Veganuary

With January comes the onslaught of New Year’s resolutions, with one popular way to start the year being ‘Veganuary.’ Veganuary is a combination of the words ‘vegan’ and ‘January,’ and a 31-day challenge which aims to adapt your lifestyle to be more nutritionally balanced, empathetic towards animals, and eco-friendly. Each year, the number of sign-ups in the Veganuary campaign increases, with more than 620,000 people from 220 countries signing up for the challenge in 2022. Since the challenge’s origin in 2014, a total of around 2 million have participated.

The vegan diet is independent of animal-based products and is more than simply eating ‘plant-based’. It is centred around recognition of animal welfare rather than just having the aim to eat more of your five-a-day. Although it is difficult to find an exact estimate, a survey in 2024 conducted by Statista estimated that around 3% of consumers follow a vegan diet.

According to a report by the UN, meat and dairy accounts for 14.5% of global greenhouse gas emissions

Veganism aims to reduce the exceptionally high demand for animal products. Globally, more than 80 billion land animals are farmed for their meat, milk, and eggs every year. As well as avoiding animal food products, veganism extends to not using animal products for clothing, such as leather and wool, and cosmetic products that have been tested on animals. Looking for the leaping bunny on your cosmetic products is an easy way of seeing if your products are suitable for vegans.

According to a report by the UN, meat and dairy accounts for 14.5% of global greenhouse gas emissions. It would be ignorant to deny the fact that even with a vegan diet, there is a significant amount of carbon dioxide used in the production, storage, and transportation of food. However, the vegan diet is an easy way to reduce your carbon footprint. According to research, a global shift to veganism could save almost 8 billion tonnes of carbon dioxide a year. This research accounts not only for the absence of excessive amounts of farm animals but also for using the land to plant greenery such as trees instead of housing livestock. This would then help absorbing carbon dioxide from the atmosphere.

What about the nutritional aspect of veganism? A question often asked is whether vegans can reach their protein goals with the absence of meat from their diets. However, I have found that with an absence of traditional food choices from my diet, I have been forced to educate myself more on the nutritional value of food, and what my body needs. When considering protein, tofu is the stereotypical choice for a vegan, providing 16.5g of protein for 100g. Foods such as tempeh provide 20.7g of protein per 100g, and seeds such as chia seeds provide around 16.5g of protein per 100g. There are a plethora of protein options available to help maintain a healthy lifestyle, with natural sources such as tofu and seeds being minimally processed.

We should use Veganuary as a way to reflect on our habits and consider the extent to which our diet impacts animals and the planet

With veganism becoming an increasingly popular diet, restaurants are adapting to facilitate this demand. Half of Wagamama’s menu is now plant-based, offering many delicious options for vegans. Favourites such as chicken katsu curry also have vegan alternatives, which you can pair with some delicious vegan bao buns and finish with some scrumptious miso ice cream. Next time you are ordering a pizza from Dominoes, why not try a ‘pepperonay’ pizza, with a vegan garlic and herb dip? When going to Pret A Manger, I will always vouch for the mouthwatering houmous and falafel mezze salad which pairs amazingly with their easy greens smoothie. With so many mainstream restaurants offering vegan options, there is no doubt that if you adopt a vegan diet, you will not be left out when going out to eat with friends and family.

Veganism is often viewed as a radical lifestyle that is dismissed almost immediately by those who are daunted by the eradication of products that they have been used to consuming their whole lives. With veganism being an ideology, it can often feel preachy – a way to shame your eating habits and lifestyle. However, we should use Veganuary as a way to reflect on our habits and consider the extent to which our diet impacts animals and the planet. If committing to a wholly vegan diet is too overwhelming, you could equally just increase your consumption of plant-based meals throughout January, or even throughout the year.

Making small changes in your lifestyle will not have an immediate and noticeable effect on our planet. However, every little helps, and you may even find yourself really enjoying a vegan lifestyle.