Is All Chocolate Vegan?

Vegans avoid any foods that involve animal exploitation or cruelty. This diet excludes animal products, including meat, eggs, and dairy, as well as any ingredients derived from animals.

The good news is that whether you are a whole-food vegan, raw-food vegan, 80/10/10, or Pegan - paleo and vegan, you can eat most chocolate. However, vegans may take issue with how some refined sugars are processed.

Which Chocolate is Vegan?

Unsweetened Cocoa Products & 100% Chocolate Bars

Pure cocoa powder, cocoa nibs, and 100% chocolate bars are safe options for vegans since none of the above are made with milk or sugar.

Dark Chocolate Made With Organic Sugar

Most dark chocolate is dairy free thereby making it vegan. (Check the ingredients just in case.) Some refined sugars are bleached with bone char from cattle bones. When shopping for dark chocolate, look for dark chocolate made with organic, unrefined, natural, or raw sugar. Other vegan-friendly sweeteners are beet sugar, Stevia or monk fruit, brown rice syrup, agave nectar, and any of the natural sweeteners that meet the paleo diet with the exception of honey.

Which Chocolate Is Not Vegan?

Milk chocolate, especially white and ruby chocolates, contain milk, milk powder, and some emulsifiers that are not vegan. Luckily, there are plenty of vegan-friendly milk chocolates made from coconut, almond, or oat milk.

Chocolate made with refined non organic sugar are also not vegan.

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