Veganuary and the benefits of veganism

Veganuary is the movement of trying veganism out for the month of January. Many people make partaking in Veganuary their New Year’s Resolution for many different reasons such as health reasons or becoming more conscious of their environmental impact. Each year the Veganuary movement continues to grow with more and more people taking part, and food retailers hopping on board by releasing new vegan dishes and collections for the month of January.

The percentage of people who took part in Veganuary who plan to remain eating a vegan diet after January, was found to be 36%. Additionally, 74% of those who are not remaining vegan, have planned to reduce their consumption of animal products by at least half, and 76% say that they are very likely to try veganism again in the future.

Let’s explore the health benefits associated with following a vegan diet.

Weight loss

It has been suggested that a vegan diet can help with weight loss. This is because some meats such as red meat, tend to be higher in calories due to the higher fat content. Similarly, a lot of dairy products such as butter and cheeses are high in fat. Furthermore, more fruit and vegetables are consumed in a vegan diet which are not very calorie dense so more volume can be consumed for less calories. As a lot of non-vegan products are higher in fat and calories, it is suggested that it is easier to have a lower calorie diet following a vegan diet, therefore inferring it could result in weight loss.

Less risk of heart disease

A vegan diet has also found to be linked with a lower risk of developing heart disease. Research has found that those following vegan or even vegetarian diets, had lower cholesterol levels in comparison to those following a omnivorous diet. Additionally, red meat is typically a food that should be limited if you are trying to reduce your cholesterol levels as it tends to be high in saturated fat. Therefore, this suggests that following a vegan diet can lower cholesterol levels and in turn, reduce the risk of developing heart disease.

Improved digestion

Consuming a vegan diet can help with many digestive and bodily issues. Things like bloating, IBS and inflammation can be improved with a vegan diet. This is because a plant based diet tends to be lighter on the stomach and also excludes dairy which is a common intolerance. Therefore, this can prevent inflammation in the digestive system, painful bloating and other side effects. Similarly, a plant based diet can be safer for those who suffer from certain allergies. Moreover, the risk of food poisoning is significantly lower when following a vegan diet, due to meats being typically the most popular contender for contamination.

Despite the many health benefits that are associated with veganism, it is hard to ignore the many positives it can have on the environment, especially in a society where reducing our environmental impact is growing increasingly important. Therefore, let’s explore some of the other benefits that can come from eating a vegan diet.

Firstly, following a vegan diet can help to reduce your carbon footprint due to the amount of damage caused to the environment through food production. Research by the University of Oxford demonstrates that reducing the amount of animal products in your diet can assist in reducing your carbon footprint. Following on, 1/3 of global greenhouse gas emissions are emitted by the global food system. Additionally, 70% of the world’s fresh water is used and 4/5 of river and lake pollution is at the hand of the food system. One single vegan diet, can save 3,300kg of CO2 a year, therefore, it is evident that by reducing the amount of animal products we consume, we also can help to reduce the damage that we imprint on the environment.

It goes without saying that veganism increases the numbers of animals saved from slaughter per annum. Typically, this has been one of the primary driving factors for people switching to a vegan lifestyle after videos and images circling the internet depicting what the animals endure in order for the food system to continue operating. Depending on the individual, it is estimated that a vegan diet could save hundreds of animals a year.

For those participating in Veganuary, or maybe you have just been inspired to cut down your consumption of animal products a little, B.fresh’s cold pressed juice range is a tasty way to start. However, be careful, although they taste so good and you would naturally assume this cold pressed goodness is plant based, some of our juices have a hint of honey which unfortunately doesn’t make them plant based.

List of vegan juices: