Is Cocoa Butter Vegan?
Wondering if the cocoa butter you spotted in your chocolate bar's ingredient list is dairy-based? Thankfully not! Not to be confused with regular butter, cocoa butter is a primary ingredient found in most vegan chocolate bars, and it adds that creamy, luscious factor. Keep reading to find out, is cocoa butter vegan?
What Is Cocoa Butter?
An interesting fact about cocoa beans is that around 50% of their weight is pure fat! This fat is called cocoa butter.
This means cocoa butter is totally natural, vegan, and plant-based! A unique characteristic of this oil is that it's solid at room temperature, similar to coconut oil. This is why it's used to make solid chocolate bars, and also explains why your chocolate may slowly begin to melt on your fingers as you savor it.
How Is Cocoa Butter Made?
After harvesting the cacao fruit, the cacao beans are removed from the pod, cleaned, and roasted. Then, the shells are removed and the beans are crushed and ground into cocoa liquor. The oil is then separated from the liquor and sold as 'cacao butter', or 'cocoa butter'! Meanwhile, any cocoa solids are sold as cocoa powder or cacao powder.
Is Cocoa Butter Healthy?
Similar to coconut oil, cocoa butter is very high in saturated fat. In fact, a 100g portion contains 60g of saturated fat. However, it's also a good source of vitamin E and other healthy fatty acids and antioxidants. So, simply remember to consume it with great moderation!
Is Cocoa Butter Ethical and Sustainable?
Cocoa butter can be sustainable and ethical, or unethical and unsustainable, depending on how it was produced and sourced. Most cacao is cultivated in West Africa. Much of the remaining 30% grows in Southeast Asia, Central America, and South America.
Once harvested and sun dried, cacao beans are sold to traders, small buyers, wholesalers, exporters, and finally, chocolate producers. Otherwise, they go to the beauty industry to be used in natural skincare or hair care products.
Aside from the environmental toll of all this transportation, cacao is a relatively greedy crop. It requires a ton of energy and resources for its cultivation. In addition to this, large amounts of fertilizer and pesticides are employed to fend off unwanted critters. These chemicals seep into the ground, contaminating the fertile soil and local water supply.
We also can't fail to mention the child labor and even forced labor that plagues the cocoa industry. Learn more about this concerning issue chocolate here.
So, while some cacao products are grown organically and ethically, with plenty of reliable certifications to back them up, you may need to do a bit of research to locate them. Labels like USDA Certified Organic, Fair Trade Certified, and Rainforest Alliance Certified are currently some of the best assurance we have that our chocolate was both ethically and sustainably produced.
Frequently Asked Questions About Cocoa Butter
Is Queen Helene's Cocoa Butter Vegan?
To answer simply, yes, Queen Helene's cocoa butter is both PETA-Approved Vegan and Leaping Bunny Certified cruelty-free.
Is Palmer's Cocoa Butter Lotion Vegan?
While Palmer's Cocoa Butter product is formulated without animal products, the brand itself is not cruelty-free. So, the product itself may have been tested on animals. Because of this, we would not consider this product to be totally vegan.
Where Can I Find Vegan Cocoa Butter?
Cocoa butter is often sold at regular supermarkets, and especially at health food stores. Products labeled '100% raw cocoa butter' and 'food grade cocoa butter' are totally safe to use in your cooking. Food grade cocoa butter is heavily filtered and may lead to a smoother, more enjoyable final product.
Meanwhile, cosmetic grade cocoa butter may be edible, however it's best to use this variety exclusively for crafting beauty products, in case any hidden non-edible ingredients were added. However, you can definitely use raw or food grade cocoa butter in your DIY beauty treatments, such as homemade vegan lip balms and vegan face moisturizers, as well.
How Can I Use Cocoa Butter?
Cocoa butter is a primary ingredient in white chocolate, milk chocolate, and dark chocolate bars. So, you can use cocoa butter to make your own vegan chocolate at home! Add any yummy flavor combos or ingredients you'd like to give it your own unique twist.
To make a simple dark chocolate bar, simply mix one cup of melted cocoa butter with one cup of cocoa powder, then stir in about one fourth cup of your liquid sweetener of choice. You may also choose to include about one fourth cups of your plant milk powder of choice (reduce the amount of cocoa powder used by whatever amount of milk powder you include) to make a vegan milk chocolate bar! Coconut, soy, or oat milk powder can all make for a delectable bar with a wonderfully silky texture.
Once all ingredients are combined, simply pour the hot mixture into a mold and let it cool fully in the fridge to set. Once it's fully cooled, you'll have a delicious homemade non-dairy chocolate bar to enjoy throughout the week!
You can also use cocoa butter to make DIY skin care products! This ingredient is perfect for sensitive skin, as it's free from any harsh chemicals and loaded with nourishing fatty acids your skin will love. Mix it with other plant oils like shea butter or coconut oil to create a soothing body butter that treats minor rashes or dry skin. You'll find plenty of recipes online. You can even add a couple drops of a natural essential oil for some aromatherapy! Just keep in mind that even natural fragrance oils may irritate extra sensitive skin.
Vegan Products Made With Cocoa Butter
Although dark chocolate and milk chocolate can easily be made vegan, you will want to watch out for any products labeled 'white chocolate'. That's because they must include a certain percentage of milk fat and solids to be legally labeled this way in the U.S. That's why many vegan 'white chocolate' substitutes are labeled as 'vegan white' or 'white vanilla' bars, instead.
So, as a vegan, you'll want to stay away from white chocolate, non-vegan milk chocolate, and dairy-containing dark chocolate bars. Otherwise, any dairy-free chocolate should be safe for vegan diets, unless made with honey or other animal products.
As for hair and skincare products, just because some may contain cocoa butter and other natural plant-based ingredients, it doesn't mean they're totally vegan. Some natural beauty formulations will still contain animal-derived honey, dairy, carmine, or beeswax. So, you'll want to check your beauty products' ingredients lists, mainly for any bee-derived or dairy products.
Check out some of our favorite vegan chocolates and cruelty-free beauty products made with nourishing cocoa butter below!
Vegan Chocolate Bars
It's becoming increasingly easy to come across luscious vegan chocolate bars made with antioxidant-rich cocoa butter and cocoa powder! Check out some of our all-time favorites here.
Vegan Skincare Products Made With Cocoa Butter
Cocoa butter is a fabulous ingredient for skincare, and it's safe for all skin types! This oil is high in oleic acid and other antioxidant-rich fatty acids, which make it ultra-hydrating and nourishing. That's why it's used in so many popular vegan moisturizers and lip balms! Check out some of our top picks below.
Vegan Haircare Products Made With Cocoa Butter
This nourishing beauty ingredient can also help to smooth and hydrate your precious locks! Use it on its own as a fabulous pre-wash treatment to nourish and cleanse your scalp, or reap its benefits by going for one of the ultra-effective moisturizing vegan shampoo and haircare treatments listed below.