As one of the healthiest and tastiest brands of hot cocoa out there, NŌK CHOC strives for excellence in every way we can. Part of our mission is to build up communities that not only share love, but also share the same values. This is why we chose to make all of our products gluten-free, soy-free, and vegan. We love our vegan cocoa, and we want to share with you all of the reasons why.
Some of the inspiration for making all NŌK CHOC products vegan came from Idara Otu, our CEO, and her personal experience with the lifestyle. She began her own journey with veganism around 2015, when she stopped consuming “direct dairy” products and slowly transitioned to a completely vegan diet during the pandemic in 2020. She decided to make this switch because she noticed that her health was benefitting largely from avoiding animal products, and presumes that it never really agreed with her body. Small things, such as clearer skin turned into better sleep and a clearer mind. Idara also noticed that her immune system was able to fight off sickness a lot quicker, and that she was not as susceptible to illness as she was before going vegan. The thought of being able to contribute to other people’s wellness by providing another “vegan safe” product that still tastes amazing really opened her eyes to what NŌK CHOC could mean.
Catering to Vegan Restricted Diets
Since the vegan lifestyle has been gaining in popularity over recent years, more and more people are trying to navigate healthy diets that still taste good and contribute to the health of our planet. We see the vegan communities out there, and we don’t want to leave you out. Plus, people on non-vegan diets are not harmed by this small tweak, and can still enjoy a nice cup of hot cocoa that is even healthier than our competitors!
All the Health Benefits
You may already know about all the great health benefits of vegan products, but if you don’t, here is a non-comprehensive list: veganism helps with weight loss, lowers the risk of diabetes, can improve cardiovascular conditions, and mortality rates. It can also improve digestion, help with mental clarity, reduce symptoms of mental illness, alleviate painful menstrual cramps, reduce body odor, improve sleep, and boost your immune system. There are so many more benefits that individuals may notice depending on their own relationship with food, and we just want to provide the healthiest and tastiest product to fulfill everyone’s needs.
Sustainable Initiatives
Aside from personal health benefits, there are also so many ways in which choosing vegan products over non-vegan products helps our environment. Vegan products compared to others often save gallons of water, prevents greenhouse gasses and emissions, cuts down on energy consumption, preserves forests and natural habitats, and disengages with the inhumane behavior the commercial livestock industry creates among the animals. Most of this is due to the fact that it generally takes more resources (water, energy, land) to produce a meat product than a plant product. The time it takes to raise an animal versus a plant to full maturity requires so much more than we realize, and takes an awful lot of time. Then, the animal products that go to be processed and packaged create huge levels of dangerous emissions that produce global warming. And, if you have become vegan for moral reasons regarding the care of animals, you likely know that commercial farms and slaughterhouses don’t ensure that the animals get the best care before they are to become our food. Disclaimer: ethical farming and ranching does exist, but it is more likely to be your local farmers rather than the big animal producing companies that you see in the grocery store.
Saves on Money
Many people tend to think that living a vegan lifestyle is expensive, when in fact, the opposite is actually true. The average vegan can save up to 16% of their grocery budget, or $500 a year. Going vegan as a personal choice is not only healthy for your body, but it can also be very healthy for your wallet. Additionally, studies have shown that if meat-based societies converted to plant-based diets, we could feed more mouths with a greater food surplus, thus lowering the rates of world hunger. Another point related to personal health, is that the U.S. is constantly losing money due to the number of hospitalizations, care, and treatment required to remedy diseases that are usually caused by a poor diet involving the overconsumption of meat (such as heart disease). Just think of how much money and resources our country could save in the healthcare system alone if everyone started to eat a more plant-based diet.
