How to Choose the Perfect Vegan Chocolates

Did you know that January is also Veganuary?! This month-long celebration aims at raising awareness and education about what it means to be a vegan (someone that refrains from eating or using animal products). It also challenges people to adopt a vegan lifestyle for the start of the new year.

To celebrate Veganuary and the launch of our brand-new Vegan Salted Caramel Flowers, we’ve compiled a list of fun facts about vegan chocolates.  Learn how to identify vegan chocolate and why vegan chocolates are more environmentally sustainable. So, whether you are new to veganism, are just trying to cut dairy out of your diet, or are a seasoned vegan and want to learn more, here are four vegan-related facts about chocolate.

Four Fun Facts About Vegan Chocolates

1.   Not all dark chocolate is vegan

Let’s face it, not all chocolates are created equal. If you are trying to find out if your chocolate is vegan, the first step is to read the ingredient label. High-quality dark chocolate should contain a minimal amount of ingredients.  Some brands add milk or filler developed from dairy products, like milk fat, to their dark chocolate.  It's important to double-check the ingredient label because chocolate truffle, caramel, and peppermint cream fillings often contain dairy as well. If you’re looking for a decadent vegan-friendly chocolate bar, that doesn’t skimp on flavor, this Toffee & Almond Crunch Bar is one of our customer favorites.

2.   Vegan chocolates are better for the environment

Vegan chocolates made with dairy-free substitutes, like our Vegan Truffles which are made with coconut cream, are more environmentally sustainable. When compared to traditional milk, non-dairy options, like coconut cream, almond milk, or oat milk have a significantly lower impact on the planet. These farms are often more eco-friendly because they use less land and water and produce less carbon and methane emissions than traditional cow dairy farms (yes, even locally-produced milk). Plus, the coconut trees filter out carbon dioxide, which helps combat climate change.

3.   Hot chocolate can be vegan

While you can make any hot chocolate with your favorite non-dairy milk, the reality is that many hot chocolate mixes are not vegan. Many popular brands of hot cocoa contain dairy powder, so it’s important to carefully read the ingredient label. Apart from looking for dairy in your hot chocolate mix, you should also make sure your hot chocolate is made with organic sugar. Many vegans avoid regular white sugar because it is refined using animal bones. Organic sugar is not. (Plus, because it’s organic it’s also non-GMO.) When you are shopping for hot chocolate, make sure to get one that is organic certified, like this vegan-friendly Organic Mocha Hot Chocolate. What are you waiting for? Go ahead and treat yourself to the soul-soothing moment you deserve!

4.   Vegan chocolate should be ethically produced

Many people adopt a vegan lifestyle because they are concerned about the ethical treatment of animals. If you care about the ethical treatment of animals, then you should also care about the ethical treatment of people. The truth is not all chocolate is ethically produced, and slave labor and child labor are still prevalent issues within the chocolate industry. When shopping for vegan chocolates, look for chocolate that is making a world of difference and buy fair trade chocolate. Here at Lake Champlain Chocolates, we believe that everyone in the chocolate-making process should be treated and compensated fairly. That’s why 100% of our chocolate is fair trade certified. So, the next time you are looking for an ethically produced vegan chocolate, be sure to try these tasty Fair Trade Certified™ Peanut Butter Snack Bites.

We hope you are as excited as we are about the launch of our new Vegan Salted Caramel Flowers and learned something new about vegan chocolates. Let us know how you plan to celebrate Veganuary! Tag us on Facebook or Instagram @LCChocolates and tag it #veganchocolatelove.