Veganism. It’s one of the trendier words of the year. No, seriously. Collins Dictionary identified “vegan” as the rising word for 2018 and it has been steadily increasing in interest over time on Google Trends. Notably, there are peaks at regular intervals in the lifetime of the word: from just after Christmas onwards throughout January of almost every year. Is this the rise of a meta-conscious generation of snowflakes? Or is it simple curiosity from the general public? Maybe the healthy eating wave kicks in after one Yorkshire pudding too many?
Whatever the reason, it may be a way of living for us all to consider.
Being vegan focuses on sustainable, plant-based, and cruelty-free living. Generally, most vegans abstain from using animal products, and this can span from diet to cosmetics. It requires only a third of the land needed for a lifestyle including meat and dairy, reducing the impact we have on the environment.
However, the aspect of diet is one of the most controversial. Critics often pose the question of missed nutrition from the lack of meat and dairy, for example the nutrient B-12. Naturally this can be found in fish, meat, eggs and milk but there is no reason that it cannot be obtained from other sources, such as fortified breakfast cereals, fortified plant milks, soya beans and even from over-the-counter supplements. Another concern is the lack of iron in a vegan diet – usually found in liver and meat. But again, there are many alternatives including beans, nuts, wholegrains, fortified breakfast cereals and dark green leafy vegetables e.g. watercress, curly kale.
The Vegan Society has a useful section on their website that goes into details about how to go about on a vegan diet best. Find it here, https://www.vegansociety.com/resources/nutrition-and-health/nutrition-overview. Essentially, it recommends balancing the food groups fruit and vegetables, starch, proteins, nuts and seeds, and calcium.
There are actually numerous benefits to the vegan diet that often go understated. It is definitely richer in certain nutrients that go missed by those who don’t have as much fruit and vegetables. These include magnesium, potassium and vitamins A, C and E. Further research has also suggested that a vegan diet is great for lowering blood sugar levels to a healthy level, and thus reducing the risk of type 2 diabetes. Other studies where meat was substituted for plant protein found that the risk of poor kidney function was reduced. Another important advantage is the lower risk of heart disease a healthy vegan diet can lead to. Eating fresh fruit and vegetables as well as legumes and plenty of fibre is often linked to better heart function. Therefore, vegan diets can provide an array of health benefits, if planned and undertaken correctly.
Now it’s all well and good to research about veganism online and read the back of cereals and almond milks but I thought I was missing a first-hand account. So, I went for two approaches. Firstly, I personally attempted to try some days of following a vegan diet. Sticking to almond milk, oat milk, cheese substitutes, lots of fruit and vegetables, cereal, rice and peanuts, it was definitely a change from the usual. But at the same time, it felt quite natural once I’d gotten into the swing of things. “Veganuary” was definitely going well! I did some more exploring online and found that many associations were also giving the vegan lifestyle a try. Even the student discounts app Unidays included a dedicated “Veganuary” tab, see image above, that promoted healthier, kinder living.
But is it a feasible diet to maintain? I asked resident vegan expert Ella Conlon-Murphy. I asked her how she first discovered the lifestyle and decided that it was something for her. She replied, “I saw a campaign in Covent Garden and that sparked my interest from a young age. I also did lots of research online and in terms of social media, there is a wealth of information about it available.” As the popularity of veganism increased “in online communities,” she began to consider it seriously. When I posed the question “Why veganism?” I was pleasantly surprised by her eco-friendly approach, something that online forums hadn’t gone into much detail about.
“I became vegan because I’m very interested in the environment and protecting it. When I did research about the impact of the meat and dairy industry it seemed ridiculous that I was doing something that contradicted everything I’ve really come to believe.” Her views on “the protection of animals” and “animal rights” also contributed to her decision. She also expanded through the socio-economic benefits of the lifestyle, “it can benefit the developing world in terms of saving water.”
Something else I found interesting was the family effort involved in the lifestyle. She described how her siblings and parents are also vegans and this was a striking example of how we can all make a difference. I next asked her about “Veganuary” and she offered an argument into the negatives that was incredibly enlightening. The idea of a lifestyle as a “challenge or a fad diet” could prove “damaging for the image of the movement.” Indeed, it may allow influencers to take advantage of an easily-swayed audience. However, the increasing popularity of the movement comes with its positives too. “More vegan products and alternatives are advertised and promoted which is always good, even for people already vegan.” I agreed with her without a doubt.
Considering veganism? Find out more here, https://www.vegansociety.com.
