WORDS ANNA BERRILL
It’s Veganuary, the month for switching up your diet and embracing plant-based power. While veganism has recently acquired a hipster cachet, thanks in no small part to buzzy UK festivals and markets, its surging popularity (that’s a 360 per cent rise to over half a million people in the past decade) can be felt pulsing through the country.
The practice’s influential breakout is a perfect plant-based storm of factors, with motivations ranging from health benefits (studies show it can help reduce the risk of heart disease, high blood pressure, cholesterol and type 2 diabetes) to animal welfare and environmental reasons such as reducing your ecological footprint. Copious new business start-ups, cookbooks, YouTube channels and meat-free festivals, coupled with foodstuffs – from vegan jerky to ‘meaty’ jackfruit – now readily available are just adding weight. If you’re thinking of venturing into the world of veganism, or you’re simply looking to reduce your meat, fish and dairy intake, this guide will help you on your way.
What does it mean to be vegan in 2019?