Plant-Forward Eating vs Veganuary

Veganuary, an annual campaign which started in 2014 by a UK non-profit organisation, encourages people to take part in their one-month pledge of eating a vegan diet throughout the month of January. A vegan diet is one based on plant foods (including legumes, grains, nuts, seeds fruits and vegetables) and excludes all foods which come from animals.

People may choose to eat a vegan diet for lots of reasons, however the most common are:

• Preventing animal suffering
• Protecting the environment
• Improving health

We are continuing to see a greater shift towards plant-forwards diets, for reasons including both health and sustainability.

• Plant foods are higher in fibre – adults in the UK do not consume enough fibre; it is recommended that we should be consuming 30g fibre per day, however on average we only consume about 20g daily [1]
• Plant foods are packed with vitamins and minerals essential for optimal health and wellbeing – legumes are a source of zinc, green leafy vegetables are a source of calcium and iron and citrus fruit is a great source of vitamin C.
• Plant foods are better for the environment – plant foods cause fewer greenhouse gas emissions, less water pollution and less land-use, than traditional animal-based farming practices [2]
• Plant foods are typically lower in saturated fat and higher in unsaturated fats. Eating a diet rich in plant foods can therefore help to reduce the risk of developing non-communicable diseases such as heart disease, stroke and type 2 diabetes [3]
• Plant foods are kinder to your wallet – there is a common misconception that eating healthy is expensive – but this doesn’t have to be the case. A study by Oxford University found that plant-based eating is actually the most affordable diet. [4] Below you’ll find a range of simple plant-based meals that are budget-friendly and nutritious
• Plant-based meals are complicated and uninspiring – in fact plant-based meals can be easy, quick and delicious

• Choose chickpeas, lentils, peas and beans for protein – or swap 50% of the meat in your traditional meat-based dishes for beans/chickpeas etc. It can be so tempting to swap meat for cheese when trying to eat more vegetarian foods. Whilst cheese is a good source of protein and calcium, it is also high in saturated fat – therefore make sure to include a diverse range of plant foods in your diet. Not only are legumes low in fat, they are high in protein and fibre so will keep you fuller for longer. They are also cheaper so will reduce the cost of traditional meat-based dishes!
• Opt for wholegrains such as oats, brown rice, quinoa, wholewheat pasta and wholemeal bread, instead of white pasta, rice, crackers, bagels.
• Drinking plenty of water – especially important when you increase fibre intake and the amount of plant foods in your diet. Fibre is so important for health and has been linked to decreased risk of stroke