If your goal is to lose weight, get healthier and explore new foods in the new year, Veganuary can help with all of the above.
The campaign hopes to inspire people to try a meat-free and dairy-free plant-based diet in January. With plant-based milks and meats widely available in grocery stores and restaurants, it may be easier than ever.
Just 1% of Americans say they are vegan, according to Gallup. Veganuary hopes to change that. The goal is to embrace a vegan diet “for January and beyond,” according to the British nonprofit organization behind the effort.
Launched in the UK in 2014, the challenge has spread around the globe. In the U.S., 7% of people surveyed by the charity said they went vegan for at least part of the month in January 2023.
High-profile Veganuary supporters include singer Billie Eilish, “Napoleon” star Joaquin Phoenix, actors Alec Baldwin and Mayim Bialik, musician Paul McCartney and New York City Mayor Eric Adams, the campaign said.
What is a vegan diet?
The eating regimen means omitting all animal products including meat, fish, poultry, dairy, eggs and even honey.
Instead, vegans load up on vegetables, fruits, whole grains, beans, lentils, nuts, seeds and soy like tofu, edamame and tempeh.
Studies have found a vegan diet could lead to weight loss, boost psychological well-being and potentially improve most people’s health. Many vegans also follow the regimen because of concerns about animal welfare and the environment.
What do experts think of Veganuary?
Nutritionists tend to be fans of people exploring a plant-based diet, but skeptical of just diving into the vegan lifestyle for a month without much preparation or modification.
The name is catchy, but Veganuary is not a realistic goal for most people, says NBC News health and nutrition editor Madelyn Fernstrom, Ph.D.
“It’s very rigid, and while it can be healthy, the interested-but-uneducated consumer is at risk for nutritional deficiencies,” Fernstrom tells TODAY.com.
“The…
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