Whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa! What are Hershey’s and Reese’s trying to pull? I was pretty sure chocolate WAS a plant product. Turns out it (still) is. But how do you describe a chocolate product that’s vegan, rather than – possibly – a compound that includes animal proteins?
Yes, they are vegan: New Hershey’s Oat chocolate
bar and Reese’s oat chocolate PB cups…
My late Dad was a truly funny guy. He never did subscribe to the vegetarian – much less the vegan philosophy. But he had a great come-back for folks who tried to get him embroiled in the non-meat debate…
“Veggie burgers?” The avid griller would raise an eyebrow. “Hate ’em! But they’re a darned site better than them mineral-based ones. And a lot easier on your teeth!” Would-be conversationalists would either fall silent in momentary confusion, or laugh their guts out…
But that’s another story for another day
Yes, cocoa, which is the base material from which chocolate is made, still does grow on trees. Cocoa bushes, to be precise. But like many processed foods, all chocolate products are not the same. Many contain milk and milk fractions: whole milk, milk solids, and milk proteins.
Let’s not throw the truck in reverse and back up all the way to the original definitions that usually define veggie and vegan products. I’ll stipulate that cocoa beans don’t have eyes, if you will. It’s often not the cocoa itself, per se, but the other ingredients serious vegetarians and vegans have to watch out for in products such as chocolate bars with suspended add-ins and chocolate-covered products.
Whey-ta-minute…
Whey is a liquid byproduct of the manufacture of many dairy foods, principally cheese. It’s high in protein and, as such, is a desirable as a component of many animal feeds. It’s also being concentrated these days, dried and used as a ‘health food’ supplement. The stuff is definitely a veggie and vegan concern, because it’s easily hidden or forgotten when making highly- or ultra-processed foods.
Sidebar issues
Vegetarians and vegans are often concerned about companion issues. It’s interesting to note that most ‘chocolate’ products are not certified gluten-free or non-GMO, nor do they contain fair-trade ingredients. If those issues concern you, you may have to do some digging to find out where your fave choco-prods (by Hershey’s, Reese’s or whomever) stand.
Oddly…
Some Reese’s and Hershey’s confections which cannot be considered vegan, can be considered vegetarian. So never give up hope…
So…
They’re not trying to pull a fast one on us, not are they setting us up for an early April Fool’s joke. Vegans can rest assured that the new Hershey’s Oat Chocolate bar and Reese’s Oat Chocolate PB cups are ‘friendly. Though it’s not as clear-cut an issue as many of us thought going in…
~ Maggie J.