Chocolate! PLEASE ANSWER! I'M DESPERATE!!!?

Question

DOES ANYONE KNOW ANY BRANDS OF CHOCOLATE THAT DON'T CONTAIN STEARIC ACID?
Stearic Acid—It may sound less gross than "lard," but stearic acid, which often rears its ugly head in chocolate and vitamins, comes from a fatty substance taken from slaughtered pigs’ stomachs—or from cows, sheep, or dogs and cats euthanized in animal shelters. Still want to chew on that piece of Fido?
Source:
http://www.petakids.com/candy.html

I thought eveyone should know (although you probably don't want to-in such cases ignorance is bliss!)that most chocolate contain stearic acid,so if you're a chocolate addict who thinks their leading a committed vegetarian life-style, think again!
Again,does anyone know any brands of chocolate that don't contain stearic acid??? I'm one of those chocolate addicts!!! PLEASE HELP!!!

As mentioned by mysticalviking, marshmallows contain gellatin, which is made of animal skin, bones,...ETC,ETC.

Does Hershey's have stearic acid? Is it from cocoa butter or animals?

Answer 1

Hello - I go vegetarian everytime my cholesterol or blood sugar gets too high. And, it is a fine life-style. I am happy you are asking about this issue.

Of course, the question is not stearic acid itself, but rather the SOURCE of the stearic acid. Stearic acid in itself is good for you because it adjusts the balance of lipids in your bloodstream [I've become quite well-read on that issue.] A reference to the American Heart Association web page on this is listed below.

Fine chocolate, made with cocoa butter contains stearic acid, but it is from the cacao beans themselves. Cheap and mass-produced chocolate washes out the naturally ocurring stearic acid and replaces it with the cheapest substitute it can find - lard based or GMO-produced.

The source of "industrial lard" [yep, that is what it is called] is American agriculture and is heavily subsidized by the U.S. Government. There is such a glut of it on the market at such low prices that it is inconceivable that any company would make a business decision to get lard from animal shelter refuse. That sounds like an urban myth.

Mexican food uses cocoa in many of its dishes, especially adobo sauce and mole' sauce. This has all the benefits of cocoa, without the fat content. There are several commercial brands of mole' and adobo on the market that have no added animal products and the processing of the cocoa doesn't affect the stearic acid and other anti-oxidants at all. Plus, most mole' and adobo sauces come in a container that is a neat glass for future use. I think I'll have cauliflower mole' tonight - yum!

As to the brands of commercial chocolate - go for the dark chocolates, up to 200 grams a week, from boutique and high-end manufacturers. Cailler, Lindt, Santander [my favorite], Tobler, Valhrona - all exquisite and none with animal products.

Interesting question

Answer 2

Uhh; In the US Stearic acid doesn't have to be listed! It's part of the USDA 'standard definition' of chocolate. In many/most cases the source could be from the Cocoa itself but in processing it often is removed and then later replaced Calling chocolate makers won't help because they tend to buy their ingredients based on price and sources can change between batches. You can order chocolate nibs (basically unprocessed Cocoa beans) to 100% insure the 'veggieness' of your chocolate fix but otherwise it tends to be a crapshoot. You can look up my answer from last week about chocolate and the US for more info. I'm stopping here because after reading 'less than knowledgeable' folks answers I feel a 'rant' starting.

edit:
Yes Hershey's has stearic acid since it has cocoa butter. How much are they 'subbing out'...unknown and they *sure* aren't going to tell you!

edit: Big dawg- all those brands have at one time or another been rumored to 'fat swap'. I *know* Tobler has done it! (In every case for the brands it was product shipped to USA)

Answer 3

I am watching on the parts record on a bar of Lindt & Sprungli Extra Fine Dark Chocolate, and there may be -no- stearic acid indexed...simply (so as) chocolate, sugar, cocoa butter, and vanilla. There could also be a caution that there could also be strains of peanuts, soybean, tree nuts and milk--most of the time as a heads-up for people who probably allergic. So until you're a entire vegan who are not able to have milk, you'll devour this chocolate. Another choice: seem for chocolate with a "U" on it. That approach it is kosher, and there'll undoubtedly be no animal innards in it.

Answer 4

You really have to take what PETA says with a massive grain of salt, as like with most extremist/special interest groups, what they say virtually always lacks medical/scientific support and is carefully worded to get under your skin. However, the American Heart Association specifically lists the stearic acid in chocolate to be sourced from plants, not animals.

Answer 5

Stearic acid doesn't necessarily come from animal sources. I suggest calling the candy companies and asking where they get theirs from.

And, I also suggest not being so gullible when it comes to PETA. I assure you there are no remnants of "dogs and cats euthanized in animal shelters" in your sweets...

Finally, check the ingredient list first. I can't, after a bit of looking on-line, find a major chocolate bar with it as an ingredient.

'PETA' -- 'Poorly Educated Teen Activists' -- yeesh -- my cat would be embarrassed to be a member of PETA.

Anyway:

"Again,does anyone know any brands of chocolate that don't contain stearic acid???"

Cadbury ‘Dairy Milk’ Milk Chocolate

Ingredients: Full Cream Milk, Sugar, Milk Solids, Cocoa Butter, Cocoa Mass, Emulsifiers (Soya Lecithin, 476), Flavours. May contain traces of nuts. Cocoa Solids 26%, Milk Solids 27%

Answer 6

Thank you for letting me know! I love chocolate but I will have to find some
without animal stearic acid. My local health food store should have some.
If not I know they will be kind enough to find some. Maybe you could find
a reputable health food store to help you too. Thanks again.

p.s. I just read the label of my chocolate hazelnut spread and it doesn't
have stearic acid listed !!!! hurray!!! I bought it at my local grocery store.

Answer 7

The dirty b***rds!! Lard in chocolate, eiw how could they.! The Cadbury's high light bar I have in my fridge is vegetarian friendly. Green and Blacks Maya Gold or any of their Dark Choc bars are Vegan friendly!

Tell us who the naughty choccie manufacturers are that add lard (shortening) that is VILE!!!!

Answer 8

just make your own chocolate with hersheys cocoa

Answer 9

Oh man, you're right, ignorance is bliss! I wish I wouldn't have read this question!

Answer 10

I HATE that stuff , thank you so much for getting the word out. My chocolate (I make it myself) has none of that. Instead I use puppy dog brains and kitty cat eyeballs. Keep the Faith!! Peace.