways. Many vegan chocolate bars use organic cocoa. Being a dairy-free product, vegan chocolate has a lower carbon, water and land footprint than dairy chocolate as animal agriculture is completely removed from the process. Vegans also know that no baby cows were taken from their mothers so that they could enjoy a sweet treat.

Common Questions About Vegan Chocolate

1. Is all dark chocolate vegan? No, there are many dark chocolate bars made with milk to make the flavour and texture more enjoyable for people. When buying a dark chocolate bar, vegans still need to check the ingredients if the bar is not labelled as vegan. The same rule applies to hot chocolate powders and drinks.

2. Is vegan chocolate healthier than dairy chocolate? Vegan chocolate can be healthier than chocolate made with animal products. This does not mean that vegan chocolate is healthy. With animal products not a part of the recipe, vegan chocolate will have less saturated fat than animal-based alternatives, but there is still fat and sugar, regardless of the source.

3. Can vegan chocolate be as creamy as traditional milk chocolate? Vegan chocolate is not the dusty, hard, flavourless brown lump it used to be. These bars are now made by people who specialise in formulating vegan chocolate. They work with their chosen plant milk, use emulsifiers and other ingredients to form their product. This means that some bars are just as tasty as the animal-based versions.

4. Can I make my own vegan chocolate? Yes, you can. Recipes, ingredients and tools can all be found online, in cook's shops and hobby stores that sell catering equipment. Making your own chocolate means that you are free to experiment, add flavour combinations that you enjoy, add extra nuts or dried fruits. The choice is yours.

5. Where can I buy vegan chocolate? It's really easy to find vegan chocolate now. Most supermarkets will sell some bars. Supermarkets and health food stores will often stock their own brand, bars made by vegan companies, as well as those made by large companies, such as Nestle or Cadbury. Vegan stores will definitely stock chocolate bars. If you cannot find what you want there, you can order online, either directly from companies or through distributors.

6. How can I support ethical and sustainable vegan chocolate production? Supporting the production of ethical chocolate is the same as supporting the ethical production of any product. You buy what has been made responsibly. We vote with our money. Most companies that work to have sustainability credentials are proud. Some are certified B Corps, using the logo on their packaging and website. These are companies that are verified by B Lab as meeting high standards of social and environmental performance, transparency and accountability. The Fairtrade or Rainforest Alliance logos on packaging are also signs that the cocoa in the chocolate that you are buying has been sourced responsibly. That farmers are paid fairly and that the environment is respected in the production process.

Vegan Chocolate – The Future of Chocolate

Vegan chocolate has come a long (long) way from the days of vegan having the choice of dark chocolate or dark chocolate. We can now buy whatever we want. Vegan M&Ms, vegan Dairy Milks and more. Some products hit the market and are then discontinued due to a lack of demand; the Vegan Kit Kat is an example. But this is still progress. If a company like Nestle, known for having no respect for people, animals or the planet, can come out with a vegan chocolate bar, we're making our voices heard. This is how we begin, this is how we remove animal products from the shelves. We eat the chocolate, we share it with non-vegans, we post on social media, we drive attention, we build pressure. Vegan chocolate bars are the future of chocolate.

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