January is the month where people make resolutions for the new year ahead and try to be a little healthier. For some, this could be partaking in dry January but Veganuary is becoming more and more popular. You could try it for a month to counterbalance the over indulgent festive period or it could be a new healthy living lifestyle change that you may adapt to easily and decide to follow on a long term basis. Here’s everything you need to know.
Veganuary is a campaign and a charity that encourages people to follow a vegan diet throughout the month of January and if they adapt well and enjoy it, they are encouraged to take up veganism on a permanent basis.
It began in 2014 with 3300 people signing up across the globe. Last year, in 2022, over 629,000 people signed up to Veganuary with people from 228 countries and territories taking part.
The vision of Veganury is to produce a world without animal farms and slaughterhouses. To promote a world where food production does not decimate forests, cause river and sea pollution, impact climate change and cause animal extinction.
Whilst many choose to follow a vegan diet motivated by animal welfare, to protect the environment or for health reasons, trying it for a few weeks can be a great way to detox after the heavy food often consumed at Christmas.
Some have reported improved skin, weight loss and higher energy levels after eating a vegan diet. This may be because of a lower intake of saturated fats and a higher level of vitamins and minerals. Without meat as the centrepiece of a meal, you will naturally add more fruit and vegetables to your diet. You should however, be aware that a vegan diet isn’t necessarily healthier. Food items such as crisps, chips and pasta are all vegan friendly but if that is all you ate it most definitely wouldn’t be healthy or balanced. A vegan diet should include a variety of fruit, vegetables, seeds and grains.
This can be a fair concern! No cheese! But there are alternative, vegan cheeses available so that you do not need to completely deprive yourself. There are also vegan cheese making kits so that you can create your own at home and enjoy it even more on a homemade vegan pizza or in a delicious creamy pasta sauce.
Many people worry about the lack of protein when considering a vegan diet. Meat and eggs provide many of us with protein, calcium comes from dairy products and red meat is a great source of iron but just because you choose not to eat animal products, does not mean that you have to eliminate these much needed nutrients from your diet. There are a vast range of vegan friendly sources of protein available often in the form of tofu and legumes. Leafy green vegetables are a great source of calcium as are dairy free milks as they are often fortified with calcium.
Vegan food doesn’t have to be bland, plain or boring and there are many delicious recipes available that are packed full of flavour. However, if you are worried about all the extra time you may need to spend preparing extra vegetables then you may like to check out our range of peelers and slicers which is home to a great choice of handy food preparation tools such as spiralizers, slicers and chippers. Or, how about a food processor or mini chopper, sure to make light work of the prep and enable you to whizz up those veggies in no time.
We hope you have been inspired to give Veganuary a go or at least try a vegan diet for a short period of time. You never know, it may be just what you need this year!
Sources:
https://veganuary.com/
https://www.lakeland.co.uk/inspiration/guide-to-veganuary/
