Content Updated February 2014
Whole cacao beans and raw fair-trade cane sugar.
Maybe Valentine’s day is a lot-a-bit commercialized, but that doesn’t have to take away from the beautiful jester’s lovers do for one another on this special day. From romantic picnics to candle-lite dinners for two. However, you decide to spend this Valentine’s day there is almost a guaranteed exchange of chocolate. This Valentine’s day we can try and make the most ethical chocolate choices. Scroll to the bottom for my favourite Raw Chocolate Brownie Recipe and for a list of local Fair Trade Chocolate available in your country.
Raw Chocolate Brownie Recipe
Environmental Impact Of Chocolate
Chocolate Production Is Energy Intensive
Chocolate production is an energy-intensive process, taking about 18,500 calories of energy to produce 1kg of chocolate. For comparison, it takes 715 calories of energy to produce a 1-litre bottle of water.
Chocolate and Food Miles
We also have food miles to think about as cocoa beans do not grow in Canada or Australia. Cocoa beans, the beans used to make the chocolate we love, grow best 15-20 degrees north or south of the equator, generally in West Africa, Central and South America and parts of Asia.
Sugar Is Genetically Modified
All table sugar is made from sugar-beets, which are one of the most genetically modified crops available. Crops that have been genetically modified to withstand large amounts of the harmful herbicide glyphosate impose great environmental challenges due to pollution and the effect on habitat.
See my posts Genetically Modified Foods – What This Means For Your Health and The Health Of The Environment and Which Three Genetically Modified Foods Are Reaching Your Dinner Plate).
Instead of purchasing chocolate chips you can use your favourite good quality dark chocolate bar. I love Endangered Species Chocolate which is Certified Fair Trade and 10% of their net profit is donated to protecting and preserving wildlife.
Chocolate and Child Slave Labour – The Uncomfortable Truth
The Ivory Coast and Child Slave Labour
The chocolate industry does well to stay out of the spotlight, but for years organizations such as the International Labor Rights Forum have been advocating for a stop to child labour. On the Ivory Coast it is estimated that more than 100 000 children work in hazardous conditions, many of them slave labourers brought in from neighbouring Mali.
Documentary On The Dark Side Of Chocolate
We have all heard about child slave labour, but sometimes when you see it, it really hits home. The documentary Dark Side of Chocolate by Miki Mistrati and U. Roberto Romano gives some good insight into child labour practices on the Ivory Coast.
Chocolate Producers Dodging Their Ethical Obligations
Back in 2001, The Cocoa Protocol was signed by Hershey’s, Nestle, Kraft and Cargill voluntarily as a commitment to become child labour free by 2005. As you can guess this was never backed up – the deadline was pushed to 2008 and now with the lowered standard of a 50% decrease in child labour. Their business model puts constant growth as a goal above the social impacts of production.
Hershey’s in the Headlines – A Step In The Right Direction?
The Raise the Bar campaign (Global Exchange, Green America and International Labor Rights Forum) threatened to run an ad during the 2012 Super Bowl, exposing Hershey’s dirty secrets. Things took a turning point when Hershey announced a commitment to fully switch their Bliss line of chocolate to independently certified cocoa.
They also offered a donation of $10 million to help educate West African farmers about trade and child labour issues. Hershey has also upped their commitment to 100 percent certified cocoa by 2020 – Hershey’s has chosen Rainforest Alliance as their certifying body.
What Can We Do Now?
Until all chocolate companies get their act together we as the consumer are responsible for making the choices to ensure we are not supporting child labour or the exploitation of farmers. Simple choices we can make can change the world. Let’s try and choose certified Fair Trade or Rainforest Alliance chocolate and cocoa products this Valentine Day.Â
World Vision has a complete list of Canadian Companies that sell Fair Trade chocolate.
Fair Trade Chocolate Available in Australia
- Cocoa Farm-Farm by Nature-Organic cocoa grown by the only cocoa plantation in Australia.
- Cocolo-Organic Trader-Made in Switzerland and Australian owned. This sister and brother team uses organic Fair Trade cocoa.
- Pana Chocolate-Raw, organic chocolate handmade in Melbourne, Australia.
- Chocolatier Australia-Their chocolates are produced in a factory in Heidelberg, Melbourne. Some of their chocolates are certified Fair Trade
For a complete list of Chocolates available in Australia check out the Shop Ethical guide.
Raw Chocolate Brownie with Caramel Icing
Ingredients
- 1 cup walnuts raw
- 1 cup almonds raw
- 1 cup dates pitted
- 1/4 cup cacao powder unprocessed / Fair Trade
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- pinch sea salt
- 1/4 cup water
Caramel Icing (optional)
- 1/2 cup cashew butter (see below for homemade recipe)
- 1/2 cup dates pitted
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- pinch sea salt
Instructions
- First season a small baking dish (about 12 x 12) with coconut oil or line with parchment paper. Process the walnuts and almonds in a food processor until they are roughly chopped. Do not process into a fine flour.
- Add the dates, cacao, vanilla and sea salt. Process until ingredients are well mixed, then add ¼ cup of water, or enough to make the mixture stick together. The mixture should look well blended with no large chunks of nuts. Add more water if needed, 1 tablespoon at a time.
- Once blended press the mixture into the prepared baking dish and let the brownie sit in the fridge for at least one hour.
- If you want to make the optional, but highly recommended, caramel icing place all of the icing ingredients into the food processor and mix until well combined. Once well blended, remove the brownie from the fridge and layer the icing on top of the brownie mixture before placing back in the fridge to set.
- Once set, cut into 3-inch squares, or 16 serves and enjoy!
Notes
Flavour variation: Add 1 tsp of cinnamon to the mixture. Nutrition Information based on one square with caramel icing.
Nutrition
References
Website:The Good Guide
Website:Shop Ethical
Website:Centre for Sustainable Systems
Website:CSIS Sustainable Cocoa Farming
Book:Ethical Eating-Angela Crocombe
Website: Eco Friendly Food – Food Guidelines for a Sustainable Environment
Rachel Dickens, The Conscious Dietitian, is a Registered Dietitian and Certified Diabetes Educator. She graduated with her Masters in Nutrition and Dietetics in 2010 from Griffith University. She strives to provide evidence-based nutrition information with a focus on plant-based nutrition and share some of her favourite seasonal recipes and sustainable eating tips.
Hello there! This post couldn’t be written any better! Reading through this post reminds me of my previous room mate! He always kept talking about this. I will forward this page to him. Pretty sure he will have a good read. Thank you for sharing!
I’m glad you enjoyed it!! Thank you