\nAlmond Milk<\/td>\n Often has a pleasant sweetness that works well in cappuccinos and lattes; Has a good texture<\/td>\n Lacks creaminess, especially those with lower concentrations of almonds; Splits too readily<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\nA number of companies who produce plant-based milk alternatives have developed \u201cbarista\u201d style versions of their products that they assert are better suited for use with coffee than their standard products. On the whole, this appears to be the case, and they are well worth checking out when making coffee at home. They come at a price, however, and it remains to be seen whether coffee shops will pay the premium to use these when making your latte.<\/p>\n
As such, it really isn\u2019t an exact science when it comes to suggesting the best vegan milk alternative to pick to go with your coffee. An element of experimentation is suggested both at home and in your local coffee shop of choice to find the vegan milk that works for you.<\/p>\n
What Is Coffee Made From?<\/h2>\n Coffee, in all its forms, comes from coffee beans, which are the seeds of the berries found on a number of Coffea plants. Almost all the coffee people drink comes from two species of the Coffea plant: Coffea Arabica<\/em> (known as “Arabica”), and Coffea canephora<\/em> (known as “Robusta”). The \u201cbeans\u201d found in the berries of these plants are roasted and ground, with the only other required ingredient being hot water to make black coffee.<\/p>\nAs such, there is no doubting that a roasted, ground seed with the addition of water possesses nothing that is incompatible with a vegan diet. So, except when adding milk (as discussed above), fresh coffee is indeed vegan-friendly. But how about instant coffee, decaffeinated coffee and the increasingly popular coffee pods?<\/p>\n
Is Instant Coffee Vegan?<\/h3>\n Ground coffee can be freeze-dried to produce granules or powder that is soluble in hot water. There has been concern in some quarters about the nature of the additives that are contained in some instant coffees but it is very rare for instant coffee to be made using any animal products.<\/p>\n
Unless of course it is a variety that includes the addition of milk products. It always pays to check the label, but vegans should be fine with almost all UK-sold instant coffees.<\/p>\n
Is Decaffeinated Coffee Vegan?<\/h3>\n Coffee beans can have their caffeine-containing oils removed with the use of solvents prior to roasting. The still-green seeds are soaked in hot water or steamed and their oils are dissolved in the solvents. These solvents, that include methylene dichloride and ethyl acetate, might not sound overly appealing, but they are not produced from animal products, so their use does not stop decaf coffee being vegan.<\/p>\n
For those people who are not enamoured by the idea of consuming decaf coffee that has been produced using solvent derived from methane (methylene dichloride), an alternative method uses a mixture of water and liquid carbon dioxide to extract the caffeine from the beans in a high pressure vessel. No matter \u2013 however the caffeine is reduced (reduced, not removed entirely), the product remains vegan.<\/p>\n
Are Coffee Pods Vegan?<\/h3>\nCoffee pods pose environmental issues<\/figcaption><\/figure>\nThere are a growing number of coffee pods on the market these days as consumers seek the flavour of fresh coffee with the convenience of instant. Of course, the coffee contained within these pods is as vegan-friendly as the ground coffee you might put in your cafeti\u00e8re. Some pods \u2013 for example those for cappuccinos \u2013 may contain milk products, so they are clearly not vegan. There is also some concern about the environmental impact of the additional waste caused by the packaging, but that is another story.<\/p>\n
Generally speaking, the pods are made from plastic with a foil lid, with some also containing a filter of some sort. Those materials in themselves do not contravene vegan ideals, but it is possible that some might utilise glue to form the bond between the foil and plastic of the pod, and that could<\/em> contain animal products, or have used them in their production. It is no easy task to find out the exact production methods of a given brand of coffee pod, however, so if in doubt, be sure to purchase products that specifically state they are vegan-friendly.<\/p>\nAre Coffee Bags Vegan?<\/h3>\n Coffee bags have never really taken off in the UK, but they are available for those who fancy trying them out. Like most tea bags, coffee bags contain nothing that would stop them being vegan. Those with environmental concerns might like to check that the bags are biodegradable (as some may contain plastic).<\/p>\n
Some higher end tea bags are made from silk, which is not vegan (due to the exploitation of and cruelty to silkworms), but we haven\u2019t encountered any silk coffee bags.<\/p>\n