If you’re vegan, you might be wondering if BROOKSIDE Dark Chocolate is vegan. In this blog post, we’ll take a closer look at the ingredients and share some vegan chocolate alternatives. Stay tuned!
No, Brookside Dark Chocolate is not vegan-friendly. The ingredient list includes milk ingredients for all flavors offered, including milk fat and milk.
In this article, we explore:
- The Brookside Brand
- Ingredient Breakdown: Brookside Dark Chocolate
- Vegan Alternatives to Brookside Dark Chocolate
- The Bottom Line
1. The Brookside Brand
Brookside is a Canadian confectionery company best known for its unique line of chocolate-covered fruit jellies. While the company was originally founded as an independent business, it was acquired by Hershey’s and it’s now part of their extensive chocolate products.
Today, Brookside continues to produce its signature chocolates at facilities in British Columbia and Quebec.
All of Brookside’s chocolates are gluten-free, but they are not vegan.
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2. Ingredient Breakdown: Brookside Dark Chocolate
BROOKSIDE Dark Chocolate products come in a variety of flavors, including the following:
- BROOKSIDE Dark Chocolate Açai and Blueberry Flavor
- BROOKSIDE Dark Chocolate Pomegranate Flavor
- BROOKSIDE Dark chocolate Goji & Raspberry Flavors
- BROOKSIDE Dark chocolate Crunchy Clusters
- BROOKSIDE Dark Chocolate Whole Almonds Dusted with Black Currant
- BROOKSIDE Dark Chocolates Whole Almonds Dusted with Raspberry
- BROOKSIDE Whole Almonds in Dark Chocolate
- BROOKSIDE Whole Almonds in Milk Chocolate
- BROOKSIDE Dark Chocolate Vineyard Inspired Merlot Grape & Black Currant Flavors
- BROOKSIDE Dark Chocolate Vineyard Inspired Chardonnay Grape & Peach Flavors
Unfortunately, none of these flavors are vegan-friendly, because the dark chocolate itself is made with milk fat and milk.
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Dark Chocolate Ingredients: Sugar, Chocolate, Cocoa Butter, Cocoa Processed With Alkali, Milk Fat, Lecithin, Milk, Salt, Natural Vanilla Flavor.
Sugar is the ingredient in the highest quantity in this dark chocolate. It is what gives the chocolate its sweetness. Followed by sugar, is the actual chocolate base made from cocoa beans, to create the chocolate.
Cocoa butter is a type of fat that is extracted from cocoa beans. It is used to create the rich texture of dark chocolate.
Cocoa Processed With Alkali: Alkali is used to treat cocoa powder so that it can be used in chocolate production. This process makes the cocoa more soluble and gives it a milder flavor.
Milk Fat is used to create the rich texture of dark chocolate. Milk is also used to add sweetness and creaminess to dark chocolate.
Lecithin is a type of emulsifier. It is used to keep the chocolate from separating into its different parts.
Salt and Vanilla extract are used to add and enhance flavor to the final product.
3. Vegan Alternatives to Brookside Dark Chocolate
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3.1. KakaoZon Dark Chocolate Covered Fruits
KakaoZon Dark Chocolate Covered Fruits are made with premium dark chocolate and sustainably-harvested fruit. They come in different flavors, such as Golden Berries, Pineapple, and Coffe Beans.
Ingredients for the Chocolate Covered Pineapple: Dried pineapple bites, cocoa liquor, sugar, cocoa butter. Emulsifier: sunflower lecithin
The dried pineapple provides the main sweetness and flavor for the chocolate-covered pineapple. The cocoa liquor is melted and used to coat the dried pineapple pieces. It also adds a rich chocolate flavor to the finished treat.
The sugar is used to sweeten the cocoa liquor and add a bit of sweetness to the chocolate-covered pineapple.
Cocoa butter is used to give the chocolate a smooth, creamy texture.
The emulsifier helps to keep the cocoa butter and cocoa liquor from separating and ensures a smooth, evenly coated final product.
Their products have simple ingredient lists and are vegan-friendly. The chocolate is sourced from fair trade, family-owned farms in Ecuador, and the fruit is dried and preserved using traditional methods.
3.2. Healthy Crunch Vegan Dark Chocolate Superfoods Real Blueberry
Healthy Crunch Vegan Dark Chocolate Superfoods Real Blueberry is a delicious and nutritious treat. These chocolate-covered blueberries are vegan and made with simple ingredients, including real fruit. Healthy Crunch also offers different flavors, such as Goldenberry and Cherry.
Ingredients: 70% Dark Chocolate (Cocoa Paste, Cane Sugar, Cocoa Butter, Cocoa Powder), Blueberry, Tapioca.
The cocoa paste is responsible for the chocolatey flavor and rich texture of the final product.
The cane sugar sweetens the chocolate and gives it a pleasant, smooth taste.
The cocoa butter contributes to the creamy mouthfeel of the chocolate and helps to bind all of the ingredients together.
The cocoa powder gives the chocolate a deeper flavor and darker color. It also provides some healthy antioxidants.
Blueberry is a natural source of sweetness that complements the chocolate flavor. It also adds a pop of color and some nutritional value.
The tapioca helps to bind the ingredients together and gives the chocolate a slightly chewy texture.
3.3. NATIERRA Organic Freeze-Dried Chocolate-Covered Strawberry Slices
NATIERRA Organic Freeze-Dried Chocolate-Covered Strawberry Slices are certified organic and vegan-friendly. They are manufactured in Peru and made with organic dark chocolate and organic freeze-dried strawberry slices.
Ingredients: Organic Dark Chocolate (Organic Sugar, Organic Cacao Mass, Organic Cacao Butter, and Organic Soy Lecithin), Organic Freeze-Dried Strawberry Slices.
The ingredient list is the simplest we’ve seen so far, including only the dark chocolate and the strawberry slices.
3.4. Great Value Dark Chocolate Covered Cranberries
Walmart’s brand Great Value sells Dark Chocolate Covered Cranberries that do not have any animal ingredients in them, making them vegan-friendly as well.
Ingredients: Dark chocolate (sugar, unsweetened chocolate, cocoa butter, soy lecithin, natural flavor), Dried cranberries, Sugars (sugar, glucose solids), Gum arabic, Confectioner’s glaze, Sunflower oil.
Sugar provides sweetness and a smooth texture. Unsweetened chocolate gives the dark chocolate flavor. Cocoa butter adds richness and creaminess. Soy lecithin helps to emulsify the ingredients and keep them combined. Natural flavor enhances the taste of the chocolate. Dried cranberries add sweetness and tartness. Gum arabic helps to keep the dried cranberries coated in chocolate. The confectioner’s glaze gives the chocolate a shiny appearance. Sunflower oil prevents the chocolate from seizing or becoming too thick.
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4. The Bottom Line
If you purchase something through one of our affiliate links, we may receive a small commission. This does not affect the price you pay in any way. Thank you for supporting our website!
Brookside Dark Chocolate is not vegan-friendly. Dark chocolate itself is made with milk fat and milk.
However, there are many other vegan-friendly alternatives to the same product. Some of these include KakaoZon Dark Chocolate Covered Fruits, NATIERRA Organic Freeze-Dried Chocolate-Covered Strawberry Slices, and Healthy Crunch Vegan Dark Chocolate Superfoods Real Blueberry.
All of these products are made with simple ingredients and are vegan-friendly. So, if you’re looking for a delicious and nutritious treat that is also vegan-friendly, be sure to check out one of these alternatives to Brookside Dark Chocolate.