Being a vegan doesn't mean eating boring food. One area that causes us more consternation than others is dessert. Most traditional desserts include milk or cream. Whether it's cake or cookies, the recipes usually call for dairy products.

That's why most vegans rejoice when they realize there are many vegan chocolate options on the market. Not all chocolate contains milk. Dark chocolate is vegan and is, in fact, much healthier than milk chocolate.

Dark chocolate contains antioxidants, much like red wine does. Researchers in Europe have found that dark chocolate has heart-protective qualities, whereas milk chocolate does not.

Researchers believe the proteins in milk may inhibit the antioxidant properties of chocolate. This is terrific news for vegans. With dark chocolate they are getting not only a dairy-free treat, but they are also treating their bodies to a healthy dose of antioxidants.

The dairy industry would have us believe milk does a body good, but research has shown over and over that dairy products are unhealthy. By choosing healthy non-dairy chocolate and desserts, we are pulling our weight as conscious consumers and letting the world know we won't be fooled into unhealthy food choices.

About the Author

Anna Wilde is a freelance writer. She writes about vegan chocolate and other vegan issues in her blog.