Vegums, the rapidly growing UK vegan vitamin and supplement brand will make its U.S. debut in January with three of its Ve-ssentials gummy products, Vegan optimized Multivitamins, Fish-Free Omega-3 and Vegan Iron.

HOBOKEN, N.J., January 04, 2022--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Vegums, the multivitamin and supplement gummy for vegans and those adopting a plant-based lifestyle, announced today the launch of Vegums USA. Founded by John Rushton and Abdul Sharief, two UK pharmacists in 2018, Vegums was created to address the vitamin and mineral deficiencies associated with rapidly growing vegan and plant-based lifestyles as well as staying passionately committed to sustainability and animal welfare.

"As pharmacists, Abdul and I just couldnt find vitamins for our families that were committed to the true vegan cause, so we created one!" said John Rushton, Co-Founder of Vegums. "We saw the meteoric rise of veganism as well as plant-based diets coupled with the huge concern about the planet and animal welfare and decided there was a great opportunity. We set about using our health, wellness, and pharmacy skills to design vitamins and supplements that not only have completely vegan ingredients none of this 'suitable for' rubbish!" He continued, "The vegan diet can mean that people become deficient in certain nutrients which in turn can lead to health issues, so we adjusted levels to compensate for this. We also care greatly about the planet we live on and animal welfare, so we built the brand to give back for the next generations future. We feel that our whole ethos is best summarized by Vegums tagline 'Conscience tested'."

Certified by the Vegan Society, Vegums vitamin gummies comprise genuine, easy-to-grasp, vegan ingredients. Citrus peel is used as a gelling agent as opposed to animal-based gelatin. Natural colors and flavors are always employed and where a touch of sweetness is required, it is with unrefined cane sugar to avoid the use of bonemeal common in refining. "We also went the tasty gummy route why not make vitamins pleasant to take and digest?" said Rushton. "And, for the adults as well as the kids, weve created bear families."

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"There are so many benefits to following a vegan diet, but it can be easy to fall short of some important vitamins and minerals," said Dr. Nicole Avena, Ph.D., a research neuroscientist, author, and expert in the fields of nutrition, diet, and addiction. "Vegans need to pay extra special attention to a few vitamins and minerals like vitamin B12, iron, or Vitamin D (among others) because the best sources of these nutrients come from animal foods. A supplement optimized for vegans could target these nutrients that vegans are likely missing out on, and help someone following a vegan diet feel secure knowing that they aren't lacking important vitamins and minerals they need to stay healthy."

Winner of the 2020 World Plant-Based Awards, Vegums will initially be available in the U.S. via three "Ve-ssentials":

Vegan Multivitamin: Specifically optimized for the vegan diet. It contains vitamins B12, B6, and D3 plus folic acid, selenium, and iodine on the premise of everything you need and nothing you dont. The gummies come in a tasty strawberry flavor and get their vibrant red color from natural black carrot extract.

Fish-Free Omega-3: Fully vegan Omega-3 from sustainably sourced marine algae, provides a huge 80mg DHA per daily dose. Omega-3 is considered to help build and maintain healthy eyes, skin, heart, and brain. It is especially important during childhood development. Vegums have the natural sweetness of oranges and are absent of the fishy taste.

Iron: A daily dose of two naturally flavored blackberry gummy bears results in an amazing 14mg of easier-to-absorb ferrous iron. A good iron level is essential to prevent anemia, which manifests as tiredness and a lack of energy.

"Were passionate about the planet and have built sustainability into the framework of our brand," said Abdul Sharief, Co-Founder of Vegums. "All Vegums ingredients have been traced back to their source to ensure that no animal products were used at any stage. Additionally, unlike many vegan competitors, weve abandoned plastic packaging. All Vegums products come in biodegradable cellulose and recycled cardboard, designed to be stored in our custom reusable tin. We will not contribute to landfill waste. Importantly, in the UK, Vegums has achieved carbon-negative status; we aim to do the same in the U.S. We know its a big place, but we are ready for it and by all accounts, the vegan population is ready for our products."

Vegums are available for purchase directly from http://www.vegums.us, and via Amazon, in addition to a growing number of selected local vitamin and health and wellness stores across the country. A one-month adult or two-month childrens supply of the Vegan Multivitamins and the Iron retail for $19.95 with a subscription; with Fish-Free Omega-3 retailing for $21.95, again with a subscription. The brand will be offering large introductory discounts around the launch.

With every purchase, Vegums donates a percentage of its profits to Vitamin Angels, a charity that assists pregnant women, infants, and children who live beyond the margins. Additionally, for every review on TrustPilot, the brand has partnered with MoreTrees to plant trees in local communities, helping improve opportunities for work and to offset the CO2 the business emits. To date, the brand has planted trees for local and tribal communities in Madagascar, for local farmers in Haiti, and with the Kijabe Forest Trust in Kenya.

Visit http://www.vegums.us to learn more.

About Vegums

Vegums was founded in 2018 by two UK pharmacists, John Rushton and Abdul Sharief, to address the vitamin and mineral deficiencies associated with rapidly growing vegan and plant-based lifestyles. Certified by the Vegan Society and winners of the 2020 World Plant-Based Awards, Vegums has formulated the perfect blend of vitamins and minerals specifically to complement a plant-based diet. Upon entering the US market in the fall of 2021, Vegums offers a range of vitamin gummies including: a Vegan Multivitamin specifically optimized for the vegan diet; Fish-Free Omega-3, a vegan Omega-3 from sustainably sourced marine algae, and Iron, 14mg of ferrous iron. All Vegums products subscribe to the core vegan spirit and avoid animal-based ingredients such as gelatin or sugar refined with bonemeal. Ingredients such as citrus peel are used as a gelling agent as opposed to animal-based gelatin and natural colors and flavors are used together with a pinch of natural, unrefined cane sugar for sweetness. Advocates of a better planet, Vegums only use biodegradable and/or recyclable packaging. All Vegums products are available on http://www.vegums.us and Amazon. Join the plant-based conversation with @Vegums.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20220104005931/en/

Contacts

Press: AMC Consulting Annmarie Mercieri Colonnaannmarie@amccomms.com press@vegums.com

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Vegums Conscience-Tests the American Vegan and Plant-Based Eater With U.S. Launch - Yahoo Finance

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Back in 2017, a popular food and drink brand caused a stir after penning a gushing Instagram post about dairy.

We are for good quality, proper milkwere talking whole milk. Full fat milk, it wrote. We dont use skimmed milk powder in any of our foods.

The brand went on to describe cows milk as the perfect balance of protein, good fats and natural sugars (lactose), concluding that they live life to the full, with full fat dairy products.

These words didnt come from a dairy milk or cheese company, but a supposedly progressive plant-based milk brand named Rude Health, which had, until then, been hugely popular with vegans.

The post understandably sparked outrage from vegans, most of whom had adopted the lifestyle because of the cruelty in the dairy and other animal industries. The situation was made worse when one of the brands founders called veganism modern madness, and described vegan films like What the Health as propaganda.

It was truly shocking to see a company seemingly actively try to alienate its consumer base, but Rude Health was just one of the first of a number of brands to do so.

Last week, plant-based meat alternative company THIS came under fire after posting an advert that claimed to show a number of vegans eating what they were told were real meat products (they were actually the companys vegan alternatives).

The video diluted and miscommunicated what veganism is, and THIS was heavily criticized in the comments. By showing a group of alleged vegans who are willing to eat meat, it sent a message that veganism is nothing more than a diet that can be dipped in and out of, rather than a movement seeking to end animal exploitation.

Things, again, were made worse after one of their staff members posted a picture of a bacon meal she was eating on her personal profile in response to the criticism the company had received.

She wrote: After 24 hours as a vegan punching bag, I enjoyed every mouthful of these cheesy, creamy, bacon covered pierogi. In its subsequent apology, THIS said that they were genuinely, really sorry for undermining veganism with our silly marketing vid.

THIS has since taken steps to amend and atone for this misfire in marketing, issuing a public apology.

Non-vegan companies have also used similar tactics to promote their plant-based food. When Subway released its Meatless Marinara, a plant-based version of its famous Meatball Marinara, it released an advert showing a group of meat-free members of the public taking part in a taste test.

As a joke, the woman hosting the event then told the group that shed accidentally given them the meat version. After a few moments, during which the people were shown looking understandably appalled, they were told that they were in fact the vegan versions.

These kinds of marketing tactics feed into the narrative that veganism is nothing more than a fad and something to poke fun of, which is a commonly held belief in our society. Adverts like these are likely created because of the prevailing idea that veganism is a trend, something that people are into now but probably wont be soon. There is an assumption that vegans would be able to easily laugh off eating meat, rather than being deeply upset at the thought that their ethics had been compromised.

A decision to prioritise more occasional plant-based eaters over vegans is another reason why brands could be getting their marketing so wrong. There are thought to be around 23 million flexitarians in the UK, as opposed to around 600,000 vegans.

Oatly, an oat milk brand valued at $13 billion last year, recently shied away from the vegan label in a paid-for article in the Guardian. The piece included a quote reading: As more of us move towards a plant-based life, our labels may need to shift to reflect a whole spectrum of new normals. It said that all or nothing labels like vegan can be a disincentive for us to make plant-based choices wed otherwise be open to.

Its true that veganism is all-encompassing, but the articles attempt to present that as a problem undermined the fact that its a movement to end animal cruelty and exploitation, rather than a simple dietary choice.

Oatly also caused controversy after promoting the label part-time vegan on its Instagram. This was criticized by many of its customers on the basis that ethical vegans cannot be part-time, and that being vegan means rejecting animal exploitation in every aspect of your life (where possible). Oatly later apologized, saying it was committed to bringing as many people as possible into the plant-based camp, but acknowledging that the post was a failure.

These marketing misfires expose a deep rooted misunderstanding in our society of the fact that veganism is a philosophy and movement, not a fad or trend. It also seems that some brands are trying to attract the increasing number of flexitarian and plant-based consumers at the expense of the vegan customers who built the foundations for their success.

While its of course great news that more people are making small steps to eat less animal products, that doesnt mean the vegan message should be undermined. Brands should find ways to promote their products without biting some of the hands that feed them.

Can you lend us a hand? For the past six years, the team behind Plant Based News has worked tirelessly to create high-quality, high-impact content that sparks dialogue and shifts the conversation around agriculture, public health, animal welfare, and the climate crisis.

More than 2.8 million fans from 100+ countries read, share, engage, and connect with what we cover and that number is growing all the time.

Unearthing the facts often buried deep by leading (and sometimes unethical) organizations, we pride ourselves on being completely independent from commercial control.

Perhaps most importantly, we keep our content free because everyone should have access to, and the opportunity to engage with these discussions.

In the age of information, where internet users are bombarded with money-driven narratives and messaging, keeping thought-provoking, moving, and above all, honest content available to all is at the heart of what we do.

Our goal, of course, is for as many communities as possible to engage with our reporting, and open the minds of people around the world.

This is where you come in. If youre in a position to do so, please consider supporting us from just $1, as a one-off or ongoing donation. Any amount helps us continue our mission and keep content free, for everyone.

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Plant-Based Food Has Gone Mainstream But Why Are Brands Still Alienating Vegans? - Plant Based News

Raising animals for food requires massive amounts of land, food, energy, and water. The byproducts of animal agriculture pollute our air and waterways. By shunning animal products, vegans are de facto environmentalists.

Using Up Resources

As the worlds appetite for meat increases, countries across the globe are bulldozing huge swaths of land to make more room for animals as well as crops to feed them. From tropical rain forests in Brazil to ancient pine forests in China, entire ecosystems are being destroyed to fuel humans addiction to meat. According to scientists at the Smithsonian Institution, seven football fields worth of land is bulldozed every minute to create more room for farmed animals and the crops that feed them.1 Of all the agricultural land in the U.S., 80 percent is used to raise animals for food and grow grain to feed themthats almost half the total land mass of the lower 48 states.2 In the finishing phase alone, in which pigs grow from 100 pounds to 240 pounds, each hog consumes more than 500 pounds of grain, corn, and soybeans; this means that across the U.S., pigs eat tens of millions of tons of feed every year.3

Chickens, pigs, cattle, and other animals raised for food are the primary consumers of water in the U.S.: a single pig consumes 21 gallons of drinking water per day, while a cow on a dairy farm drinks as much as 50 gallons daily.4,5 It takes more than 2,400 gallons of water to produce 1 pound of cow flesh, whereas it takes about 180 gallons of water to make 1 pound of whole wheat flour.6

Polluting the Air

Carbon dioxide, methane, and nitrous oxide together cause the vast majority of global warming. Producing a little more than 2 pounds of beef causes more greenhouse-gas emissions than driving a car for three hours and uses up more energy than leaving your house lights on for the same period of time.7 According to the United Nations, a global shift toward a vegan diet is one of the steps necessary to combat the worst effects of climate change.8

Factory farms also produce massive amounts of dust and other contaminates that pollute the air. A study in Texas found that animal feedlots in that state produce more than 7,000 tons of particulate dust every year and that the dust contains biologically active organisms such as bacteria, mold, and fungi from the feces and the feed.9 And when the cesspools holding tons of urine and feces get full, factory farms may circumvent water pollution limits by spraying liquid manure into the air, creating mists that are carried away by the wind and inhaled by nearby residents.10 According to a report by the California State Senate, Studies have shown that [animal waste] lagoons emit toxic airborne chemicals that can cause inflammatory, immune, and neurochemical problems in humans.11

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) reports that roughly 80 percent of ammonia emissions in the U.S. come from animal waste.12 A California study found that a single dairy cow emits 19.3 pounds of volatile organic compounds per year, making dairies the largest source of the smog-making gas, surpassing trucks and passenger cars.13

Polluting the Water

Each day, factory farms produce billions of pounds of manure, which ends up in lakes, rivers, and drinking water.

Theone trillion pounds of waste produced by factory-farmed animals each year are usually used to fertilize crops, and they subsequently end up running off into waterwaysalong with the drugs and bacteria that they contain.14 Many tons of waste end up in giant pits in the ground or on crops, polluting the air and groundwater. According to the EPA, agricultural runoff is the number one source of pollution in our waterways.15

It doesnt stop there. Streams and rivers carry excrement from factory farms to the Mississippi River, which then deposits the waste in the Gulf of Mexico. The nitrogen from animal fecesand from fertilizer, which is primarily used to grow crops for farmed animalscauses algae populations to skyrocket, leaving little oxygen for other life forms. A 2006 report by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration found that the Gulf of Mexicos dead zonean area in which virtually all the sea animals and plants have diedis now half the size of Maryland.16 In 2006, a separate study by Princeton University found that a shift away from meat productionas well as Americans adoption of vegetarian dietswould dramatically reduce the amount of nitrogen in the Gulf to levels that would make the dead zone small or non-existent.17

Cruelty to Animals

In addition to polluting the environment, factory farming strives to produce the most meat, milk, and eggs as quickly and cheaply as possible and in the smallest amount of space possible, resulting in abusive conditions for animals. Cows, calves, pigs, chickens, turkeys, ducks, geese, rabbits, and other animals are kept in small cages or stalls, where they are often unable to turn around. They are deprived of exercise so that all their energy goes toward producing flesh, eggs, or milk for human consumption. They are fed drugs that fatten them more quickly, and they are genetically manipulated to grow faster or produce much more milk or eggs than they would naturally. For more industry-specific information, please see our factsheets about pigs, cows, veal, chickens, turkeys, and foie gras.

Dont be fooled by products labeled as organic or free-range. Because definitions and enforcement of regulations are inconsistent, its difficult to determine which products actually come from animals who are treated decently. Since none of the labels applies to transport or slaughter and none prohibits bodily mutilations such as debeaking, tail-docking, ear-notching, or dehorning, the worst cruelty continues to be completely unregulated. For more information, please see our factsheet about these misleading labels.

What You Can Do

Switching to a vegan diet reduces your ecological footprint, allowing you to tread lightly on the planet and be compassionate to its inhabitants. With so many great vegan options, eating green has never been more delicious. Whether you go vegetarian for the environment, for your health, or for animals, you have the power to change the world, simply by changing whats on your plate.

References1Smithsonian Institution, Smithsonian Researchers Show Amazonian Deforestation Accelerating, Science Daily 15 Jan. 2002.2Marlow Vesterby and Kenneth S. Krupa, Major Uses of Land in the United States, 1997, Statistical Bulletin No. 973, U.S. Department of Agriculture, 1997.3John Carlson, Evaluation of Corn Processing By-Products in Swine Diets, Western Illinois University, 3 Apr. 1996.4Theo van Kempen, Whole Farm Water Use, North Carolina State University Swine Extension, Jul. 2003.5Rick Grant, Water Quality and Requirements for Dairy Cattle, NebGuide, Cooperative Extension, Institute of Agriculture and Natural Resources, University of Nebraska-Lincoln, 1996.6Marcia Kreith, Water Inputs in California Food Production, Water Education Foundation 27 Sept. 1991.7Daniele Fanelli, Meat Is Murder on the Environment, New Scientist 18 Jul. 2007.8International Panel for Sustainable Resource Management, Assessing the Environmental Impacts of Consumption and Production, United Nations Environment Programme 2010.9Consumers Union SWRO, Animal Factories: Pollution and Health Threats to Rural Texas, May 2000.10Jennifer Lee, Neighbors of Vast Hog Farms Say Foul Air Endangers Their Health, The New York Times 11 May 2003.11Kip Wiley et al., Confined Animal Facilities in California, California State Senate, Nov. 2004.12State of North Carolina, Department of Environment and Natural Resources, Review of Emission Factors and Methodologies to Estimate Ammonia Emissions From Animal Waste Handling, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Apr. 2002.13Jennifer M. Fitzenberger, Dairies Gear Up for Fight Over Air, Fresno Bee 2 Aug. 2005.14R.S. Dungan, Board-Invited Review: Fate and Transport of Bioaerosols Associated with Livestock Operations and Manures, Journal of Animal Science, 88(2010): 3693-3706.15U.S. Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry.16NOAA Forecasts Larger Than Normal Dead Zone for Gulf This Summer, NOAA News Online, 24 Jul. 2006.17Simon D. Donner, Surf or Turf: A Shift From Feed to Food Cultivation Could Reduce Nutrient Flux to the Gulf of Mexico, Global Environmental Change 17 (2007): 105-13.

Link:
Veganism and the Environment | PETA

What is a vegan lifestyle? When we talk about veganism, many people hear the word diet as the most important part of the conversation. After all, one of the most well-known aspects of the vegan lifestyle involves not eating meat or animal byproducts. Yet by centering diet as the soul of veganism, we might be doing a disservice to vegans. Theres far more to the ethos of veganism than simply controlling what one puts in ones mouth, and ignoring these other facets of the vegan lifestyle denies its power.

If youre thinking about going vegan or if you already consider yourself a vegan, its important to understand why you make specific choices as a human and as a consumer, and why you choose to avoid things that other people consider commonplace. No, you dont have to become an academic scholar, nor do you need to tell everyone you meet about your vegan lifestyle. However, part of the movement involves living your values. Instead of just expressing them, you demonstrate them through what you choose to do and not to do.

Lets take a deeper look at the vegan lifestyle and what it truly means to those who practice it.

The Vegan Society defines the vegan lifestyle as a way of living which seeks to exclude, as far as is possible and practicable, all forms of exploitation of, and cruelty to, animals for food, clothing or any other purpose. Thats pretty comprehensive.

Vegans lead with intent. They do their best, however small, to create a world in which no animals are harmed by service to humans.

And it goes far beyond diet. Vegans have been behind many protests against circus acts and other entertainment venues that force animals to perform for human entertainment. A circus has nothing to do with diet unless you count popcorn and cotton candy but everything to do with animal welfare. Animals forced to perform for human entertainment often show no signs of enjoying the work or wanting to perform. Consequently, the trainers have to use pain to evoke the desired response from the animal.

The vegan lifestyle involves actively avoiding any practice that damages animal welfare or subjugates animals for our benefit as humans.

A vegan lifestyle is a creed and a way of life that denies that other animals exist for our use. We were all put here for our own purposes, and animals other than humans contribute just as much as we do to our ecosystem. Vegans believe that we can live side by side with animals rather than as apex predators. Instead of exerting dominion over animals, we can help them live their lives as naturally as possible.

The vegan lifestyle does involve diet. Vegans dont eat meat, eggs, dairy, or any other animal byproduct, including the honey that bees produce. However, its much more than that.

We know that animals are used to create many consumer products, from soaps and cosmetics to clothing. Vegans wear synthetic fabrics, for instance, instead of wool made from sheep, llamas, alpacas, and other animals. Its true that these animals arent killed for their fur. However, theyre terrorized during the shearing process, which they dont understand, and are left without their natural protection from the elements.

Just as the vegan lifestyle is about intent, its also about mindfulness. Before buying something at the store, a vegan considers whether or not it has had a deleterious impact on animals in any way.

According to statistics from 2017, the incorporation of vegan foods into meals across all American households has risen by 40 percent. Furthermore, nearly half of all Americans support banning slaughterhouses, and in some countries vegan populations have increased by as much as 600 percent. The data is clear: more people are going vegan every day.

This evolution creates significant demand for consumer products that fit the vegan lifestyle. Businesses, including factory farming operations and slaughterhouses, operate on supply and demand. If nobody wants to eat meat or animal byproducts, these businesses shut their doors because they cant justify continued operations.

Part of the vegan lifestyle means refusing to put dollars into the hands of people who would hurt animals in any way. As more people take up the vegan lifestyle, vegans voices become louder and more difficult to ignore.

Nobody can deny that vegan food is delicious. Its whole, plant-based, and diverse, which means you cant possibly get bored if youre open to all the foods available to you. However, the vegan lifestyle doesnt revolve around food alone. As mentioned above, its an ethos or creed that helps people to live their values. Vegans know what they believe, and what they hold sacred, and they do their best to ensure that their behaviors follow their hearts.

Its important to understand the vegan lifestyle, because its easy to say that you love animals and support their rights but still to chomp down on an all-beef burger for dinner. Its similar to an environmental activist driving a gas-guzzling car and drinking water from disposable plastic bottles.

When other people see that youre living a vegan lifestyle, they might become curious. Most people dont enjoy hearing lectures, but they emulate behaviors they admire and respect. Thats the key to turning your vegan lifestyle into a statement that spreads to those around you.

Lets look at what it means to put vegan beliefs into practice as a lifestyle.

When it comes to living your beliefs, there are three stages:

When people talk about their beliefs and ideologies but act in direct opposition to them, others dont take those people seriously. Theres a dissonance between belief and action, and intent is often the missing link.

When youve defined a belief for yourself, such as that all animals should be treated humanely, you then need to think about how that belief will manifest. What changes do you want to make? How do you want other people to treat animals?

From intent follows action. Once you create an intention, the next logical step is to act out that intention through your habits as a consumer and a human being. The vegan lifestyle isnt just about what you put in your mouth at mealtimes. Its about how you show other people what you believe.

Very few people will say they hate animals or want them to suffer. Nevertheless, omnivores outnumber herbivores by a significant margin.

Theres a cognitive dissonance in cuddling your cat right before digging into a steak or enjoying a bucket of fried chicken. Just because a chicken or a cow doesnt look like your family pet doesnt mean those animals dont experience the same emotions and instincts. All animals want to live. They desire to thrive with other animals of their own kind, form emotional bonds, care for their young, and protect each other from predators. By consuming animals and otherwise using them for our own benefit, we deny them those basic rights.

If you live a vegan lifestyle, however, you make a statement with every product you buy, every article of clothing you wear, and every piece of food you eat. Instead of just saying how much you love animals and wish the best for them, youre contributing to their cause.

Many of the industries that vegans fight against contribute to pollution, deforestation, reduced habitats, and other impacts on animals lives. For instance, animal testing has become a huge strain on our collective resources, requiring large labs in which to house and feed animals. The same goes for dairy farms. These operations consume massive amounts of fossil fuels, contribute to contaminated soil, and introduce large quantities of ammonia into the environment. None of these things is healthy for humans or other animals.

The vegan lifestyle is directly tied to environmentalism. We want to preserve the earth for all creatures, including our own descendants. By selfishly farming animals and using up resources without thought for the future, we contribute to a world far less hospitable than the one we enjoy now.

If you believe that we should reduce our carbon footprints and protect animals, the vegan lifestyle is the perfect way to live your beliefs and show that veganism is more than just a diet.

We dont have to hurt others to survive; human beings have proved that through centuries of living on this earth. Despite political and social divisiveness, were still a social species. Humanity has only survived because of our ability to care for one another, whether that means staying awake at night to make sure a predator doesnt ravage our village, or shouting a warning to a stranger whos about to step in front of a moving car. The fact that we still exist despite the innumerable ways in which we could destroy each other is proof positive of our destiny to live peaceably.

This doesnt mean, however, that doing no harm to our fellow humans is enough. We also have to realize that harming animals and the environment leaves just as obvious a stain. Were wired to bond with other animals. We domesticated dogs before any other creature, and for centuries weve worked alongside canines in mutually beneficial relationships. Dogs enjoy working with humans, just as horses and many cats do, because we care for each other.

The problem, though, is that many people pick and choose. If you embrace the belief that you should do no harm to another sentient creature, its impossible to separate dogs and cats from cows, chickens and fish.

One of the purest ways to embrace the vegan lifestyle is to ask yourself one question:

Are you willing to slaughter an animal yourself to feed your family, when other alternatives exist?

If not, youre a good candidate for the vegan lifestyle. You dont want to slit a cows throat, boil a chicken alive, or gut a fish from head to tail, so in your mind youve separated the animal from the food in the supermarket. A chicken breast doesnt look like a chicken, so weve allowed ourselves to compartmentalize. Once you take a more holistic view of the world and realize that all lives are sacred, however, eating meat and using animal byproducts become repulsive.

Ancient cultures often hunted animals because they had no other choices. They lived in areas where crops couldnt grow, for instance, so they had no other food sources. These peoples often prayed over the animals they killed even revered them and vowed to use their bodies in as many ways as possible to honor their unwilling sacrifice. They viewed all lives as sacred but were forced to kill to survive. Anyone who has the ability to read this article doesnt live in such circumstances. Other food choices exist, so honoring animals means not needlessly exploiting them.

Youre excited about the vegan lifestyle. Youre ready to commit. So what do you do to ensure you live your beliefs and help spread the word about veganism?

Start by learning everything you can about the vegan lifestyle. The Sentient Media articles youve read are a great start. Learn about nutrition and healthy living, research ways to get the foods you love without harming animals, and find any supplements you need to make sure you meet your bodys requirements.

The vegan lifestyle is a practice. You might screw up. Maybe you find yourself out to dinner with friends and accidentally order a dish that has milk or eggs in it. Dont beat yourself up.

Practice veganism. Learn how to read labels and ask questions. Before you travel, research vegan-friendly supermarkets or restaurants in your destination city so youre not forced to scramble. Take snacks with you on the go. Plain nuts, dried fruit, and similar foods are perfect for slipping into a pocket, purse, or briefcase. Carry water, too, so you dont get dehydrated.

Its not a coincidence that people who openly live a vegan lifestyle are also advocates for healthy living and good nutrition. They talk about hydration, exercise, sleep, and other aspects of a healthy lifestyle. Remember, its not just about diet.

You dont have to proselytize over the Thanksgiving dinner table. Most people dont respond well to that approach. Simply let your friends and family know that youve adopted a vegan lifestyle and ask them to respect it.

Who knows? Your loved ones might start asking questions and learning more about veganism. Thats a great start. Live by example live your beliefs so others can witness what youre willing to consume and what youre not.

Surrounding yourself with people who believe what you believe can be immensely helpful. For one thing, you can learn from one another about how best to live a vegan lifestyle. For another, you can keep yourselves on track.

If you go to the gym with a few fellow vegans, youre unlikely to suggest a trip to Taco Bell afterward for beef quesadillas. Youll keep yourself honest while enjoying the company of people who believe, as you do, that all animals deserve rights.

Keep your eye out for situations in which animals are mistreated. Adopt unwanted pets from a local rescue organization, report animal cruelty to law enforcement, and refuse to patronize businesses that serve animal products.

Your dollars matter. Organizations that fight against animal abuse need your money to further their efforts on animals behalf. Donating even a small recurring amount, such as $5 or $10, can make a huge impact on the lives of animals in your community and around the world.

The vegan lifestyle doesnt require advocacy, but if youre moved to get involved in a more active way, consider joining an animal rights organization. These groups help fight against animal cruelty on numerous fronts, and you could become part of their work.

Veganism isnt just about a diet. Its about a way of life. If you believe that all animals deserve to live their lives free of obligation to humans, youre on the right path.

Subscribe to the Sentient Media newsletter to learn more about the vegan lifestyle and animal matters in which you might be interested. Dont hesitate to join conversations about veganism, animal rights, animal cruelty, and other issues that impact our animal friends.

Are you ready to adopt the vegan lifestyle? Have you already?

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Vegan Lifestyle: Why Veganism Is More Than a Diet

Vegan milkshakes and more are headed to Buffalo.

Strong Hearts Caf, which introduced Syracuse to the seemingly endless possibilities of plant-based, vegan food when it debuted in 2008, plans to open a location in downtown Buffalo by early summer.

Strong Hearts co-owners Joel Capolongo and Nick Ryan have been considering an out-of-town location since they moved their main Syracuse shop to its current spot at 900 E. Fayette St. down the hill from Syracuse University in 2020. The idea grew after they closed a former satellite location on Marshall Street in 2021.

Once we settled in here (East Fayette Street) we began to look at other cities with the idea of replicating what we do here, Capolongo said today.

The Buffalo location will be in a mixed residential-commercial neighborhood at 295 Niagara St., on the west side of downtown. Its just off the 190 expressway, about four or five blocks from Buffalos City Hall, and not too far from Buffalo State University.

When we closed Strong Hearts on The Hill in 2021, we said we would focus our efforts into growing elsewhere, Strong Heart posted today on social media sites like Facebook and Instagram. Well, say hello to elsewhere.

While the Buffalo area has a few other vegan-exclusive eateries, Capolongo said the combination of the Strong Hearts menu and the downtown location will set it apart.

We definitely feel there is room for another vegan option in Buffalo, he said.

The Buffalo caf will have a similar look, feel, and functionality to the Syracuse location, according to the Facebook post. But Capolongo said the menu will start off a little pared down at first. Eventually, it may offer some Buffalo exclusive options, he said.

Syracuses East Fayette Street location replaced the original (and smaller) Strong Hearts at 719 E. Genesee St., which opened in 2008. The East Genesee location was Syracuses first restaurant dedicated exclusively to vegan fare, in keeping with Ryan and Capolongos health-conscious philosophy and animal rights activism.

In a January 2022 review of the Syracuse Strong Hearts, syracuse.com restaurant critic Jared Paventi noted that the menu includes references to items like chicken, bacon and milk, although all are actually plant-based alternatives. The cafs offerings can sound a bit like many other fast-casual places in town, with BLTs, chicken wings and milkshakes.

Veganism has transitioned from niche lifestyle to mainstream diet, Paventi wrote. Restaurants like Strong Hearts have normalized what once was relegated to college students and animal rights activists. Rather than allowing itself to be pigeonholed, Strong Hearts expanded and, judging by the diversity of its guests during our visit, it has become just another dining option in Syracuse.

Capolongo said Strong Hearts will see how it goes in Buffalo before venturing into other possible locations. That includes potential moves to other cities or even more locations in Central New York.

We have a strong following in the region, Capolongo said. We think we can build on it.

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Don Cazentre writes forNYup.com,syracuse.comand The Post-Standard. Reach him atdcazentre@nyup.com, or follow him at NYup.com, on TwitterorFacebook.

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Syracuses best-known vegan cafe to launch its first out-of-town location - syracuse.com

A vegan or plant-based diet cannot prevent a person from developing COVID-19, but it may help support a healthy immune system. This in turn could aid in SARS-CoV-2 infection prevention and lower the risk of severe symptoms.

People should note, that there is no direct evidence to support a link between a plant-based or vegan diet and protection from COVID-19 or other severe diseases.

That said, plant-based diets can also decrease a persons risk of obesity and chronic diseases. These are conditions that tend to worsen the outcome of COVID-19.

This article explores plant-based diets and their health benefits in relation to COVID-19 and otherwise. It also looks at how a vegan diet could decrease the risk factors for more severe effects of COVID-19.

There is no specific diet that lowers a persons risk of developing COVID-19.

The World Health Organization (WHO) advise people eat a balanced diet to strengthen their immune systems during the COVID-19 pandemic. This includes eating fresh, unprocessed foods, such as vegetables, legumes, and whole grains.

The WHO also recommend avoiding consumption of sugar fat, and salt, and limiting red meat consumption to 12 times a week, and poultry to 23 times per week. They also suggest consuming no more than 160g of meat and beans daily.

According to research, a plant-based diet has health benefits for weight, energy metabolism, and systemic inflammation. These beneficial effects could support a healthy immune system and lower a persons risk of severe impacts of COVID-19.

That said, it is important to note that eating a plant-based diet and identifying as a vegan are not, strictly speaking, the same. The term plant-based refers only to diet, while veganism incorporates other factors.

People who identify as vegans object to exploiting or killing animals for food, clothing, or any other reason. However, some people who identify as vegans may eat mainly processed foods, which in itself as a dietary plan is not beneficial to health.

By contrast, people who follow a plant-based diet eat mainly or exclusively plant foods. People may have a diet that consists solely or predominantly of freshly prepared whole foods. They may choose this approach for health, environmental, or ethical reasons.

It is of note that a plant-based diet does not necessarily lead to an improved immune system. A person can follow a plant-based diet and have poor health due to consuming far too many processed foods, plant-based alternatives, and plant fats.

If a person eats mainly processed foods and few vegetables and fruits and does not supplement essential nutrients, such as vitamin B12, they may counteract the potential benefits of a plant-based diet.

Learn more about foods with B12 for vegetarians and vegans here.

In the sections below, we discuss some of the health benefits of plant-based diets and how following them may impact the risk of developing COVID-19.

A review in the British Journal of Nutrition suggests that people with optimal levels of micronutrients may be more resilient to COVID-19.

Micronutrients are vitamins and minerals that people obtain from their diet. Human bodies also produce vitamin D in response to exposure to sunlight.

Plant foods contain many vitamins and minerals essential for a healthy immune system, such as zinc, selenium, and vitamins A, C, and E. Selenium is a trace mineral that benefits immune system health and cognitive function.

However, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), only one in 10 adults in the United States eat enough fruits or vegetables.

By switching to a plant-based diet that includes a wide variety of fruits and vegetables or eating more plant-based foods, people will increase their intake of essential minerals and vitamins that support the immune system. This in turn may increase peoples resilience to COVID-19.

Learn more about anti-inflammatory foods here.

Healthy vegan diets that include a wide variety of fruits and vegetables are rich in antioxidants. These are compounds that fight free radicals and help counteract oxidative stress.

Some vitamins and minerals, as well as plant compounds such as polyphenols, act as antioxidants. Polyphenols are present in berries, olives, and nuts, among other foods.

According to a 2021 review, studies are currently underway to test whether polyphenols could potentially help prevent or treat viral infections, such as infections with SARS-CoV-2. However, at present, there is no evidence of this.

The authors explain that as people age, their immune system is less able to combat infections. The researchers refer to this immunological aging as immunosenescence. Polyphenols can counteract the senescence process and reduce inflammation.

Another review notes that excessive oxidative stress may be responsible for the lung damage, thrombosis, and red blood cell dysregulation that occurs in some people with COVID-19.

The authors of the review suggest that antioxidants could have therapeutic effects. Therefore, a plant-based diet rich in antioxidants and polyphenols may help protect against COVID-19.

Learn more about some of the top foods high in antioxidants here.

According to some research, SARS-CoV-2 alters the gut microbiota, and probiotics and prebiotics may improve the immune function in people with a SARS-CoV-2 infection.

The fiber in plant foods provides prebiotics to feed gut bacteria. Research shows that plant-based diets influence the gut microbiome favorably, increasing bacterial diversity and potentially reducing inflammation.

According to a 2020 review, a plant-based fiber-rich diet may have protected COVID-19 patients in India. The authors suggest that plant-based foods are likely to boost a gut microbiota capable of triggering an anti-inflammatory response.

Eating a plant-based diet may help people avoid having obesity and other health conditions that could worsen their experience of COVID-19 if they develop it.

Research suggests that a SARS-CoV-2 infection results in increased hospitalization rates and greater severity of illness in people with diabetes or obesity.

According to a 2020 study, obesity was the most commonly reported underlying medical condition 72.5% in healthcare personnel hospitalized for COVID-19 in the United States.

Authors of a 2016 analysis indicate that plant-based diets could decrease inflammation and risk of chronic disease in people who have obesity.

A 2019 review notes a plant-based diet may help prevent the development of overweight, obesity, and diabetes. Research also supports the diets cardiovascular benefits.

People wishing to switch to a vegan diet should ensure that they eat fresh whole foods and avoid processed foods and vegan junk food.

With veganism gaining popularity, more and more grocery stores and food outlets now offer a variety of vegan products.

It is important to note, however, that that a product is vegan does not necessarily mean it is healthy. It is still advisable to check nutrient density and the amounts of vitamins, minerals, fats, and added sugars of vegan products people consider buying.

People will benefit most from choosing fruits and vegetables, whole grains, and healthy fats and protein sources.

Including a wide variety of plant foods and eating a rainbow allows people on a plant-based diet to get all the nutrients they need.

However, plant foods do not contain vitamin B12, an essential nutrient needed for red blood cell production and brain function, among other things.

That is why it is important for people on a plant-based diet to eat foods fortified with vitamin B12 and preferably take a vitamin B12 supplement. They may also need to supplement omega-3 fatty acids.

People can find numerous resources and recipes online to plan their plant-based meals. They may also consult a registered dietitian or nutritionist.

Learn more about plant foods high in protein here.

There is no conclusive evidence to suggest that any single diet can lower a persons risk of developing COVID-19.

However, a plant-based or vegan diet may support a healthy immune system. This in turn can limit the risk of a SARS-CoV-2 infection, as well as its serious health complications.

Eating a plant-based diet may also help prevent the development of chronic health conditions that might cause complications or increase the severity of COVID-19 symptoms.

A vegan diet may also help people reach a moderate weight and prevent obesity, reducing the risk of worse COVID-19 outcomes.

It is worth noting that not all vegan foods are healthy, and people should avoid processed vegan foods and choose a whole foods diet instead.

People following a strict vegan diet should also ensure that they supplement essential nutrients, such as vitamin B12.

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Can veganism really lower a person's COVID-19 risk?

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A new show putting a spotlight on plant-based cooking done a famous Black chef has made its debut, with veteran MC Styles P joining in the fun for the first episode.

Veganism in the Black community is in the midst of a resurgence, and a new cooking show capitalizes on that with a passion. The Black Vegan Cooking Show, presented by MADAMENOIRE, made its debut on Tuesday (March 22nd). Hosted by Chef Charlise Rockwood, The Black Vegan Cooking Show is the next step in a journey that the London-born chef, model and entrepreneur began with her Vegan Soulicious platform on Instagram. Rockwoods first guest in the kitchen was none other than one-third of iconic Hip-Hop group The Lox and entrepreneur Styles P. The Good Times rapper has been a proponent of the vegan lifestyle for quite some time himself, partnering with fellow Lox member Jadakiss to open and run the Juices For Life chain of juice bars in their native Yonkers as well as the Bronx and Brooklyn.

The pair kicked off the episode savoring a delectable smoothie with a tropical touch, which was constructed with pink guava nectar, coconut milk, lime, soursop, and sparkling water. That set the stage for the keynote dish of the episode, Jamaican Red Pea Soup that is beefless. Chef Rockwood gives viewers important tips on the preparation throughout, and she along with Styles P also made cornmeal dumplings to complement the hearty dish.They also talked at length about their reasons for adopting the healthy lifestyle. I like to say Im plant-based and not vegan and heres the reason, Styles P said. Love to the vegan community. Love to all the people who fight for the animals. One day I aspire to beas great as Dick Gregory, so I like to say Im plant-based and Ive been plant-based for nine years.

For Rockwood, her mission with the show is simple. I really wanted to keep The Black Vegan Cooking Show as intimate, organic, and as personal as it is on Instagram, she said in an interview with VegNews before the premiere. Most of them are not vegan, so Im going to veganize something for them and try to change their perception [of plant-based food]. The Black Vegan Cooking Shows first season will also feature Chyna Love, founder of the plant-based Caribbean company Bad Gyal Vegan.

New episodes of The Black Vegan Cooking Show will air every Tuesday on Madame Noires YouTube channel and their Facebook page. Check out the first episode below.

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Eat To Live: The Black Vegan Cooking Show Debuts With Styles P As A Guest - HipHopWired

The latest in the string of Netflixs true-crime docuseries is the genre at its best: Where some documentaries are full of unnecessary speculation or rehash well-known facts, Bad Vegan digs deep into the nuances of Sarma Melngailiss entanglement with her abusive, scamming husband, and the ripple effect of both of their actions. And perhaps one of the greatest revelations throughout the four-episode limited series is an indictment of how the world treats people who eat a vegan diet.

The docuseries (which I highly recommend) follows Melngailis, a chef who ran Pure Food and Wine and One Lucky Duck, two highly acclaimed vegan and raw food restaurants in New York City. The series features her employees, food critics, and family talking about the restaurants heydayand Melngailis loneliness. She adopted a dog, Leon, as a companion to combat the latter and soon fell in with Anthony Strangis, who went by many names, eventually marrying him and sharing her business.

The docuseries reveals the twists and turns of Melnagailis relationship with Strangis, which led to her sending him more than a million dollars as part of a supernatural test that would eventually lead to her and her dog Leons immortality (it sounds crazy, sure, but the series reveals even more details and intricacies that make you understand how the relationship gets to this point). Because all of Melnagailis money was in her business, her constant lending of funds to her husband eventually affects her employees, who walk out not once, but twice after not being paid.

In the end, the story that is most known from its news coverage in 2016, Melnagailis and Strangis went on the run to Pigeon Forge, Tennessee, and were eventually caught because of a Dominos pizza orderthe two were arrested for fraud.

Its common (and easy) for people to make vegans the butt of a joke. Theres a perception that they see themselves as better than others, or that theyre crunchy granola hippies who arent to be taken seriously, or that its unfathomable that they would deprive themselves of cheese and ice cream.

Just eat a cheeseburger, already! was a real phrase thrown around by the media when covering Melnagailis case as shown in the doc. While more important details of the case were buried in the stories about Melnagailis and Strangis arrestlike a giant unpaid tab at a Vegas hotelevery publication and social media meme focused on the fact that this raw food restaurateur was caught because of a pizza. Instead of looking into the story any further, the public delighted in the chance to dunk on this woman for getting caught eating a pizza and being a bad vegan, the phrase the Netflix documentary itself cashes in on.

But whats revealed over the course of the series is that Melnagailis herself was a victim of fraud. Trapped in an emotionally abusive relationship, she found herself forced to give up her lifes work to hide away in hotel rooms. Even after, her veganism is seen as her downfall. Of course she would believe in the supernatural story this man was telling her, some interviewees supposed. Vegans are always into that new age stuff.

But ultimately, Melnagailis diet had nothing to do with her demise. Imagine being essentially held hostage by your abusive husband for nearly a year, only to be told to just eat a cheeseburger already.

Being vegan should no longer be a punchline, and veganism shouldnt be framed as a villainous thing. There are good and bad people who eat all kinds of diets. Lets take a lesson from this series and look at everyone simply as a person regardless of what they choose to eatunless its people, but thats a different true crime doc for a different time.

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How Bad Vegan Reminds Us That Not All Vegans Are Bad - The Takeout

2020 was a big year for veganism in the UK. And judging by the response to Veganuary this year, the rise of the movement for culinary, social, and agricultural change is set to continue in 2021. Whats more, the responses from retail giants and entrepreneurs will continue to make it easier for people to switch to a plant-based diet.

Weve rounded up the most important veganism facts and statistics for the UK as more Brits make the decision to go vegan.

Every year, hundreds of thousands of Brits sign up for the Veganuary campaign a pledge to embrace plant-based diets for a month.

According to the Guardian, a record 500,000 people, of whom 125,000 are based in the UK, took the Veganuary pledge to eat only vegan food in January. The figure is up by 100,000 on last years, and its double the number of people who signed up for Veganuary in 2019.

However, this time, its not just individuals who are getting into the vegan spirit. The beginning of 2021 has seen major supermarket brands doing more to cater to the growing number of Brits who have turned their back on animal products.

Aldi, Asda, and Iceland published detailed vegan recipe and product pages on their websites. Marks & Spencer created a 31-day vegan meal plan, and Tesco ran an advertising campaign to promote Veganuary on radio and television. Veganuarys Toni Vernelli speaks of how the Aldi website features a message which says that cutting down on or totally avoiding animal products demonstrates a commitment to make a difference to the planet.

Its not just supermarkets that are seeing a demand for vegan options; food delivery services like Deliveroo are noticing an increased demand from customers for vegan dishes.

The UK-based delivery service saw the number of vegan restaurants on its app more than double since last year, with 12 000 restaurants now offering vegan-friendly options. The most vegan orders in 2020 were placed in Brighton, Bristol, London, Manchester, and Edinburgh.

VegNews reported that in the first week of 2021, at the beginning of Veganuary, searches for vegan food on Deliveroo spiked by 153% compared to the previous month. Many Deliveroo partners have added special vegan options to their menus, from Wagamamas vegan sticky ribs to Majestic Wines vegan wine options.

Research on plant-based meat alternatives conducted by investment bank UBS last year also indicates rising interest in vegan lifestyle choices. Its also in keeping with some of what are predicted to be the biggest vegan food trends in 2021.

UBS research found that the number of people who tried plant-based meat alternatives increased from 48% to 53% between March and November last year. Of those who tried plant-based alternatives, approximately half said that they would continue to eat them at least once a week.

The banks Andrew Stott said the survey also revealed why some consumers are not happy to switch to an entirely plant-based diet just yet. He explained that 59% of respondents who were not willing to try plant-based meat substitutes did not think they would taste good, 29% said plant-based alternatives were too expensive, and 37% objected to the highly processed nature of the products.

Even so, more than half of respondents agreed that plant-based alternatives were the environmentally friendlier and healthier option. UBS surveyed 3,000 consumers in the UK, Germany, and the US.

Veganism is said to be most popular among younger generations. Food Revolution Network believes this is partly due to their increased availability of information via the Internet about where their food comes and how its made.

As encouraging as many of these stats are, 2021 is not likely to be the year in which Britain goes vegan. British Nutrition Foundation and YouGov research found that 61% of Brits were unlikely to switch to a plant-based diet this year. Of course, that simply may be because they havent been exposed to what are predicted to be the big vegan food trends of 2021.

The last few years have seen the launch of various vegan food products as well as all sorts of culinary innovations by creative cooks. Vegan Food And Living reckons that this year will be no different. In fact, the options for folks who are committed to a plant-based diet are going to get even more exciting. Some of the top trends the magazine predicted will be on the rise this year include:

Vegan butchers Last year saw the launch of Rudys Vegan Butchers in London. The establishment looks very much like a traditional butchers shop, minus the carcases and animal meat. Instead, its counters and fridges are packed with plant-based meat substitutes. Not to be outdone, Asda started trialling a vegan butchers counter at its Watford store earlier this month.

Vegan egg replacements Aquafaba is the vegan go-to egg replacement, but that may change in 2021. One of the predicted food trends this year is egg replacements, such as the liquid egg replacement launched by Crackd last year. Singaporean and French scientists recently unveiled an egg replacement that is almost indistinguishable from the real thing.

Vegan sweets The magazine also predicted that more and more major confectionery brands will release vegan sweets in 2021. According to Vegan Food And Living, vegan chocolate recipe internet searches increased by 31% last year.

Vegan chicken replacement Many plant-based meat alternatives were created as substitutes for red meat. Very little attention was paid to replacements for chicken, but 2021 looks like it could be the year in which that changes. In the last year or so, weve seen the launch of vegan alternatives to chicken by KFC, Marks & Spencer, Subway, Papa Johns, and Nandos.

(Source: The Vegan Society and Finder)

In the mood for some plant-based cuisine? Have a look at our list of vegetarian restaurant gift vouchers for an unforgettable meat-free dining experience.

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Veganism Statistics 2021 How Many Vegans Are There in ...

The big day has finally arrived - McDonald's first vegan burger, the McPlant, has arrived in Nottingham.

The plant-based burger was originally trialled in ten restaurants last year - none of them local - but today it's being rolled out nationwide.

The patty has been created using pea protein in conjunction with vegan company Beyond Meat. It's topped with vegan cheese, vegan sauce, ketchup, mustard, onion, pickles, lettuce and tomato in a vegan sesame seed bun.

It has taken three years to research and develop and costs 3.39 at Nottingham's Victoria Centre McDonald's - the same price as a Quarter Pounder (prices may vary at other restaurants).

Although McDonald's has previously introduced vegan-friendly veggie dippers it's the first time it has put a vegan burger on the menu, lagging between other fast food big guns Burger King and KFC which already sell plant-based burgers.

It is cooked separately from other McDonalds burgers using colour-codes to avoid any contact with meat.

The burger chain says it's confident that the new menu item will appeal to all burger lovers, adding: "It's everything you love about our iconic taste only this time it's vegan!"

Nottinghamshire Live roped vegan of four years Paul Hodgson, of Sherwood, to test out the new burger and give his verdict.

Paul, who who works as a video creator at the University of Nottingham and vlogs under the name Falcore on Instagram, said: "I turned to veganism after considering it for some time, but it was looking into the ins and outs of the dairy industry and the environmental impact of the meat industry that really triggered me to do make the change. It wasn't a difficult swap for me really.

"My favourite things to eat are real home cooked plant-based foods, I actually tend to avoid processed meat free alternatives generally, but when new ones appear like the McPlant I like to give them a try to see what my options are."

It's more than two decades since the 33-year-old last had a McDonald's burger after turning vegetarian at the age of 13.

Tucking into the burger he said: "It's been a really long time since I had a real McDonald's burger but the taste does really remind me of that.

"The texture is very light - it doesn't have the same firmness as a proper burger but it's really nice. I approve."

Even the vegan cheese - which can be notoriously unpleasant both in terms of taste and texture - won him over.

"The worst thing with vegan cheese is when it's melted - like on a pizza they go gloopy and weird - but that's in there and just warm from the burger, it's really nice. I'm a fan of that.

"It's really nice to have a proper option now. I go on long journeys all the time and we always go to McDonald's. I have veggie dippers which are really nice but now I can have an actual burger which is great."

Nottinghamshire Live's Lynette Pinchess also tested out the burger to give the view of a life-long meat eater.

She said: "I was secretly not expecting to like it. I've an inherent dislike of fake meat after trying different kinds but this shocked me.

"The patty had its differences - the texture seemed lighter but it still had a meaty taste. If I'd a blindfolded test taste between this and Quarter Pounder I don't think I'd have known the difference.

"I'm genuinely surprised. Would I have a McPlant again? Yes, definitely."

The McPlant has 429 calories, which is less than a Quarter Pounder that has 518.

Paul said: "I'm impressed. I'd say it's 10/10.

"It's affordable as well. There's a lot of conversation around vegan food not being affordable for everybody.

"I don't eat a lot of meat alternatives so I see it as a bit of a treat.

"I think it's important for big players like McDonald's to give options and support plant-based alternatives to bring it to the masses and make it seem more affordable.

"Many vegans would string me up for that, I know lots of people are against supporting brands like McDonald's but I think balance is important and having a sensible approach."

Mark Potter, who looks after the Victoria Centre McDonald's expects the McPlant to be popular.

"We've sold six already within the first ten minutes.

On the length of time it's taken in development, he added: "I think it's important to get it right and not just rush it out for the sake of it.

"Giving people more options can only be a good thing. I'm not an expert by any stretch but you go shopping now and see the range that's building and building all the while."

Every January supermarkets and restaurants introduce new specials for Veganuary - the month where people pledge to give up meat and dairy for 31 days - but come February they sometimes disappear.

However the McPlant is a permanent fixture of the menu.

Other restaurants launching new vegan offerings this month include Burger King's vegan nuggets.

Wagamama is introducing vegan fish and chips called Tempura F-ish + Bang Bang Yaki-imo. The F-ish (soy, rice and pea protein) is served with chips sweet potato and red onion, coated in the brands firecracker sauce.

Tortilla, which has branches in Clumber Street and Victoria Centre, Nottingham, has teamed up with Applewood vegan cheese to launch a vegan quesadilla.

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McDonald's launch first vegan McPlant burger - and here's the verdict - Nottinghamshire Live

Vegan products are taking over the meat and dairy market by storm, with demand for nutritionally competitive vegan meat and dairy products gaining impetus with every passing year.

With scientists highlighting the positive effect of vegan lifestyle on ones own health and the environment, its safe to say veganism is here to stay. Heres what industry insiders say about the vegan industry and growth strategies adopted by top market players.

With scientific research establishing a deeper connection between diet, health, and environment; demand for vegan alternatives has increased exponentially. The frozen dessert segment has been one of the biggest beneficiaries of this trend. Top market players are increasingly making moves to introduce vegan ice-cream options to capture maximum market share. For instance, Froneri, an ice cream manufacturer, owned by R&R and Nestle, introduced a novel-plant based ice cream range ROAR.

Following increased awareness of the detrimental influence of food additives, chemicals, and animal antibiotics on human health, consumers are switching towards vegan protein alternatives. To cater to such demands, Smithfield Plc. recently introduced its Pure Farmland plant-based protein product range.

Likewise, Kelloggs launched its new INCOGMEATO plant-based ground package manufactured with 100% plant protein with 48% less saturated fat.

Collaboration between market players is on the increase as producers work to make vegan food items more accessible. For instance, Subway collaborated with Beyond Meat Burger in order to provide more efficient products and services to their customers.

Industry Insider predicts that both companies and investors involved in the vegan business have backed the right horse, given the expected growth of the vegan food sector. With Europe and North America leading the vegan revolution and collectively holding 65% of the global protein supplement market, according to MarketNgage, a potential strategic advantage is emerging for these regions going forward.

With thanks to Hakimuddin Bawangaonwala of MarketNgage for the input.

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Industry Insiders Discuss Veganism: Companies Must Focus on Winning The Game - vegconomist - the vegan business magazine

Veganism is typically equated with healthy eating, but todays factory-produced fake bacon, sausages and burgers could be tarnishing the halo of a plant-based diet. New Scientist investigates

By Helen Thomson

Kyle Bean

DONALD Watson was born in Yorkshire and spent much of his youth on his uncles farm. But rather than making him feel at ease with breeding animals for food, the realisation that these friendly creatures went for slaughter horrified him. He became a vegetarian in 1924, aged 14. Two decades later, with his wife and four friends, he coined the word vegan from the first and last parts of the word vegetarian, and founded the UK Vegan Society.

Watsons diet was filled mostly with nuts, apples, dried fruit, vegetables and, when wartime rations allowed it, lentils. Fast-forward to today, and Watson would have been astonished at the wealth of vegan-friendly offerings. Browse the aisles of supermarkets in the UK, US, Australia and beyond and you will find a growing amount of space dedicated to vegan fish and meat alternatives. But while Watsons diet turned out to be a healthy one, a different picture is emerging for some of todays vegans.

Take a look at the ingredients in the ever-increasing variety of products and they can seem more like junk, packed full of salt and ingredients such as soya protein concentrate that you wouldnt find in a chunk of meat.

While todays factory-produced foods make it easy to switch to a vegan diet without the need to make drastic changes to eating patterns, these alternatives might be worse for our health than the meat versions they are replacing. Finding out is increasingly important, due to the growing number of people avoiding meat and dairy in their diet. So what do we and dont we know?

When Watson applied for vegan

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Are vegan meat alternatives putting our health on the line? - New Scientist

Nigella loves sesame chicken and isn't ready for plant-based jelly. (Getty Images)

Veganism has taken over the world in the past few years, as concerns about climate change and animal welfare push what we eat to the top of the agenda.

Now, every supermarket has a dedicated plant-based aisle and there are vegan versions of every food, from chorizo to king prawns to stir-fry chicken.

But though the public are increasingly ditching meat in favour of vegetables and replacement products like pea protein and tofu, one very famous cook isn't so keen.

Nigella Lawson tried going vegan for a fortnight recently, and concluded that she "doesn't see the point" in giving up animal products.

Watch: Communal Table: Jamie Oliver

She added that while she likes vegetables and also respects the vegan viewpoint, it's not for her.

Nigella believes that "humans have the teeth for meat" and admitted she craved eggs within the fortnight, saying that without meat or dairy, she felt run-down.

"As far as Im concerned I want to eat proper food," she said.

"I dont want to lecture anyone because I feel, well, I cling to the thing that we have the teeth for meat and so its natural for us to want to eat it... its an argument that a lot of vegans disagree with I respect that position but I feel that Im not ready."

Nigella Lawson is not going plant-based just yet. Or ever. (BBC)

More in tune with the growing vegan vibe is Jamie Oliver. The famous chef has announced that he will reduce or "eliminate" meat in two-thirds of new recipes, in a bid to go carbon-neutral over the next 20 years.

His hugely popular recipes will still use some meat, but he also pledged to cut down the amount used in individual recipes such as spaghetti bolognese. However, he failed to set a deadline for changing his approach.

Read more: We tried 14 vegan cheeses and ranked them just for you

A spokesperson for The Vegan Society said: While its hugely encouraging to see well known food giants, such as the Jamie Oliver Group, making an effort to reduce the amount of meat theyre offering customers, its perhaps not as ambitious a pledge as others have already made.

Story continues

"It would be great to see the Jamie Oliver Group step it up a little.

Others in the spotlight who are promoting the vegan cause include baker Freya Cox, just voted off this year's Great British Bake Off on Channel 4.

Vegan brownies made with courgettes. They look just as good... (Getty Images)

The 19-year-old cook promised to showcase vegan baking, and created impressive challenges and showstoppers using aquafaba instead of egg white and replacing butter with a vegan alternative.

Judges Paul Hollywood and Prue Leith were complimentary, but Freya went home last week.

Other advocates of the vegan lifestyle include actor Joaquin Phoenix, who used his Joker Oscar winning speech to promote the cause, asking the audience: "Why (do) we feel entitled to artificially inseminate a cow and steal her baby, even though her cries of anguish are unmistakable?

Phoenix: Not here to make us feel good about our choices. (PA)

Pop star Billie Eilish is also a vegan, recently posting: "Leave animals alone. Damn," while Harry Potter actor Evanna Lynch is a campaigner for animal rights and says she stopped eating meat aged 11, after feeling "viscerally repelled by the idea of eating animal flesh.

Actor Elliot Page is also a vegan who often speaks up on behalf of animals in interviews and on social media.

TV presenter Fearne Cotton has released a vegan cookbook, as has Made In Chelsea star Lucy Watson.

Even veteran star Stevie Wonder is a convert. He turned vegan in 2016, saying: (It's) helped my already good-looking self. I think that eating healthy is important.

Billie Eilish is not here for your meat-eating nonsense. (Getty Images)

Read more: Alicia Silverstone on how she raises her son Bear by example: 'I'm not running around and shouting and getting angry'

Others have put their money where their mouths are, with Formula 1 champion Lewis Hamilton recently opening the restaurant Neat Burger, serving plant-based burgers.

Actor Rooney Mara co-founded vegan fashion label Hiraeth and narrated Dominion, a documentary on animal welfare, with her partner Joaquin Phoenix.

Well-known vegan and animals rights advocate Pamela Anderson often appears in campaigns, and recently opened a pop-up vegan restaurant in France.

Lawson may not be ready to climb onto the vegan bus just yet but plenty of others are already on board.

Why Joaquin Phoenix won't 'force' veganism on his and Rooney Mara's son

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Why Nigella won't go vegan and the stars who are - Yahoo Entertainment

Going vegan or vegetarian has become mainstream in Britain, as new coverts join the momentum to switch to a plant-based diet

By Prasun Sonwalkar

Published: Fri 29 Oct 2021, 10:46 PM

What do global movers and shakers eat when they meet and confabulate about major issues? Next week, world leaders will congregate in Glasgow for the COP26 summit, with mixed hopes among billions across the globe of what the event will eventually achieve in terms of global warming and climate change. But keeping with the events aspirations, one aspect has already been decided: plant-based dishes will dominate the menu, with 80 per cent of the food seasonal and sourced in Scotland. Overall, 95 per cent of the food will be from the United Kingdom, focused on the idea that sustainability should be at the heart of catering for the summit, reducing emissions and promoting environment-friendly food production. Campaigners wanted a 100 per cent vegan menu to be served, but the fact that most of the dishes will be plant-based at such a high-profile international event is music to their ears.

Each item will have an estimate of its carbon footprint, helping delegates make climate-friendly choices. Items will include Edinburghs Mara Seaweed, which is abundant, sustainable, does not require fertiliser, fresh water or soil to grow, as well as Benzies carrots and potatoes that use wind turbines to power their cool storage, biomass to provide heating and actively recycle the water they use. Cups used to serve drinks will be reusable, washable 1,000 times; it is estimated that this approach will save up to 250,000 single-use cups. Says Alok Sharma, Cabinet minister in the Boris Johnson government and COP26 president: There will be a tremendous amount of work to be done at COP26, with many hours of negotiations and long days, so the choice of food that we serve our visiting delegations, staff and all our volunteers is very important. It is exciting to see such innovation in the menus that will be on offer and to understand the thought and effort that has gone into making dishes both healthy, sustainable and suitable for different diets and requirements. We very much look forward to giving our international visitors a flavour of the wide-ranging cuisine the UK has to offer.

This focus on a plant-based menu at the Glasgow summit seems inevitable given the growing momentum in Britain in recent years to switching to a vegan diet, which is a step further than a vegetarian diet, since it excludes dairy products (vegan was coined from the first three and last two letters of vegetarian in 1944, when The Vegan Society was formed with just 25 members). According to the society, A vegan is someone who tries to live without exploiting animals, for the benefit of animals, people and the planet. Vegans eat a plant-based diet, with nothing coming from animals no meat, milk, eggs or honey, for example. The momentum is driven by philosophical, religious and other reasons, but mainly by widely-publicised scientific research that animal agriculture and animal products are disastrous for the planet, and that cutting out animal products from the diet is the single-most effective action an individual can take to help fight climate change.

A vegan supply chain

From the United Nations calling for a wider global uptake of plant-based diet in 2010, to a host of studies and mass awareness drives by campaign groups subsequently, veganism has gone mainstream, with superstores, restaurants as well as manufacturers of cosmetics, medicines, toiletries, fashion and textiles making it known that their food and goods are vegan, catering to a growing niche customer base. Coffee lovers can now enjoy a flat white with soy, oat, coconut or almond milk instead of whole milk, besides a large number of dishes that earlier used dairy products. Cadbury hit the headlines when it announced that from November there would be a vegan alternative to its signature Dairy Milk chocolate bar. The new Cadbury Plant Bar would substitute almond paste for the glass and a half of milk that is supposed to be in the Dairy Milk bar. Veganuary, a charity organisation that encourages people to try vegan diet in January and beyond, enlisted pledges of more than 580,000 people this year.

Says senior journalist Syed Zubair Ahmed: Its been over a year since I last had meat. My journey to being vegetarian was slow. First, I gave up eating beef way back in 1984 when I was a university student. I tried to give up eating meat completely several times since then but it was difficult to resist. Gradually, I stopped cooking meat at home. And then in the first month of Covid I decided to cut out meat completely... Going vegan or vegetarian appears to be a fad in the West but those who have turned vegetarian or eating vegan food know what they are getting into. Even when I ate meat I believed vegetarianism is a higher form of living. Eating meat was fine when we lived with nature 12-13,000 years ago. We have a choice now. Giving up animal products is achieving that higher form of living I have always been hankering after. My next goal is to stop eating all animal products, including milk and eggs. I love oat milk anyway. I believe being vegan is being more civilised.

According to new research by The Vegan Society, a large number of Britons reduced the amount of animal products they consume since the start of the Covid-19 pandemic. It found that 1 in 5 (20 per cent) people have reduced the amount of meat they are eating while 12 per cent said they have minimised their eggs and dairy intake. Seven per cent of respondents revealed they have cut down on all three, meaning that 1 in 4 (25 per cent) have actively cut back on some form of animal products since the first lockdown. It also found that more than a third (34 per cent) people are spending more time with their companion animals, and 32 per cent are thinking more about their personal impact on the planet. In a second survey aimed at those who had cut back on animal products, 35 per cent said they were mainly motivated by health concerns, with that figure rising to 39 per cent for those aged 55+, while 30 per cent said the environment was their primary motivation, and almost 1 in 4 (21 per cent) said it was down to animal rights issues.

Louisianna Waring, Insight and Commercial Policy Officer at the society, says: Its fantastic to see that not only are people consciously cutting back on animal products, but that this trend has continued over the last 12 months. Its no surprise that the pandemic has inspired so many consumers to make the switch to plant-based alternatives and adopt a more planet-friendly diet. Covid-19 has certainly made people think twice about what theyre eating and where its coming from. This is highlighted by the large number of people cutting down on animal products because of their own health concerns. New research published in the British Medical Journal says that plant-based or pescatarian diets were associated with lower odds of moderate-to-severe Covid-19. The Vegan Society will make its presence felt at Glasgow through its various campaigns (Plate Up for the Planet), adverts and messaging on buses, digital billboards, subway stations, performances and an outreach stand in a shopping mall.

The legislation debate

Campaigners would like the turn to veganism to be backed by legislation, with subsidies for plant-based food, but opinion within the Johnson government is mixed. According to the independent Climate Change Committee, people should be encouraged by the government to cut the amount of meat and dairy they eat, recommending a 20 per cent shift away from those products by 2030, since reducing meat and dairy consumption will cut emissions from agriculture and release land to plant trees to help absorb carbon dioxide. But the Johnson government has said it will maintain peoples freedom of choice in their diet.

Business secretary Kwasi Kwarteng has spoken to the media about the importance of veganism to climate change. He may adopt a vegan diet at some point to play his part in the global climate effort, since lifestyle changes would be needed across society if the UK government is to hit its new emissions target: cut by 78 per cent on 1990 levels by 2035. He says: Im certainly reducing my meat consumption, not only for environmental reasons but also for health reasons. Im eating a lot more fish than I ever did before and maybe I can move to a full vegan diet at some point. The number of people who are vegans, who are reducing their meat intake, is going up all the time. I think that there is a lot of societal change that will actually help us and drive the progress to 2035, admitting that the government should accelerate the change and praised the boom in plant-based diets, which is taking place without government legislation.

Kwartengs views about veganism stand in sharp contrast to Johnsons. According to the prime minister, veganism is a crime against cheese lovers. Asked recently on BBC about his 2020 resolution to lose weight and if he would be ditching meat and dairy products from his diet, he said it would require too much concentration, adding that while he tipped his hat off to vegans who can handle it, a vegan diet is a crime against cheese lovers. Campaigners were quick to point out that vegan-friendly cheeses are now available in every grocery store, besides other alternatives to dairy products.

The latest alt-milk to hit the market besides almond, soy, coconut, oat is potato milk; the market for plant milk alone is estimated to be 400 million a year, while the global plant-based alternatives market is pegged at over 115 billion. The Vegan Trademark is already established, helping users identify that a product is free from animal ingredients since 1990. Over 56,000 products worldwide, including cosmetics, clothing, food, drink, household items, and many more display the Vegan Trademark. In 2019 alone, The Vegan Society registered 14,262 products with the Vegan Trademark, which was an increase from 2018, when 9,590 products were registered. The Vegan Trademark is present in 108 countries, with over 50 per cent of products registered coming from companies based outside of the UK. Vegan and plant-based foods are the fastest-growing category of foods people are ordering, according to leading food-delivery companies in the United States, Canada and the UK. Campaigners say globally the number of vegans is nearly 80 million; of those in the UK, 66 per cent are women.

A new report by think-tank Chatham House says post-Covid economic recovery efforts by governments across the globe provide a unique opportunity to put in place measures for a green recovery. Its report, Food System Impacts On Biodiversity Loss, says: Over the past 50 years, the conversion of natural ecosystems for crop production or pasture has been the principal cause of habitat loss, in turn reducing biodiversityWithout reform of our food system, biodiversity loss will continue to accelerateReform will rely on the use of three principal levers: Firstly, global dietary patterns need to converge around diets based more on plants, owing to the disproportionate impact of animal farming on biodiversity, land use and the environmentSecondly, more land needs to be protected and set aside for natureThirdly, we need to farm in a more nature-friendly, biodiversity-supporting way, limiting the use of inputs and replacing monoculture with polyculture farming practicesDietary change and a reduction in food waste are critical to breaking the system lock-ins that have driven the intensification of agriculture and the continued conversion of native ecosystems to crop production and pasture.

The flip side

For all the enthusiasm to adopt veganism and stick to it rigorously, it has many critics, besides attracting the old joke: How do you known someones a vegan? Answer: Theyll tell you. There is also the fact that almost everything edible involves some kind of animal suffering; all one can do is try and minimise it through food choices. One website is dedicated to its point that almonds are not vegan. It may be impossible to be 100 per cent vegan, since plants get nutrients from the soil, which often contains decayed remains of animals, besides pollination by bees and others species. The jury is out and both sides hold on to their positions passionately.

Ward Clark, author of Misplaced Compassion: The Animal Rights Movement Exposed, writes in an online essay titled The Myth of the Ethical Vegan: Unfortunately for the ethical vegan, the production of their food alone reduces their claim to impossibility. Animals are killed in untold millions, in the course of plant agriculture. Some are killed accidentally in the course of mechanised farming; some are killed deliberately in the course of pest control... Every potato, every stick of celery, every cup of rice, and every carrot has a blood trail leading from field to plateEthical vegans, as a class, fail utterly to put any of their professed ethics into action. They claim to not cause harm to animals, but they do; when confronted, they claim to cause less harm to animals than the non-vegan, but they are utterly unable to show that to be true... They are intimately involved, every day, in an activity that causes the deaths of millions of animals...

(Prasun is a journalist based in London. He tweets @PrasunSonwalkar)

Read more from the original source:
The rise and rise of veganism in Britain - Khaleej Times

It's fair to say that Eddie Hall is a man who likes his food. During his strongman career, he would consume over 12,000 calories a day. Even now, being leaner and smaller, Hall still puts away between 5000 and 7000 calories every day.

But speaking exclusively to Men's Health UK, Hall revealed that there's no chance he would ever consider getting all of those calories from a vegan diet and revealed how he felt like his body was "withering away" during a short experiment with veganism.

"I've tried it in the past and you just see your body withering away, you just can't sustain it," says Hall. "At the end of the day I'm a 156 kilo man, I'm one of the biggest men in the country, and you're not going to maintain that being vegan. That would put a massive hindrance on my performance."

Hall says that when he tried the diet "for like three or four days" he felt his strength and size was falling away. Admittedly, it's not a huge amount of adaptation time, but "it just didn't suit me," he says.

Still, Hall is keen to point out that he's not against veganism altogether. His wife eats a lot of vegan meals, and is probably best described as a flexitarian. Hall just thinks that while it's good to reduce the amount of meat you eat, it's hard to maintain strength and muscle on a diet that includes no meat at all.

"Although there's a lot of good things about being vegan, for me to maintain the strength and power that I need, I just think it's impossible to keep that size and strength and be a vegan, so I have to get my meat in me for the protein side of things, the amino acids and everything," says Hall.

"I'm a big believer in less meat is good for you, but cutting meat out completely is a big no no."

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Eddie Hall Says Going Vegan Made His Body Wither Away - Men's health UK

By Lutho Pasiya Oct 29, 2021

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Nigella Lawson only managed two weeks of the vegan diet, and she says she sees no point in ditching animal products.

Talking to Sunday Times about her new book, Cook, Eat, Repeat, the television chef admitted: I cant be a vegetarian, even though I like vegetables. I dont see the point.

Lawson said she tried veganism but broke down due to her craving for eggs.

I couldnt be vegan, although I love vegetables. I dont see the point in that, she said.

Lawson added: Im very happy I dont eat that much meat, but I love it. I am also in a privileged position and get great salted beef or lamb, so I never like to lecture people. I felt very exhausted, and in any case, I am low on iron. So I needed it.

The media personality said she wants to be able to eat the right food and believes that humans are made to eat meat.

She added: I feel like we have teeth for meat, and therefore it is natural for us to want to eat it. I know vegans disagree with this argument, so I respect that position, but I feel Im not ready.

She later tweeted to clarify that she does, in fact, completely understand the point of veganism, adding: I just want to say, concerning the quote published in the ST, I actually completely get the point of veganism, and while I admire those who can follow a vegan diet, I dont see the point in making going vegan the only commendable change. I feel that encouraging more people to eat plant-based meals would have greater take-up, and would thus have a huge impact and benefit.

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The reason why Nigella Lawson only lasted two weeks on a vegan diet - IOL

DUBLIN--(BUSINESS WIRE)--The "Europe Plant-Based Food and Beverage Market 2021-2028" report has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com's offering.

European plant-based food and beverage market in is likely to progress with a CAGR of 8.76% between the forecast years 2021-2028.

Veganism is becoming increasingly popular in France, with 30% of the consumers making efforts to reduce their meat consumption. Animal care activists in the country are working relentlessly to spread awareness among people, which has resulted in the reduced meat consumption.

In 2017, Danone acquired WhiteWave, a US-based organic food producer, for $12.5 billion. In February 2021, the company entered into the agreement to acquire another US-based company, Earth Island, a plant-based foods specialist.

In February 2020, Limagrain, an agricultural cooperative, announced its plans to launch a new legumes business aimed at delivering plant-based food products, in order to tap on to the fast-growing plant protein sector and the rising trend of eating less red meat.

A month later, The Bel Group signed an agreement to acquire the French startup All in Foods, which owns the Nature & Moi brand, to add more products to its range of 100% plant-based products to its current product portfolio. Therefore, the growing adoption of plant-based options is expected to fuel the growth of the market in France in the coming years.

COMPETITIVE OUTLOOK

Some of the players dominating the plant-based food and beverage market include Amy's Kitchen, Moving Mountains, Pacific Foods Of Oregon, Sweet Earth Inc, Morningstar Farms, Conagra Brands, Blue Diamond Growers, Sunfed, and Field Roast Grain Meat Co Inc.

Key Topics Covered:

1. Europe Plant-Based Food and Beverage Market - Summary

2. Industry Outlook

2.1. Impact of COVID-19 on the Plant-Based Food and Beverage Industry

2.2. Key Insights

2.2.1. Awareness About Animal Health and Safety

2.2.2. Manufacturing Plant Expansions

2.2.3. Concerns About Health and Changing Lifestyles

2.3. Porter's Five Forces Analysis

2.4. Market Attractiveness Index

2.5. Vendor Scorecard

2.6. Key Market Strategies

2.6.1. Product Launches

2.6.2. Contract & Partnerships

2.7. Market Drivers

2.7.1. Shift Towards Veganism

2.7.2. Rising Lactose Intolerance

2.7.3. Advantages of Plant-Based Diet

2.8. Market Challenges

2.8.1. High Cost of Plant-Based Products

2.8.2. Limited Awareness

2.8.3. Disparity in Perception of Dairy and Plant-Based Food and Beverages

2.9. Market Opportunities

2.9.1. Availability of Sustainable Products and Recyclable Packaging

2.9.2. Revolutionary Manufacturing Procedures

2.9.3. Introduction of Brand New Products

3. Europe Plant-Based Food and Beverage Market Outlook - by Type

3.1. Dairy

3.2. Meat

3.3. Other Types

4. Europe Plant-Based Food and Beverage Market Outlook - by Source

4.1. Soy

4.2. Wheat

4.3. Almond

4.4. Corn

4.5. Other Sources

5. Europe Plant-Based Food and Beverage Market Outlook - by Distributors

5.1. Supermarkets/Hypermarkets

5.2. Convenience Stores

5.3. Specialty Stores

5.4. Online Retail

5.5. Other Distributors

6. Europe Plant-Based Food and Beverage Market - Regional Outlook

6.1. United Kingdom

6.2. Germany

6.3. France

6.4. Spain

6.5. Italy

6.6. Russia

6.7. Rest of Europe

7. Competitive Landscape

7.1. Amy's Kitchen

7.2. Beyond Meat Inc

7.3. Blue Diamond Growers

7.4. Califia Farms

7.5. Conagra Brands

7.6. Daiya Foods Inc

7.7. Danone Sa

7.8. Field Roast Grain Meat Co Inc

7.9. Impossible Foods Inc

7.10. Kikkoman Corporation

7.11. Morningstar Farms

7.12. Moving Mountains

7.13. Pacific Foods of Oregon

7.14. Quorn Foods

7.15. Sunfed

7.16. Sweet Earth Inc

7.17. The Hain Celestial Group Inc

7.18. Yofix Probiotics

For more information about this report visit https://www.researchandmarkets.com/r/3ee4hq

Read more:
Europe Plant-Based Food and Beverage Markets 2021-2028: Shift Towards Veganism / Introduction of Brand New Products / Rising Lactose Intolerance /...

Fat. Just that seemingly simple, three-letter word can conjure up pain for many of us: childhood memories of being made fun of on the playground. A before picture taken at that weight-loss program we tried. A moment full of shame in the fitting room.

Turn the TV to any channel, flip through any fashion magazine, scroll through any social media feed, and you will be thrust into a world where thin people are celebrated and fat people are nowhere to be found. And yet, fat peoplea term increasingly and intentionally used to destigmatize and ultimately emboldenmake up the vast majority of Americans.

In a world where discrimination can range from hurtful (fat people are routinely the butt of jokes in everything from casual conversation to big-screen Hollywood movies) to outright dangerous (doctors regularly advise weight loss, without further analysis, to fat patients while recommending blood work, CAT scans, or physical therapy for patients of smaller size experiencing the same symptoms), fat people are regularly given the message that they are unworthy. And the vegan community isnt immune to this harmful rhetoric either.

Veganism and diet culture have been confused for years, and as the movement grows stronger, the prevalence of health-focused messaging combined with rampant body policing is only doing harm. How can we pry apart plant-based advocacy from societys too-prevalent anti-fat bias and work toward a size-inclusive movement? First, we have to unpack the way we treat fat people. And its a big problem.

When it comes to shifting the conversation about fat bodies and flipping the harmful fatphobic gaze of society on its head, there is perhaps no more visible agent of change than Lizzo. The 33-year-old pop star is as well-known for her advocacy for radical self-love as she is for her chart-topping hits, frequently celebrating her sensuality and proudly flaunting her body across Instagramin and of itself a radical act in a world where fat bodies are expected to cower and hide in shame. Then there are the commenters. The louder her critics become about her near-nude social media posts and brazen captions (the next time you want to judge someone for drinking kale smoothies or eating McDonalds, or working out or not working out, mind your own business), the bolder she becomes.

But as with any challenge to the status quo, Lizzos take-no-prisoners approach is deeply uncomfortable to someespecially those who have built their careers on making thin bodies. When The Biggest Loser star Jillian Michaels appeared on BuzzFeeds digital morning show with a gripe about Lizzos public displays of self-adoration, the fallout was significant. Why are we celebrating [Lizzos] body? questioned the fitness celebrity. Cuz it isnt going to be awesome if she gets diabetes. [] Like, I love her music. [] But theres never a moment where Im like, And Im so glad shes overweight!

In the days following Michaels jab, the public discourse around body positivity was profound, with celebrities and pundits weighing in on what Lizzowho went vegan in 2020 and regularly posts plant-based recipes to more than 14 million TikTok followersshould do with her body. Though such Page Six-worthy discussions are fewer and farther between when it comes to other mega-famous singers whose bodies conform to a social norm, something about Lizzo showing off her curves unapologetically while twerking in a bikini was just the type of envelope-pushing that woke up a society-at-large that, when it comes to confronting their complacent role in fat-shaming, had been largely asleep.

The buzz that Lizzos body-love platform has created is a reflection of a movement that has gained popularity in recent years, thanks to the hashtag-happy culture that helped to popularize it. But before #fatacceptance was trending, there was body positivity.

Founded as a nonprofit in 1996 by author Connie Sobczak and social worker Elizabeth Scotttwo women who are not fatThe Body Positive organization prides itself on teaching people how to reconnect with their innate body wisdom in order to have more balanced self-care. The feel-good pillars that guide the mission include declaring your authentic beauty and cultivating self-love. Though hailed as a corrective to the hatred that so many women have had toward their bodies, the movementwhich has spun out far beyond just the initial organization and become a standalone social media trend (with nearly 16 million posts hashtagging #bodypositive)has also undergone criticism.

In her 2020 book, What We Dont Talk About When We Talk About Fat, author Aubrey Gordon points out what she sees as a glaring omission in body positivity spaces. [W]hile body positivity may be increasing individual self-esteem, it doesnt seem to have made a dent in the prevalence of anti-fat attitudes and behavior, Gordon writes. Further exemplifying this point is a 2019 Harvard study that found that of six implicit biases tested over a nine-year period, anti-fat bias is the only one to have worsened over time.

De-centering the most marginalized bodies from social justice issues that have gone mainstream enough to be somewhat watered downsuch as with the case of body positivity being so focused on self-love that it can feel like an erasure of fat bodies, which are amongst those most victimized in a thin-centric worldis nothing new. As the Black Lives Matter movement grew in popularity and became a mechanism for corporate woke-washing, the group that suffers the most is Black trans people (accounting for the high prevalence of murder and suicide amongst this demographic). Just as caring about racial justiceas well as fancying yourself a feministarguably means the main focus should be on liberating the Black trans community, to be body positive means the focus should be on achieving radical fat acceptance.

Yet for those who continue to suffer at the hands of the institutions and social queues that continue to standardize anti-fat oppression, that moral imperative is missing from the narrative.

If fat people had a nickel for every time a friend was performatively well-meaning in expressing concern for their health, they would be wealthy enough to run the world. And with the wage gap that discriminates against larger bodies (heavy women earn $9,000 less than their smaller counterparts while very heavy women earned $19,000 less), the extra money would be welcomed.

So can you be fat and healthy? According to Dr. Yami Cazorla-Lancaster, the answer is a resounding yes. The pediatrician and lifestyle medicine physician sees healthismwhen a persons worth is judged by their health statusas a way our society paints the so-called picture of health, and it runs deep. Research shows that stigmatizing weight actually leads to worse outcomes for mental and physical health, says Cazorla-Lancaster, whose book, A Parents Guide to Intuitive Eating, covers topics from body acceptance to lifestyle habits. Perhaps a persons health should be just between themselves and their healthcare provider.

And even when the shame and bullying involved with healthism are enough to push fat people into the doctors office, theyre still not safe from weight discrimination. Dr. Reshma Shah, author and instructor at Stanford University School of Medicine, suggests that a comprehensive reworking of the doctor-patient relationship may be in order. Many people have reported receiving advice to simply lose weight as the treatment plan without receiving a proper history, Shah says, which can result in potentially life-threatening delayed or missed diagnoses.

In an effort to find a safer space in which to receive medical treatment, some fat activists have embraced the Health at Every Size (HAES) movementwhich offers a set of principles that removes the emphasis on weight loss and redirects it to the pursuit of wellbeing. Beyond HAES focus on body inclusivity, for Cazorla-Lancaster, its the social justice aspect thats especially motivating. [HAES] prompts us to consider the influences that environment and privilege have on our body size and health, she says.

For Chelsea Lincoln, a 25-year vegan who runs the body diversity-focused platform Fat Vegan Voice, imagining a world without anti-fat bias is challengingbut the vision of what our culture could become if we embraced radical compassion for all beings keeps her fighting. Without fat bias, people would be healthier, mentally and physically, she says, adding that it seems ironic since there is the stereotype that being fat means unhealthy when without weight stigma, people would naturally have intuitive eating, be more comfortable getting medical care, and doctors would actually treat the patients appropriately. Fat bias literally kills people.

One thing that separates Cazorla-Lancaster and Shah from other practitionersincluding some who rally behind HAESis that these two doctors are vegan, which can be at odds with both ends of the spectrum. On one hand, mainstream medicine has historically not embraced plant-based eating, while on the other, even the very progressive HAES is not inherently veganpossibly because veganism can be presented as restrictive and therefore convoluted with toxic diet culture.

Ironically, the HAES movements dismissal of veganism ties into a bigger concern plaguing many fat activists who are also plant-basedand it hearkens back to that very idea that veganism is a weight-loss diet, as opposed to an ethics-driven choice. This is no surprise, given the relentless conflating of plant-based living with weight loss by both the mainstream media and influencer culture.

And because of the anti-fat society we live inand the dominant narratives about vegans, and what they eat and look likethe very idea of vegan food thats not wholesome and healthy can be triggering for some. Follow any popular vegan food account on Instagram and youll spot the comment, Just because its vegan doesnt mean its healthy in less time than it takes to tap the like button beside that snap of rich, layered chocolate cake.

For Jessica Cruz, founder of Vegan Street Fair Los Angeles and Vegan Exchangean annual and weekly event, respectively, featuring everything from burgers and milkshakes to baklava and mushroom baothe melding of veganism with health is exasperating. Her social posts featuring indulgent street fair food are meant to showcase how varied modern vegan cuisine is, and how a diet without animals doesnt have to mean deprivation. But invariably, commenters flock to the feed to offer reminders that vegan French fry-stuffed burritos arent a health food, which of course, isnt the point. My responses to these misinformed comments aim to educate folks on how the ethical part of this movement does not dictate how a person should look or eat in order to liberate animals, just that they do everything they can to liberate animals.

Anti-fat bias is a glaring problem in many vegan circles and the ripples of discrimination are felt far and wide amongst those who identify as both fat and plant-based. Believe it or not, despite the immense pressure for fat folks to feel miserable and ashamed of our bodies, some of us are happy with them, or have at least internalized that our self-worth is not dependent upon the bodies we inhabit, says Andy Tabar, owner of vegan message-wear brand Compassion Co. and co-host of The Bearded Vegans podcast. Weve stepped off the yo-yo diet infinity loop and are merely trying to practice our ethics as best we can, and that means living a vegan lifewhile fat.

Prior to starting his clothing business (which offers sizes up to 4Xhe is currently seeking larger sizes that adhere to his ethical standards of production), Tabar spent years advocating at large-scale events. Ive talked to fat people who care about animals but never thought they could go vegan, or they thought that veganism was something they couldnt explore because they didnt have any desire to fit into that image, he says, pointing out that pro-vegan literature exclusively features slim and athletic-looking people.

Beyond the lack of representation and consideration in brochures, social media, events, and clothing brands (most companies only carry sizes up to XXL), fat vegans also face discrimination in their advocacy. An elephant trainer once told me after noticing my sweatshirt that said Make Peace, Not Pork, that my parents should have thought of that before they made me, recalls Lincoln.

When fat vegans and their allies speak about fat liberation, too often they are met with pushback and non-sequiturs about how fat vegans only exist because of Oreos or other foods stereotyped to be [what] fat people eat exclusively, Lincoln explains. Body sizes are diverse, and you cannot tell what someone eats or how active they are based on their size. And regardless, everyone is worthy of respect.

Honoring bodily integrity, practicing empathy, and boycotting systems that oppress marginalized communities are core ethics for many vegans, and yet, fat bodies are often pushed aside in favor of thinner ones that fit the arbitrary, archaic, Americanized standards of beautythat is, able-bodied, white, and thin. This colossal disconnect begs the question: on what planet is anti-fat bias a part of animal liberation?

To reach a truly size-inclusive movement that embraces everyone, toxic diet culture and veganism need to be permanently pried apart. But confronting a deeply entrenched, oppressive system from which many of us have benefittedwhether it be a culture of white supremacy or anti-fat biasrequires the difficult but necessary process of deep self-examination.

It starts with education. So fill your feed with fat activists (vegan and non-vegan), learn how to identify anti-fat bias, and call it out, suggests Tabar, who says we can also ask animal rights groups, magazines, and other advocacy platforms to include fat bodies in their literature, feeds, and outreach materials. But also, challenge cosmetic diversity, he continues. If vegan organizations pay lip service to fat vegans in a social media post [] but still speak about veganism as a weight-loss plan, address that.

As many vegans know, systemic change starts with a personal act. And when it comes to confronting our anti-fat bias, that means we need to confront self-directed fat-phobia, do the work needed to turn off our inner scripts that tell us we are less-than because we are larger-than, and never joke about or disparage our bodies. Others are watching, listening, and ingesting the negativityeven when we think its only about us.

For fat vegans, achieving that size-inclusive liberation movement where everyone indeed feels they belong remains an uphill climb. Aside from Lizzo, there are very few reflections of larger bodies in the cultural zeitgeist, the institutional animal protection movement, and the digital universe of vegan influencers.

In order to end anti-fat bias and extend a justice-based worldview to include all individuals, the representation of fat (and other marginalized) bodies needs to become commonplace. Vegan messaging has to be removed from damaging weight-loss rhetoric altogether. Nosy friends must stop suggesting that their fat buddies should lose weight and instead work aggressively on their own damaging perceptions and behaviors.

To really get there, the liberation of all oppressed bodies needs to be a core value and practice amongst those who abstain from eating animals. Medical professionals need to treat the patient, not their size. For Tabar, these changes cant happen soon enough. Understand that this is a social justice issue, not just a matter of body positivity, he says. There is systemic anti-fat bias that we cannot self-love our way out of.

Jasmin Singer (jasminsinger.com) is the author of The VegNews Guide to Being a Fabulous Vegan, the editor of the forthcoming anthology Antiracism in Animal Advocacy: Igniting Cultural Transformation, and the co-host of the Our Hen House podcast.

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Original post:
The Big Fat Problem with Veganism: Why Body Discrimination Needs to End Now - VegNews

Contrary to who gets visibility within the vegan community, Black people make up the fastest growing vegan demographic. With social media influencers like Tabitha Brown reshaping the narrative on the importance of representation and racial diversity within this community, veganism is well on its way to becoming more inclusive. However, as veganism gains more popularity in the mainstream media, many often forget to acknowledge the long history of Black veganism which is centrally tied to Black activism of the 1960s as well as the African roots of plant-based diets.

The racial reckoning of 2020 has unearthed a necessary conversation on the need for more inclusivity within the vegan community, one that has and continues to be dominated by white women. Even Brown has said that she thought vegans were "white women who did yoga." However, the uplifting of Black vegan creators who were previously sidelined in the community has brought more awareness to the activist roots of veganism.

The late comedian Dick Gregory was an influential activist during the Civil Rights Movement. Not only did he advocate for the Black community, but he also protested the Vietnam War and was very outspoken about his choice to not eat meat instead choosing a plant-based diet as a form of activism. Gregory denounced the killing of humans and animals in his 1971 food manifesto titled, Dick Gregory's Natural Diet For Folks Who Eat: Cookin' With Mother Nature.

During an interview on Studs Terkel's radio show, Gregory credited Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. for inspiring him to change his diet, and brought attention to how veganism and nonviolent protests are intrinsically linked. Gregory's famous quote, "Don't be wearing no leather shoes," became a rallying cry for social issues, specifically about not consuming animal products. Many people, inspired by Gregory's actions, have come to view veganism as a way to fight oppression from harmful foods that are marketed to and oversaturated in Black neighborhoods across the country.

The fight for racial justice continues, and plant-based diets are now being seen as essential tools to combat the systemic inequities that have persisted over generations. At the heart of veganism are African plant-based diets. Prior to colonization, the diet of our ancestors consisted of yams, greens, vegetables, and beans meals containing no dairy, eggs, or meat. Veganism is a return to the traditions of an African plant-based diet, which will positively impact our health and longevity.

White people have largely been the ones to profit off veganism. They can now help uplift Black vegans by learning more about veganism's roots in the Black community and finding meaningful ways to give back to these under-resourced communities. I hope that others who see veganism as a trend, fad, or something to appropriate understand that for our community, food has and always will be interconnected to Black identity, culture, struggle, resistance, and triumph.

Read the original:
How Veganism Is Rooted in Black Activism, and Why It Isnt Just For White People - POPSUGAR

How did you feel when you changed your diet?JO: Better. My energy level is incred- ible. When you eat vegan, you feel much lighter. Your body doesnt work so hard to break things down.

What are some of the big misconceptions about veganism?JO:The first question Im asked is how do I get protein. You get what you need if you eat a balanced diet of greens, healthy plants, fruits and vegetables along with beans, lentils, nuts and seeds. Soybeans, tofu and tempeh are great protein options.

Do you miss things like cheese?JO: Id say 90 percent of vegetarians cant make the switch because theyre hooked on dairy. But there are so many non-dairy options out there now. Miyokos Creamery has an incredible unsalted butter. Theres Cheezehound and Just Mayo and everyone is making non-dairy ice cream.

So its easier than ever before to go vegan?JO: Yes. Beyond Beef and the Impos- sible Burger are everywhere. Nathan has announced theyre doing a vegan veggie dog.

Whats your advice for people thinking about making the change?JO: Most people say they hardly eat meat, but if they added up how much they eat in a month, it would shock them. So make a list. Write down, No eggs, no dairy, no meat, no fish, no animal products, and carry itaround.

The vegan lifestyle is getting more and more popular. Do you think that will continue?JO: Veganism is most likely to be the diet of the 21st century. It encompasses a whole new way of life as people become more aware that our mainstream di- ets are not as healthy and have devastating effects on the planet. Those are big reasons for people to change.

Excerpt from:
Going Vegan Can Be Easy Thanks to Connecticuts West Street Grill Chef James OShea - inTouch Weekly