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Thread: Vegan Chocolate

  1. #1

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    Default Vegan Chocolate

    Vegan white chocolate...is there such thing??? If there is PLEASE tell me where I can get some...white chocolate was my most favourite thing before I was vegan (and at the moment I am having dairy withdrawals...white chocolate and macadamia cookies)

  2. #2

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    www.veganstore.com has vegan white chocolate chips. It will take you a few days to receive them, though.

    Oh, now it says they're unavailable. http://www.veganstore.com/index-stor...temsperpage=12

    At least you know for future reference.

  3. #3
    Goddess foxytina_69's Avatar
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    it says they have white chocolate orange peel if youre craving it bad enough!

  4. #4

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    mmm macadamia cookies. you can find some really good vegan cookies at natural foods stores... if you have something like whole foods market in Australia they'd probably offer some vegan cookies in the bakery.

  5. #5
    funkyvixen
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    I'm sure you could have a crack at making your own cookies no probs. Proper vegan white chocolate....never come across any myself. T'would have to be fair trade for me too so thats never going to happen!
    Maybe you could satisfy the taste craving with some kind of vegan vanilla-y moussey/creamy dessert? I'm sure that could be done. I'll have a think of a possible way of making it if you're stuck.

    fv x

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    Exclamation Vegan White Chocolate

    GUESS WHAT!!!! After months of checking pangea for white chocolate chips - they have finally got them in stock!!!! I ordered some this morning and I am guessing they will go quick - so if you had a pre-vegan fetish for white chocolate (as I did), please go to the pangea website urgently and order some now!!!

    http://www.veganstore.com/index-stor...temsperpage=12

  7. #7

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    By the way, I want to make white chocolate chip cookies for christmas...anyone got recipes?

  8. #8

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    Vegan Essentials has them now, too, just FYI!
    utopiankitchen.wordpress.com

  9. #9

    Default Vegan Chocolate

    This is from http://www.rawfood.com/cacao.html
    The Latest Word On Raw Food: Raw Chocolate! by David Wolfe, author of forthcomingbook on raw, organic chocolatewww.davidwolfe.com

    http://www.rawfood.com/?q=cacao_nibs_gods"The beverage of the gods was Ambrosia; that of man is chocolate. Both increase the length of life in a prodigious manner." - Louis Lewin, M.D., Phantastica

    "Chocolate is a divine, celestial drink, the sweat of the stars, the vital seed, divine nectar, the drink of the gods, panacea and universal medicine." - Geronimo Piperni

    ca·cao. Pronounced [ka-kow]. Rhymes with "cow."

    Chocolate and Cacao Beans
    A total of 1% of the American diet consists of chocolate.

    In fact, chocolate is one of America's most well-loved foods. Yet, uniquely, out of millions of Americans very, very few have ever had the raw food that all chocolate comes from - cacao beans!

    All chocolate comes from cacao beans - the seeds of the cacao fruit - which grows on a jungle tree. Botanically, cacao is truly a nut. They may be referred to as cacao beans, cacao seeds, cacao nuts, chocolate seeds, chocolate beans, or cacao nibs - all essentially mean the same thing. For simplicity, we usually use the term "cacao beans."

    Cacao beans taste like dark chocolate, because they are dark chocolate!

    In 1753 Carl von Linnaeus, the 18th-century Swedish scientist who developed the plant and animal Latin categorization system, thought that chocolate was so important that he named the genus and species of the chocolate tree himself. He named this tree Theobroma cacao which literally means: cacao, the food of the gods. Just what the indigenous native Central Americans called it.

    Edible Money
    "But it is very needfull to heare what happie money they use, for they have money, which I call happy, because for the greedie desire and gaping to attaine the same, the bowelles of the earth are not rent a sunder, nor through the ravening greediness of covetous men, nor terrour of warres assayling, it returneth to the dennes and caves of the mother earth, as golden, or silver money doth. For this groweth upon trees." - Peter Martyr (Pietro Martire D'Anghiera, Milanese chronicler who coined the phrase "The New World") from De Orbe Novo (1530)

    In ancient Central American cultures, raw cacao beans were actually used as money. Imagine an edible money! When the Spanish came, they called cacao black gold (oro negro) or seeds of gold (pepe de oro).

    Montezuma (Motecuhzoma Xocoyotzin), the emperor of the great city of Tenochtitlan (now Mexico city) and of the Aztec empire, had his treasure vaults filled with cacao beans, not gold! The chronicler Francisco Cervantes de Salazar mentions that the Emperor's cacao warehouse held more than 40,000 loads, which would mean 960,000,000 beans!

    The chronicler Motolinia tells us that in his day (shortly after Cortes' conquest of Tenochtitlan), the daily wage of a porter in central Mexico was 100 beans, which puts into perspective the following partial list of commodity prices in Tlaxcala, from a Nahuatl document circa 1545:

    * One good turkey hen is worth 100 full cacao beans, or 120 shrunken beans.
    * A turkey is worth 200 cacao beans.
    * A hare [jackrabbit] or forest rabbit is worth 100 cacao beans each.
    * A small rabbit is worth 30 cacao beans.
    * One turkey egg is worth 3 cacao beans.
    * An avocado newly picked is worth 3 cacao beans; when an avocado is fully ripe it will be equivalent to one cacao bean.
    * One large tomato will be equivalent to a cacao bean.
    * A large sapote fruit, or two small ones, is equivalent to a cacao bean.
    * A large axolotl [larval salamander, an Aztec delicacy] is worth 4 cacao beans, a small one is worth 2 or 3 cacao beans.
    * A tamale is exchanged for a cacao bean.
    * A fish wrapped in maize husks is worth 3 cacao beans.


    Cacao As A Superfood
    Cacao beans contain over 300 chemically identifiable compounds making it one of the most complex food substances on Earth!

    Substances in chocolate that have been discussed in the scientific literature as pharmacologically significant, include: anandamide (bliss chemical), arginine (nature's Viagra), dopamine (neurotransmitter), epicatechins (antioxidants), histamine, magnesium, serotonin (anti-stress neurotransmitter), tryptophan (anti-depressant amino acid), phenylethylamine (PEA), polyphenols (antioxidants), tyramine, and salsolinol.

    Magnesium
    Dr. Bernard Jensen's research on the heart indicates that this organ requires two minerals more than any other, magnesium and potassium. Magnesium is concentrated eighteen times greater in the heart muscle than in the bloodstream. Magnesium is the primarily mineral missing when heart problems occur. Magnesium increases the overall vigor of the heart muscle. This mineral also decreases blood coagulation thus lowering blood pressure and helping the heart pump more effectively. Cacao, of course, is a fantastic food source of heart-supporting magnesium.

    Antioxidants
    According to research cited in The New York Times, fresh cacao beans are super-rich in antioxidant flavonols. Cacao beans contain 10,000 milligrams (10 grams) per 100 grams of flavonol antioxidants. This is a whopping 10% antioxidant concentration level! This makes cacao one of the richest sources of antioxidants of any food. Compare the cacao bean to processed cocoa powder (defatted, roasted cacao treated with potassium carbonate) and chocolates which range in flavonol content from the more common concentration of 500 milligrams per 100 grams in normal chocolate bars to 5,000 milligrams in Mars Corporation's special Cocoapro cocoa powder.

    Research has demonstrated that the antioxidants in cacao are highly stable and easily available to human metabolism.

    Cornell University food scientists found that cocoa powder has nearly twice the antioxidants of red wine and up to three times what is found in green tea. Their findings were published in an article entitled "Cocoa Has More Phenolic Phytochemicals and a Higher Antioxidant Capacity than Teas and Red Wine," found in the American Chemical Society's Journal of Agriculture and Food Chemistry, a peer-reviewed publication.

    Scientists have known that cocoa contains significant antioxidants, but no one knew just how rich they were compared with those in red wine and green tea.

    The Cornell researchers, led by Chang Y. Lee, chairman of the Department of Food Science and Technology at Cornell University's New York State Agricultural Experiment Station in Geneva, N.Y., say the reason that cocoa leads the other drinks is its high content of antioxidant compounds called phenolic phytochemicals, or flavonoids. They discovered 611 milligrams of the phenolic compound gallic acid equivalents (GAE) and 564 milligrams of the flavonoid epicatechin equivalents (ECE) in a single serving of cocoa. Examining a glass of red wine, the researchers found 340 milligrams of GAE and 163 milligrams of ECE. In a cup of green tea, they found 165 milligrams of GAE and 47 milligrams of ECE.

    Antioxidant ORAC levels per 100 grams:
    dark chocolate - 13,120
    milk chocolate - 6,740
    prunes - 5,770
    raisins - 2,830
    blueberries - 2,400
    blackberries - 2036
    kale - 1,770
    strawberries - 1540
    spinach - 1260
    raspberries - 1220
    brussel sprouts - 980
    plums - 949
    alfalfa sprouts - 930
    broccoli - 890


    The ORAC test examines the antioxidant levels of various foods. The higher the ORAC score, the higher the level of antioxidants present in the food. Source: US Department of Agriculture / Journal of the American Chemical Society

    Dairy Products and Antioxidants
    Cacao and dark chocolate boost antioxidants; however, the addition of dairy products/milk cancels out the effects of antioxidants. Studies indicate that dairy products specifically block the absorption of all the great antioxidants in chocolate!

    Allergies
    A recent study showed that only one out of 500 people who thought they were allergic to chocolate actually tested positive. The idea that chocolate is a common allergen has been around for a long time, but recent evidence suggests allergy to chocolate is quite rare. It is more often the case that the person is in fact allergic to milk and dairy products.

    Acne
    Research by the U.S. Naval Academy concluded that there is no evidence that chocolate causes or exacerbates acne. It is likely that the sugar added to chocolate exacerbates acne.

    What we are finding is that chocolate itself is a health food, especially in its raw form as cacao beans. It is the substances added to chocolate that cause the problems: dairy products/milk and sugar!

    Methylxanthines: Theobromine and Caffeine
    Cacao can increases one's energy substantially. Cacao does contain the stimulating methylxanthines: theobromine and a small amount of caffeine.

    Theobromine
    Theobromine makes up between 1-2% of the cacao bean. Theobromine stimulates the central nervous system, relaxes smooth muscles, and dilates blood vessels. Theobromine has about 1/4 of the stimulating power of its sister molecule caffeine.

    Theobromine is also a mild diuretic (increases urination) and has been used as a medical drug in cases where a heart attack had resulted in an accumulation of body fluid.

    Theobromine is a cardiac stimulant. This is a reason why it has been used to treat high blood pressure. One of the reasons why dogs should not eat cacao or chocolate is because this food can cause cardiac arrest. Dogs simply lack the enzymes necessary to metabolize quantities of theobromine in excess of 100-150 mg per kilogram of the dog's body weight.

    Caffeine
    Estimates of how much caffeine is present in cacao differ, depending on the source. However, it generally agreed that chocolate is a poor source of caffeine.

    Consider the following estimates we came across in our research:

    * A 1.4 ounce-piece of chocolate (40 grams) contains the same amount of caffeine as one cup of decaffeinated coffee.
    * A cup of hot chocolate usually contains about 4 or 5 milligrams of caffeine, which is about 1/20 that of a cup of regular coffee.
    * According to the Chocolate Information Center, a 50-gram piece of dark chocolate - about the size of your average chocolate bar - will yield between 10 and 60 milligrams of caffeine, while an average 5-ounce cup of coffee can yield up to 175 milligrams.
    * 800 grams of milk chocolate (that's a lot of chocolate!) contains the equivalent amount of caffeine present in a cup of coffee.
    * A cup of coffee may contain 50 to 175 milligrams of caffeine, a cup of tea contains 25 to 100 milligrams, and a cup of cocoa beverage contains 25 milligrams to none.


    Interesting research on caffeine in the field of homeopathy (a branch of medical science) indicates caffeine's stimulating effect when cooked, but not when eaten raw. One experiment conducted with a decoction of roasted ground cacao beans in boiling water produced an excitement of the nervous system similar to that caused by black coffee and an excited state of circulation, demonstrated by an accelerated pulse. Notably, when the same decoction was made with raw, unroasted cacao beans neither effect was noticeable.

    Phenylethylamine (PEA)
    PEA is a chemical in cacao that increases the activity of neurotransmitters (brain chemicals) in parts of the brain that control our ability to pay attention and stay alert. Elevated PEA levels occur when we are captivated by a good book, movie, or project; this happens specifically during those moments when we are so focused that we lose all track of time, food, and the outside world.

    PEA is noticeably abundant in the brains of happy people.

    Chocolate has been found to contain up to 2.2% phenylethylamine (PEA).

    Anandamide (The Bliss Chemical)
    A neurotransmitter called anandamide (n-arachidonoylethanolamine), has been isolated in cacao in quantities significant enough to affect the brain. Anandamide is a cannabinoid naturally found in the human brain. Anandamide is a lipid (fat) known as "the bliss chemical" because it is released while we are feeling great.

    Monoamine Oxidase Inhibitors (MAO Inhibitors)
    These rare MAO inhibitors actually produce favorable results when consumed by allowing more serotonin and other neurotransmitters such as anandamide, dopamine, etc. to circulate in the brain. According to Dr. Gabriel Cousens, MAO inhibitors facilitate youthening and rejuvenation.

    MAO inhibitors make one younger as they allow more neurotransmitters to remain in the bloodstream. A primary phenomenon that separates children from adults is the level of neurotransmitters in the blood and bodies of children. Generally, as one remains on the planet longer and longer, the level of neurotransmitters decreases. This creates physical rigidity, less creativity, less joy, and more aging! Cacao, being an MAO inhibitor, keeps plenty of neurotransmitters in circulation and thus stops this phenomenon from ever occurring.

    Aphrodisia
    As with all languages, the peoples of pre-Columbian Central America often spoke in metaphors composed of words or phrases which, when uttered in sequence, had a hidden meaning. One of these metaphors was yollotl, eztli, "heart, blood," which referred to cacao.

    Chocolate truly is food for the heart - it is the heart's "blood," due to its magnesium, antioxidants, love chemicals and esoteric properties. Chocolate, as we know it, is known for its sensual love vibration. Chocolate is the symbol of sensuality, pleasure, and sexuality. Some writers have claimed that 50% of women prefer chocolate to sex! (imagine if they were given real chocolate: cacao beans!)

    We have often heard that "chocolate opens the heart" - which is actually true. Chocolate is the gift to all lovers. Chocolates are always given as love offerings. A box of chocolates is one of the most common gifts for Valentine's Day.

    Cacao, because it is unadulterated, has an even stronger love energy. In ancient Aztec wedding ceremonies, the bride and groom would exchange 5 cacao beans with each other.

    Nature's Prozac (Anti-Depressant Properties of Cacao)
    As we have noted, cacao is one of nature's richest sources of magnesium, which is a heart as well as brain mineral. Cacao is also a great source of serotonin, dopamine, and phenylethylamine, three well-studied neurotransmitters, which help alleviate depression and are associated with feelings of well being. Cacao contains monoamine oxidase inhibitors (MAO Inhibitors) that improve our mood because they allow serotonin and dopamine to remain in the bloodstream longer without being broken down. Cacao contains anandamide which delivers blissful feelings. Cacao also contains B vitamins, which are associated with brain health. All this makes cacao a natural prozac!

    Research by British psychologist, Dr. David Benton at the University of Wales in Swansea, found chocolate to be an excellent mood elevator. When he played sad music to a group of students, their moods sank. He then offered them the choice of milk chocolate or carob (a natural chocolate substitute that is similar in taste). Without their knowing which product they were eating, the participants found that the chocolate raised their moods, while the carob did nothing. Moreover, as their moods fell, their cravings for chocolate increased.

    Raw Chocolate
    The truth about the health-benefits of chocolate is finally reaching our ears. However, the whole truth should be told. Chocolate is healthy if it is dark with no added dairy products/milk or refined sugar. Even better are raw cacao beans, the "food of the gods" which possess all the magical properties of chocolate without any adulteration or processing! Add real chocolate chips (crushed cacao beans) to your favorite dessert and watch all heaven break loose! Experiment with, eat, and enjoy real organic cacao beans and you will know why the Mayans and Aztecs used cacao as money!

    Chocolate Nut-Milk Recipe
    1 liter (4 cups) of coconut water
    20 cacao beans (preferably peeled)
    10 raw cashews (everyone loves cashews!)
    3-5 tablespoons of carob powder and/or maca powder (maca is a powdered root from Peru that is an amazing high-protein superfood aphrodisiac, strengthener, and fertility enhancer)
    3-5 tablespoons of honey and/or agave cactus nectar
    2 tablespoons of hempseed oil
    2 tablespoons of coconut oil/butter
    2-3 pinches of sea salt (preferably celtic sea salt or Himalayan pink rock salt)
    2-3 sprinkles of cinnamon


    Blend all ingredients, drink, and arrive back on Earth in about 2 hours!

    David Wolfe (www.davidwolfe.com) is the author of The Sunfood Diet Success System, Eating For Beauty, co-author of a currently-untitled book on raw cacao and Professor of Live-Food Nutrition at Gabriel Cousens Tree of Life Masters Program in Patagonia Arizona. He is considered by peers to be the leading authority on raw-food nutrition. David is supported in his nutritional mission by the online healthfood store Rawfood.com.

    References

    Books
    Coe, Sophie D. and Coe, Michael D. The True History of Chocolate. New York: Thames and Hudson, 1996.

    Cousens, Gabriel, M.D. with Mark Mayell. Depression-Free for Life. New York: Harper Collins, 2001.

    Drapeau, MSc., Christian, Primordial Food (Aphanizomenon Flos-Aquae), One World Press, Asheville, North Carolina, 2003

    Jensen, Dr. Bernard. Dr. Jensen's Guide To Body Chemistry & Nutrition. Los Angeles, CA: Keats Publishing, 2000.

    Lopez, Ruth. Chocolate: The Nature of Indulgence. New York: Harry N. Abrams, 2002.

    Presilla, Maricel E. The New Taste of Chocolate: A Cultural and Natural History of Cacao with Recipes. Berkeley, CA: Ten Speed Press, 2001.

    Articles
    Holt RR, Lazarus SA, Sullards MC, et al. Procyanidin Dimer B2 [epicatechin-(4beta-8)-epicatechin] In Human Plasma After The Consumption of Flavanol-Rich Cocoa. Am J Clin Nutr. 2002; 76:1106-1110.

    Kris-Etherton, PM, Keen, CL. "Evidence That The Antioxidant Flavonoids in Tea and Cocoa are Beneficial for Cardiovascular Health." Curr Opin Lipidol. 2002; 13:41-49.

    Land, Ruth, "Loving Luxury Chocolate," Money Magazine, February 9, 2004

    Morgenthaler, J. and Joy, D. Better Sex Through Chemistry. Petaluma, California: Smart Publications, 1995.

    Olson, Elizabeth, "Beyond Delicious: Could Chocolate Also Be Good For You?," New York Times, February 17, 2004.

    Osakabe, N, Baba S, Yasuda A, et al. "Daily Cocoa Intake Reduces The Susceptibility of Low-Density Lipoprotein To Oxidation As Demonstrated In Healthy Human Volunteers," Free Rad Res. 2001; 34:93-99.

    Richelle, M, Tavazzi I, Offord E, "Comparison of the Antioxidant Activity of Commonly Consumed Polyphenolic Beverages (Coffee, Cocoa, Tea) Prepared Per Cup Serving," J Agric Food Chem. 2001;49:3438-3442.

    Rios LY, Bennett RN, Lazarus SA, et al. "Cocoa Procyanidins Are Stable During Gastric Transit In Humans. Am J Clin Nutr. 2002; 76:1106-1110.

    Simao, Paul, Study Links Marijuana Buzz, "Runner's High", Reuters, Atlanta, Jan. 9

    Websites
    www.uspharmacist.com "The Health Benefits of Dark Chocolate," George Nemecz, PhD (Vol. No. 29:02, posted 2/15/4)

    http://www.rain-tree.com/db/Theobrom...-phytochem.htm (Dr. Duke's Phytochemical and Ethnobotanical Databases)

    More on David Wolfe's forthcoming book on raw chocolate:

    Contains nearly 100 raw chocolate recipes!!!

    Learn and Experience How Cacao (raw chocolate): the Food of the Gods allows you to:

    * Eat less, lose weight, and live more
    * Heal and open your heart
    * Alleviate depression and lost love
    * Increase your sensuality and beauty
    * Double your joy
    * Nourish your brain
    * Accelerate your nutrition
    * Attract prosperity into your life
    * Experience the world's most wonderful aphrodisiacs
    * Make the most outrageous beverages, desserts, cakes, ice creams and many other super treats!


    Special Notice: The recipes in this book allow you to find that perfect alchemical potion that causes all heaven to break loose.

    Raw chocolate is suitable for vegetarian and vegan diets -- and great for kids too!!!

    Warning: Reading this book may cause you to have The Best Day Ever!

    Order raw, certified organic Cacao Beans and Cacao Nibs here

    http://www.rawfood.com/?q=cacao_nibs_godsRawfood.com(800) 205-2350(619) 596-7979The World's Premier Source ofRaw Lifestyle Resources
    And this is from http://www.fredericpatenaude.com/rawcacao.html
    Raw Cacao: another stimulant disguised as a healthy food

    by Frédéric Patenaude

    Many of my readers have been asking me what I think of the whole raw cacao craze. For those who don't know, raw cacao beans are now sold by different raw-food companies as the latest "superfood." Cacao beans are traditionally roasted and used to make chocolate. Now, raw-foodists have found a raw version of the beloved bean and are apparently using it for its magical properties.

    First, let me start by explaining what my own personal use of cacao is. I've known for a long time that cacao is a stimulant. Not as strong as coffee, but its stimulating "qualities" are easy to spot when your body is not used to eating such foods. Because of this, I often used carob powder in my recipes. Carob powder is made from a fruit and has a taste that reminds of chocolate. It is naturally sweet. Instead of being a stimulant, carob is a mineral rich food and has a calming effect. So, like most raw-foodists, I used carob powder in my recipes. But, then one day, I decided to use cacao powder. I figured: if I'm going to make something that tastes like chocolate, why not use the real thing? I've noticed that cacao has a stimulating effect, but since I was using it occasionally (i.e. less than once a month) and just for fun in some recipes, I was not too bothered by that little indiscretion. However, I never considered it to be a health food.

    Now, cacao beans are sold to us at an exorbitant price under the assumption that it's one of the best things we could ever eat. I couldn't disagree more.

    First of all, cacao beans are not really food. If you found them in nature, you wouldn't eat the seeds. You would eat the fruit, which is apparently delicious, and throw away the seeds. Even if you wanted to eat the seeds, they would not taste like chocolate. In order for the cacao seeds to taste like chocolate and become the cacao beans that we know, they have to be fermented first. They are fairly bitter, indicating the presence of a poison. And when I say a "poison," I'm not making this up. Just do a little research and you'll discover that cacao contains many chemicals with a stimulating effects, such as theobromine and caffeine.

    A popular article on raw cacao beans claims that cacao "increase(s) your focus and alertness and contains nutrients to keep you happy."

    My answer to that is the same as has been said and is being said about coffee. The fact is that what people actually confuse with "alertness" is actually an adrenal response to the stress that the body has to deal with when eliminating the toxins found in cacao beans. What you get is NOT energy. What you experience as energy is actually your body working hard to establish balance (homeostasis) again! It's like whipping a horse. Eventually, it will fall down.

    Here's an excerpt from Neal Barnard's book, "Breaking the Food Seduction":

    "Researchers at the University of Michigan brought out the truth about chocolate. In a research study, they gave 26 volunteers a drug called 'noxalone.' They then offered them a tray filled with Snicker's Bars, M&Ms, chocolate chip cookies, and Oreos. Normally, these snacks would have quickly disappeared. But, the drug knocked out the desire for chocolate. A candy bar was not much more exciting than a crust of dry bread.

    “Noxalone is an opiate blocker. That is, it stops heroin, morphine, and other narcotics from affecting the brain. And, it blocks the effects of chocolate, too. This research study showed that chocolate's appeal does not come from its creamy texture or deep brown color. Chocolate stimulates the same part of the brain that morphine acts on. For all intents and purposes, chocolate is a drug - not necessarily a bad one and not a terribly strong one, but strong enough, nonetheless, to keep us coming back for more."

    Many people would argue that when cacao is not cooked, these chemicals do not have the same effect on the body. But yet, those same people who say that actually admit to eating cacao beans for their stimulating effect! Many people have reported not being able to fall asleep if they eat cacao beans late at night and that they are still looking for the "best" time of the day to eat them. Others tell me that when they eat cacao beans, they get so much energy, but then have a "down" later on. Does that remind you of something?

    If you like the taste, you could use some cacao once in a while in a recipe. But don't fool yourself into thinking that there's somehow something really good about this. Personally, I would consider using cacao when making a special desert for a special occasion. I don't recommend eating cacao otherwise. I don't find anything special in it. I don't buy the whole raw cacao craze and I don't think it is worth the price that is charged for it.

    Remember: A rose by any other name is ... just as thorny. Have fun! ;-)_
    The most dangerous of all falsehoods is a slightly distorted truth." G. C. Lichtenberg

  10. #10

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    Default Is Iceland's Chocolate Vegan?

    It says 'veggie friendly' and there's nothing in the ingredients that sounds non-vegan. I can't remember the exact name of it but it's Iceland's own brand (that's a UK chain of small supermarkets by the way) and it's just plain dark chocolate.

    I've eaten it once or twice as it does appear to be vegan, but I noticed it's not on any online vegan shopping guides I've checked so I won't buy it again until I'm sure it's OK.

    It better be vegan as it's the most 'creamy', chocolatey chocolate I've tasted - even nicer than Ritter's.

  11. #11

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    Default Re: Is Iceland's Chocolate Vegan?

    C'mon! Tell me! Tell me! Need chocolate! Going crazy!

  12. #12

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    Default Re: Is Iceland's Chocolate Vegan?

    Sorry I can't help you! I have no idea! Hope you manage to find out soon!!
    'Never eat more than you can lift' - 'Miss Piggy' :p

  13. #13
    Robin
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    Default Re: Is Iceland's Chocolate Vegan?

    mail the company and ask them?

    If it's a small unknown brand it might not have gotten the time to appear on any safe-listings.

  14. #14
    l337_v3g4n_1's Avatar
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    Default Re: Is Iceland's Chocolate Vegan?

    Ohh ooh, I'm Icelandic!!! Are you in Iceland??

    anyway, which chocolate brand are you talking about? Sirius Konsum Suđusúkkulađi is vegan. (It's most often in a white wrapper)
    People once thought my mother is a nut, but I once thought a nut was my mother! :D

  15. #15
    Robin
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    Default Re: Is Iceland's Chocolate Vegan?

    umm, I'm referring to the brand Evilfluffbunny is talking about (am I the only one who cracks up whenever I have to say a name like that in a semi-serious context? ^^)

    And I don't know what that brand is so eh, just a general suggestion.

    As for me, bo I'm not from Iceland, but I live in Sweden though, so pretty close at least

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    Default Re: Is Iceland's Chocolate Vegan?

    Thanks everyone, I'll just have to see if they have a website and email them if they do (I hate doing that for some reason!). Maybe I should tell them I'm lactose intolerant so they're more likely to give a straight answer?

    Ohh ooh, I'm Icelandic!!! Are you in Iceland??
    Nope, sorry! The only Iceland I've been to is the supermarket.

    umm, I'm referring to the brand Evilfluffbunny is talking about (am I the only one who cracks up whenever I have to say a name like that in a semi-serious context? ^^)
    I'll have you know that Evil F. Bunny is my real name and I get very upset when people tease me about it!

  17. #17
    Robin
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    Default Re: Is Iceland's Chocolate Vegan?

    Quote Evilfluffbunny
    I'll have you know that Evil F. Bunny is my real name and I get very upset when people tease me about it!

    This reminds me of Buffy, their theme song is written by someone named Nerf Herder, and if anyone here is in some slight way obsessed with Star Wars you'll know what I'm sayin'

  18. #18
    Useless Dork Tofu Monster's Avatar
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    Default Re: Is Iceland's Chocolate Vegan?

    Quote l337_v3g4n_1
    Sirius Konsum Suđusúkkulađi
    that's easy for you to say, ice boy.

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    Default Re: Is Iceland's Chocolate Vegan?

    This reminds me of Buffy, their theme song is written by someone named Nerf Herder, and if anyone here is in some slight way obsessed with Star Wars you'll know what I'm sayin'
    I don't! I've seen Star Wars though. I had to watch it because I was about 22/23 and still hadn't seen them, so people kept making fun of me. I couldn't take the embarrassment any more.

  20. #20
    Robin
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    Default Re: Is Iceland's Chocolate Vegan?

    Well, I'll just be so kind and inform you of what I'm thinking of then

    In one scene in Episode 5 Lei and Han Solo are having an argument (as always) where Leia finally burst out

    " *something I don't remember here* ...scruffy-looking...Nerfherder!"

    At this point Han Solo goes all offended and says "Who's Scruffy-looking?"

    but maybe it's just me who finds this funny

  21. #21

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    Default Re: Is Iceland's Chocolate Vegan?

    Thanks for clearing that up!

    I love your avatar by the way - very funny.

  22. #22
    Robin
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    Default Re: Is Iceland's Chocolate Vegan?

    you're welcome =)

    Yeah, it's among the custom avatars acctually, ain't it great?

  23. #23
    FR
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    Default Re: Vegan white chocolate????

    Quote Banana
    By the way, I want to make white chocolate chip cookies for christmas...anyone got recipes?
    I saw this recipe that I plan on trying when I am done dieting. Although this will not make perfect chips, you can make small chunks which would probably work out better anyway.

    Quote Cef Deb
    1/2 cup cocoa butter (food-grade only!)
    1/3 cup natural sugar
    1/3 cup soymilk powder
    1/2 cup water
    1/2 tsp powdered soy lecithin (granules ground to powder OK)
    1 tsp vanilla powder
    http://www.vegsource.com/articles/de..._chocolate.htm

    I have had dairy free white chocolate before and it is amazing. Only thing different about it is the milk that is used. Vegans use plant milk and omnis use mammal milk. In the end, it is still white chocolate.

  24. #24
    Raskolnikov
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    Default Re: Vegan white chocolate????

    Quote Mozbee
    Wow these cravings!
    Anyone with the occasional lust for toffee!
    Ah, toffee. My fillings lived in fear, but my tastebuds rejoiced in it. The nearest thing I've been able to find in terms of a subsitute is a sort of homemade caramel sauce made with sugar, soya cream and margarine which goes brilliantly with vanilla ice-"cream". It's just not quite the same though.

  25. #25

    Default Re: Vegan white chocolate????

    I have a recipe for something that tastes good, sort of like toffee, and is crispy:

    Almond butterscotch blondies

    One dozen


    4 T. water
    1 T. ener-G egg replacer
    1 c. turbinado sugar
    1/4 c. safflower oil
    1 tsp. vanilla
    3/4 c. whole-wheat pastry flour
    1 tsp. baking powder
    1/2 tsp. sea salt
    1/3 c. sliced almonds



    1. Preheat oven to 350 F. In a bowl, combine the water and egg replacer and whisk for 1 min. or until very frothy. Add the sugar, oil, and vanilla and whisk well to combine.

    2. In another bowl, sift together flour, baking powder, and salt. Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and stir well to combine. Fold in the almonds.

    3. Pour batter into greased 9-inch square pan. Bake for 25 min. When done, the top and edges will appear dry and brown while the center will remain soft. Cut into 12 squares while still warm.


    I think it's from a magazine, but I forget which now. Anyway, put them in the refrigerator to cool after slicing to harden.
    utopiankitchen.wordpress.com

  26. #26
    FR
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    Default Re: Vegan white chocolate????

    Quote Artichoke47
    I have a recipe for something that tastes good, sort of like toffee, and is crispy:

    Almond butterscotch blondies

    One dozen


    4 T. water
    1 T. ener-G egg replacer
    1 c. turbinado sugar
    1/4 c. safflower oil
    1 tsp. vanilla
    3/4 c. whole-wheat pastry flour
    1 tsp. baking powder
    1/2 tsp. sea salt
    1/3 c. sliced almonds



    1. Preheat oven to 350 F. In a bowl, combine the water and egg replacer and whisk for 1 min. or until very frothy. Add the sugar, oil, and vanilla and whisk well to combine.

    2. In another bowl, sift together flour, baking powder, and salt. Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and stir well to combine. Fold in the almonds.

    3. Pour batter into greased 9-inch square pan. Bake for 25 min. When done, the top and edges will appear dry and brown while the center will remain soft. Cut into 12 squares while still warm.


    I think it's from a magazine, but I forget which now. Anyway, put them in the refrigerator to cool after slicing to harden.

    Yeah, that is from VegNews. I made those and they are like toffee. I wrote them asking why they're are called blondies as they do not resemble blondies at all. They would need way more flour to be real blondies. They were too sweet and crunchy for my tastes and they stuck to my teeth.

  27. #27

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    Default Re: Vegan white chocolate????

    I'd LOVE a vegan Milky Bar - heaven.

  28. #28
    Raskolnikov
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    Default Re: Vegan white chocolate????

    Quote Artichoke47
    I have a recipe for something that tastes good, sort of like toffee, and is crispy: Almond butterscotch blondies....
    Sounds good to me! I might have a bash at making that this weekend. It sounds like something my non-vegan spouse might wish to partake of as well. (It sometimes pleases me to know that he's not inclined to turn his nose up at absolutely everything I eat!)

  29. #29

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    Default Re: Vegan white chocolate????

    Quote Mister The Cat
    I'd LOVE a vegan Milky Bar - heaven.
    OMG DROOOOOOOOOOOOOL! I ALWAYS LOVED MILKYBAR!

  30. #30
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    Default Re: Vegan white chocolate????

    What I miss is Caramac...

    I think that was taken over by Nestle though, so I stopped eating them even before I went vegan

  31. #31
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    Default Re: Vegan white chocolate????

    I will have to check Pangea out one day. Strangely enough I had a dream about eating vegan chocolate the other night, it was while and dark swirled together, like those Guilean shells.

  32. #32

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    Default vegan chocolate

    I know milk chocolate isn't vegan (obviously) but is most dark chocolate vegan or do I have to find a special vegan brand?

  33. #33
    Eating Wildflower's Avatar
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    Default Re: vegan chocolate

    It really depends. I believe (check as it changes) that Dove Dark chocolate and Giradelli Dark chocolate are vegan (I buy their chips and cocoa sometimes). Last I checked Hershey's Special Dark had milk fat in it.

    The brands that I eat are Newman's Own (Dark Chocolate bar), Green and Black's and Dagoba. Also, Ritter Sport makes a dark chocolate marzipam to die for.

    Some Dagoba brand chocolate is vegan - from there website:
    Are any products vegan?
    All of Dagoba’s dark bars, ChocoDrops, hot chocolates, cocoa powder, syrup are vegan. Dagoba uses only unrefined cane sugar, meaning that the sugar has not been processes through a filter such as animal char.
    Which products have no milk/dairy added?
    Dagoba’s dark bars, ChocoDrops, hot chocolates, cocoa powder and syrup have no added milk or milk by-products. The dark and milk chocolates are made on the same equipment, but everything is cleaned thoroughly between runs.

    And Green and Black's has many vegan bars - I love the Dark Chocolate and Hazelnut & Currant. They actually mark the vegan bars as vegan and they are listed here -> http://www.greenandblacks.com/pics/p...tion%20v10.doc

    I find Newman's Own at most regular and health food stores, Green and Blacks at most health food stores, and Dagoba at Vegan Essentials.

  34. #34
    AR Activist Roxy's Avatar
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    Default Re: vegan chocolate

    I love Dagoba chocolate and Tropical Source vegan chocolate too (especially the peppermint one)!

  35. #35
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    Talking Re: vegan chocolate

    hey thats my fav too!

    i love mint chocolate!!!

    i crush it up into pieces and put it in my vanilla soy icecream!
    the aim of life is to live, and to live means to be aware, joyously, dunkenly, serenely, divinely aware.
    -henry miller

  36. #36

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    Default Re: vegan chocolate

    awesome, thanks everyone!

  37. #37
    LittleNellColumbia
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    Default Re: vegan chocolate

    mmmmmmm i love chocolate! im not sure if you have Lindt Chocolate in America, but here in Oz the orange choc flavour is vegan....and its just devine! It has real fruit pieces in it also, so you can pretend your being healthy while your eating it.........

  38. #38
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    Default Re: vegan chocolate

    On the Ghirardelli package it says "may contain milk protein", but I bought it once anyway. If that bothers you though, there are special vegan chocolates you can buy, probably easiest online.

  39. #39
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    Default Re: vegan chocolate

    Newman's Sweet Dark Orange is also vegan. I find that one in Fred Meyer, but you might be able to try Fry's or any store that has its own health food section.

    Dagoba, they started carrying at Fred Meyer too (at least they do at the one near me).

    They also started carrying Endangered Species brand, but I don't remember if any of them are vegan or not (I was in a bit of hurry that day - sorry).
    It's vegan, which means it's vegetarian which means there's nothing unheathy in it. -- my guy trying to explain vegan junkfood.

  40. #40
    AR Activist Roxy's Avatar
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    Default Re: vegan chocolate

    Oh - I almost forgot. My local organic grocery stores sells Chimp Mints. They are organic and vegan and I'm pretty sure they're put out by the Endangered Species company. They are a little square piece of dark, peppermint flavoured chocolate and each one comes with a little picture of a chimp inside and a story about it's life.

    They are great as an after dinner mint!

  41. #41

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    Default Re: vegan chocolate

    That's so cute! Maybe they stock them at Whole Foods or Sprouts here in Arizona... I'll have to go on a chocolate hunt.

  42. #42

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    Default Chocolate

    OK I'm ignorant here. Doesn't most chocolate contain milk product?? I've been avoiding chocolate thinking it was not vegan. Is this a correct assumption?
    Carve a pumpkin, Go to prison! :eek:

  43. #43

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    Default Re: chocolate question

    You can buy vegan chocolate, but most chocolate is not. There are some brands of dark chocolate that have no animal products and some specialty soy-milk based milk chocolates are available. I also buy vegan white chocolate

  44. #44

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    Talking Re: chocolate question

    Thanks! I'll add that to my list of goodies to look for!
    Carve a pumpkin, Go to prison! :eek:

  45. #45
    AR Activist Roxy's Avatar
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    Default Re: chocolate question

    I am sure someone in the USA could better answer this than someone in Canada but there are lots of yummy vegan chocolates available in the USA. 2 of my favourites are Dagobah and Tropical Source.

  46. #46
    Kiva Dancer's Avatar
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    Default Re: chocolate question

    Dagoba, Triopical Source, Neuman's Dark and Sweet Dark Orange, Lindt 70% Dark, Dove Dark and one of the Ghiradelli varieties (I think the bittersweet) are all vegan and available in just about any US store.
    It's vegan, which means it's vegetarian which means there's nothing unheathy in it. -- my guy trying to explain vegan junkfood.

  47. #47
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    Default Re: chocolate question

    There are two kinds of Ghirardelli's that qualify - I think the other one is called "semi sweet". I chocolate chips of both kinds for my chocolate cakes and chocolate chip cookies.

    There is also a Lindt 80% chocolate available in some places, and in Germany I got some wafer thin Lindt 60% or 70% chocolates in a box - fantastic! I don't like dark chocolate that much, but the thing Lindts I really like (probably because they're so thin, the taste isn't as over powering).

    I'm surprised to hear that Dove dark chocolate is vegan, as the Dove Dark Chocolate Promises (the bite-sized ones in a bag) is made with butterfat (see http://www.dovechocolate.com/collect...tritional.html ).

    But do make sure you read the ingredient list - you'd be surprised how many dark chocolates contain milk (or some milk by-product)!
    No Gods, No Masters.

  48. #48
    Kiva Dancer's Avatar
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    Default Re: chocolate question

    I got the info about Dove Dark here. But like the poster said, check lables because things change.
    It's vegan, which means it's vegetarian which means there's nothing unheathy in it. -- my guy trying to explain vegan junkfood.

  49. #49
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    Default Re: Is Iceland's Chocolate Vegan?

    We contacted Iceland, and they told us that their dark chcolate is vegan. We've been eating it since. In face we have a chocolate tofu cheesecake thingie in the fridge made with it.

    Cheers,

    Ross-c

  50. #50

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    Default Re: Is Iceland's Chocolate Vegan?

    When did you contact them if you don't mind me asking? It's just that it's listed as non-vegan on the 'Is It Vegan?' website, so I'm wondering if one or the other is out of date maybe?

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