Time to sign up for Veganuary for extra energy and less fatigue

Veganuary, a global organisation encouraging people to try going vegan in January and beyond, has this week hit a new landmark with more than 600,000 people officially taking part in 2022, surpassing last year’s total of 580,000 participants.

Sign-ups remain strong right through to the end of January so this number will continue to rise.

The campaign has been given a huge boost this year by actress Joanna Lumley, entrepreneur Deborah Meaden, tennis player Venus Williams, anthropologist Dr Jane Goodall, NYC Mayor Eric Adams and writer Benjamin Zephaniah who are encouraging people to sign-up and have shared their favourite vegan recipe.

Joining as a Veganuary Ambassador for 2022 after taking part in 2020, Deborah Meaden says: “Taking part in Veganuary helped me change how I eat, and now my diet is the best for animals, the planet and for me. If the climate crisis, animal suffering or the loss of wild places and species concerns you, sign up, take part and let Veganuary help you, too.”

Benjamin Zephania, said: I originally went vegan at the age of 13 because of my love of animals. Then I realised how ethically sound veganism was. Way back then I felt that being vegan was a good thing to do to help the planet, now both history and science have proved me right. The world now knows that vegan is the way to go. It’s the one thing we can all do to help heal the world and ourselves. Veganuary is a great way to start the year, and it’s also a great way to start the future.”

Reflecting on the 2022 campaign so far, Veganuary’s head of communications Toni Vernelli says: “It is incredibly exciting to be marking the biggest Veganuary on record with two weeks of January still to go, but it is not surprising. As more people become aware of the incredible impact our food choices have on the health of our planet, attitudes towards eating vegan are changing and so are our diets.”

She added: “Making planet-friendly food choices is also becoming much easier thanks to the businesses embracing Veganuary and providing delicious and accessible plant-based alternatives to familiar foods. Together we are making an enormous difference for animals and the planet.”

Vernilli explains that animal agriculture is one of the major contributors of green house gases.

“A report came out a few years ago from the UN food and agriculture committee which found that animal agriculture was responsible for the same amount of green house gas emissions as the direct exhaust from all forms of transport on the planet. So by cutting back on meat and dairy consumption, we can help the fight against climate change.

“We also find that people who sign up to commit to Veganuary are doing it for the health benefits of veganism and last year 50% of those who took part reported health improvements such as increased energy, better skin, a desired change in body weight and improved mood.

“Some of the alternatives to meat and dairy can be expensive; we commissioned Cantor, one of the biggest research-based consumer organisations, who have found that on average a plant-based meal in the home is around 40% less expensive than a meal containing meat and dairy. Pasta, vegetables, chick peas, lentils, peanut butter, hummus, vegan chilli - all of these are relatively inexpensive. Things like baked beans on wholemeal bread, breakfast cereals with soya milk - there are inexpensive ways to try veganism.

“Over the last five years we have seen a massive surge in the number of vegan products available in supermarkets. Now basically anywhere you go in Europe you will find vegan restaurants and plant-based milks and meat alternatives have never been more accessible than they are now. It’s so much easier to go vegan than it was years ago.

“This year we have had 605k people sign up to become vegan for the month of January, which is 25, 000 more than we had last year.

“I think this is down to the increased prevalence of vegan products and the increase in focus on climate change with COP26, which has made more people think about the environment, and how they can contribute to reducing climate change by switching to a dairy and meat-free existence.”

A study conducted by YouGov last month showed one-third (34%) of UK adults are either interested in trying or plan to try a vegan/plant-based diet while 8% of UK adults are already on a vegan/plant-based diet. The survey also revealed that 35% of Britons say their perceptions of a plant-based/vegan diet has changed for the better in the past two years and 36% think eating a vegan/plant-based diet is an admirable thing to do.

Residents in Belfast have the most organic health shops of all cities studied, the third-highest number of vegan supplement stores (15), and is home to 198 vegan-friendly eateries. However, residents in the Belfast make just 630 vegan-related searches per month, which equates to one search per 1,000 people.

The environmental and ethical case for a diet free of all animal products, including meat, fish, dairy and eggs, is compelling. According to research from the University of Oxford, going vegan is the “single biggest way” to reduce your impact on the planet. And that is before you consider the ethical arguments against eating industrially farmed animals, which have an appalling quality of life and are often pumped full of powerful antibiotics that may pose a risk to human health.

But if you are a lifelong meat-eater, it is hard to know where to start.

Katy Beskow, author of three bestselling cookbooks, suggests a gradual approach: “The availability of vegan products means you can do it so much more easily than before. My advice is to replace products in your diet with alternatives step by step, be it milk, mayonnaise or yoghurt. That way, you won’t see a difference.”

Heather Russell, a registered dietician at the Vegan Society, says there is no cause for concern. “A common myth is that it’s difficult to get protein from plant foods. In reality, they can provide all the essential protein building blocks that we call amino acids. Good sources include cashew nuts and pumpkin seeds.”

If you are going vegan, it is important to make sure you get enough vitamin B12 – commonly found in meat, eggs and fish – as without it, you will feel exhausted and weak.

You can get B12 from fortified foods including “dairy alternatives, breakfast cereal, dairy-free spread and yeast extract”, says Russell. Alternatively, you can take a B12 supplement, which you can buy in most pharmacies and health-food stores. Russell also advises you think about your calcium intake. “Fortified plant milk contains the same amount of calcium as cow’s milk, and fortified yoghurt alternatives, calcium-set tofu, and a soya and linseed bread fortified with extra calcium are also really rich sources.”

On the question of veganism being a more expensive lifestyle choice compared to a regular diet that does not include meat and dairy, Zephaniah adds: “Basically, we want fruit, vegetables and lentils of various kinds. Forget about all the posh cuisines and all that stuff. That’s all right if you’ve got the money for it. But veganism, in principle, should be really cheap.”

How much difference would it make if everyone turned to a plant-based diet?

Veganuary is free to join, and people can sign-up at veganuary.com to receive 31 daily emails packed with nutritional information, recipes, easy meal plans and helpful advice. With campaign hubs now in the UK, US, Germany, Argentina, Chile, Brazil and India, Veganuary is a global phenomenon.

Visit https://veganuary.com/.