Can you build muscle on a vegan diet?

From standard.co.uk

The trend for plant-based living showing no signs of slowing down, but how sustainable is it if you work out regularly?

                                            Photo by FOODISM360 on Unsplash

We are nearing the end of January meaning a record number of people will have ditched meat and dairy in favour of a plant-based approach over the last four weeks in what is now known as veganuary.


There are plenty of reasons to quit or at least dramatically reduce your meat intake, be it ethical, environmental or health-related. One thing that stops some from committing to a plant-based diet full-time, however, is a concern that they'll miss out on vital nutrients such as protein, which is a crucial element of any diet, but considered particularly important to those who work out regularly as it helps to repair damaged muscle tissue after exercise and aids recovery.

So if you've made it thus far on the veganuary wagon and are considering a longer-term approach: is a vegan diet sustainable if you live a very active lifestyle? And can you build muscle on a plant-based diet? 

Edric Kennedy-Macfoy, a fireman-turned-fitness coach, argues you can in his new book about how he fuels his fitness regime with a plant-based diet. As a keen weight lifter, who used to take part in bodybuilding competitions, he once guzzled glasses of milk at breakfast – even though he didn't like the taste – downed whey protein shakes and piled meat and dairy products into every meal of the day because he believed it was the only way to build muscle, "a typical day might include six eggs, salmon and avocado for breakfast, chicken and rice for lunch and something similar for dinner," he says.

But his approach has changed dramatically now that he follows a strict vegan diet and he says he's physically in the best shape he's ever been. In his book, The Fit Vegan, he documents how he has built muscle mass and changed his body composition while going green.

There is a growing trend among some athletes who are choosing to follow vegan diets and the recent Netflix documentary The Game Changers featured the likes of Arnold Schwarzenegger, Jackie Chan, Lewis Hamilton and Novak Djokovic. Grand slam star Venus Williams also lives on a plant-based diet and there's now even a growing community of vegan bodybuilders. 

So what do the experts say?

                                                 (Photo by Ella Olsson on Unsplash)

In a 2017 study published in the Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition, noting a general lack of available literature on how to manage a vegan diet for sport or athletic purposes, David Rogerson of Sheffield Hallam University set about reviewing existing papers to find out if  a vegan diet really can meet the needs of an athlete.

He found that, on the whole, vegans tend to consume less calories and their diets are usually lower in things like protein, fat, B12 (a vitamin which is predominantly found in meat, fish and dairy), iron, calcium and some fatty acids, along with other micronutrients, compared to meat eaters, but that they also tend to be higher in carbs and fibre, which is partially why it can be hard to achieve a high energy intake on a plant-based eating regime because plant-based foods typically make you feel fuller.

Rogerson also noted that some plant-based protein is less well absorbed than animal-based protein, so there could be an argument for upping your intake on a plant-based diet. But overall , he concluded that a vegan diet could meet requirements of an athlete providing special attention is paid to calorie consumption (making sure you're getting enough) and macro and micro nutrient recommendations, alongside appropriate supplementation.

Renee Mcgregor, registered dietician and sports and eating disorder specialist, says: "If you are weight training specifically and want to gain muscle mass, it's a question of being in a positive energy balance, and you are going to have to eat quite a high volume of food to get there on a vegan diet, it's not going to be as simple as it would be if you were doing it with all food groups.

"That's the first barrier I face when I'm working with vegan athletes, trying to get enough energy in – you can’t make up the energy with chickpeas and lentils because they are very low in calories naturally. Trying to give them enough variety is another thing I really struggle with, and finding enough instant sources – it's much harder," she adds. "Yes, there are more dairy free options but they don’t have the same carbs and protein, so you’re often relying on having to make your own by adding pea protein to your oat milk for example, which is just more of a faff."

The protein question

When it comes to getting sufficient protein from a vegan diet, it's important to understand that not all plant-based sources of protein are created equal when it comes to their amino acid profile, and Kennedy-Macfoy says he thinks a lack of awareness of things like this is why some people find it difficult to sustain a vegan diet.

There are 20 amino acids, also known as the building blocks of protein, of which nine are essential, meaning your body cannot make them up (like it can the other 11) and needs to consume them through food. Meat, fish and dairy products are known as complete proteins as they contain all nine essential amino acids, but only a few plant protein sources do, and they include things like quinoa, chia seeds and soy. Lentils, grains and legumes, however, do not and are known as incomplete proteins.



"It's knowing things like if you're eating legumes, you're not getting a complete profile, but if you eat grains with legumes like black beans and rice, or pasta and peas then you're covered, because together they have all nine essential amino acids." Since following a plant-based regime, he says he has cut his protein intake in half since his milk-guzzling days from 2-3g per kilo of bodyweight and now aims for around 1-1.5g per kilo, which is relatively low compared to current British Nutrition Foundation guidelines.

Mcgregor meanwhile recommends between 0.8-1g per kilo of bodyweight for the general population and between 1.6g and 2.2g per kilo for athletes, depending on requirements. "If you’re new to weight training, then your requirements are very high for your first three to four months," she adds, though this does eventually settle down, "even when it does you wouldn’t drop much below 1.4-1.6g to kilo bodyweight of protein."

The truth is, how much protein you need is a hotly debated topic in the nutrition world, and is likely to be highly personal to you and dependent on a number of things, including how you work out and how often.

The important thing is to avoid displacing one food group with another, Mcgregor warns. "That’s my biggest fear with vegans sometimes you look at a diet and it looks healthy, colourful and full of veg, but then when you look at the calorie content, the energy is so displaced because they are filling up with quite a high volume of vegetables."

https://www.standard.co.uk/lifestyle/wellness/how-to-build-muscle-on-a-vegan-diet-plant-based-eating-ditness-a4339916.html

Marks and Spencer launches affordable vegan cruelty free skincare range

From thesun.co.uk

Marks and Spencer has launched a vegan skincare range, PURE following growing demand for vegan beauty in the UK.

The skincare collection is formulated with 95% naturally derived ingredients aiming to deliver lasting and visible results to skin.

                               Marks and Spencer has launched a new Vegan skincare range

The range focuses on fewer but more effective standout ingredients such as Starflower Oil, Resveratrol and Blackcurrant Seed Oil, many of which are grown here in the UK.
The PURE range is available in store and online at marksandspencer.com now.

The Vegan and Cruelty-free range is formulated with no parabens, artificial colours, synthetic fragrances, silicones or mineral oils.
It's divided into three ranges, PURE Ultimate Cleanse, PURE Super Hydrate, and PURE Natural Radiance.

All three products designed to give you healthy, glowing skin and allowing you to be your most beautiful, natural self.
But what's included in the range?

PURE Ultimate Cleanse

A collection of daily cleansers all designed to clean, soothe and hydrate skin, the PURE Ultimate Cleanse range also features a toner to firm, smooth and refine skin for a brighter, more radiant complexion.

• Ultimate Cleanse Rose Cleansing Balm, £12
• Ultimate Cleanse Hot Cloth Cleanser, £12
• Ultimate Cleanse Gentle Face Wash, £5
• Ultimate Cleanse Micellar Water, £7
• Ultimate Cleanse Micellar Cleansing Oil, £10
• Ultimate Cleanse Glycolic Toner, £10

PURE Super Hydrate

Rejuvenate and restore dry, dehydrated or tired skin with this effective line-up of daily hydrators. Created to keep skin moisturised, supple and glowing throughout the day, the PURE Super Hydrate range features formulas that are suitable for all skin types.

• Super Hydrate Essence, £10
• Super Hydrate Day Cream SPF15, £16
• Super Hydrate Oil Treatment, £18
• Super Hydrate Serum, £18
• Super Hydrate Night Cream, £16
• Super Hydrate Eye Serum, £14

PURE Natural Radiance

When skin is feeling lifeless and lacklustre you need hardworking, effective solutions that are formulated to help rediscover your skin’s natural glow. The PURE Natural Radiance range uses naturally derived ingredients known for their ability to improve resilience and luminosity, to bring you skin that feels firmer, brighter and more glowing.

• Natural Radiance Day Cream SPF15, £16
• Natural Radiance Serum, £18
• Natural Radiance Oil Treatment, £18
• Natural Radiance Night Cream, £16
• Natural Radiance Overnight Resurfacing Mask, £14
• Natural Radiance Eye Cream, £15

https://www.thesun.co.uk/fabulous/10836627/marks-and-spencer-launch-vegan-skincare/

I dithered over veganism for years – until a friend’s simple message convinced me

From theguardian.com
By Melinda Salisbury

I’ve always cared about the planet, but giving up animal products felt daunting. Then a friendly conversation made me face up to the facts

If you had asked me three years ago if I would ever go vegan, the answer would have been a polite but firm “no”. I would have told you how I could never give up cheese and how I worried about a vegan diet being healthy. I knew that they weren’t the strongest nor the most informed of reasons, so I would have added that I only bought meat when I could afford to buy organic and British, and always bought free-range eggs. I would have wanted you to know I was informed about what was “good” or “bad” farming practice, and I shopped accordingly.

I had been a vegetarian on and off since I was a teenager, and cared deeply about the planet. I recycled diligently, carried a reusable water bottle, signed petitions to address the climate disaster and joined protests. I bought cruelty-free makeup, was fervently against animal testing. I was a conscious and conscientious shopper and consumer: I considered the planet when I made choices.

For almost my whole life I had been concerned about the planet. As a child, I’d lecture my hairspray-wielding nan about CFCs; in primary school I held a bake sale to raise money for the RSPB, the British bird-protection charity, after the Shetland oil disaster in 1993. I was mindful of the environment, and proud of it.

Just not mindful enough to make a huge lifestyle change that would be disruptive. Even these days, veganism is frequently inconvenient in that you are always having to check packaging (items you think are safe may have changed their ingredients), trust other people when they are preparing food for you and check everywhere you go in advance for vegan options.

So how did I end up a vegan? It all started when I met my friend Sophie’s partner, Rey. We were having a barbecue in Burgess park in south London, and Sophie and I had to wait to eat because Rey and his friends wanted to cook first as they were vegan. They weren’t righteous or aggressive about our food choices, and we didn’t roll our eyes or make jokes about theirs. We had a nice day out.

When Sophie and Rey announced they were expecting a baby, she told me she was going vegan, and would raise their child as a vegan. I’m embarrassed about it now, but I was concerned – all my knowledge of veganism came from random snippets of internet lore. What about calcium? What about protein? What about vitamins? Wasn’t it dangerous? Sophie very patiently told me what she knew, and directed me to look things up for myself.

So, I did; visiting websites, reading leaflets, watching documentaries and filling in the gaps of my knowledge. What I learned started to stick: I became vegetarian again, lapsed and then went back to it. I couldn’t reconcile what I had learned about the realities of the meat and dairy industries with the person I believed myself to be. I asked Sophie – for the first time – why she decided to become a vegan. She wasn’t like me, a so-called advocate for the planet and animal rights. In fact, she was probably the last person I’d expect to become a vegan. “Because I don’t need to eat meat, eggs or dairy,” she told me. “Things don’t have to suffer or die for me to live well.”

That was the moment it clicked. Consuming meat and dairy was admitting I was OK with animals suffering and dying for my pleasure/convenience/survival. But I could choose something different. So I did.

I became vegan two years ago. Of course, I am in a position where being a vegan is easy: no food allergies or relevant health issues, enough money to buy speciality vegan ingredients to liven things up, no dependents, time to cook. The impact that it has had on me has been huge. I have seen an improvement in my overall health – an unexpected benefit; tighter friendships with vegan friends (it’s the new smoking in terms of social connection). Before I became vegan, I was never much of a cook, but now it has become a hobby. I love experimenting and finding ways of “veganising” food I used to eat.

More than that, it has begun to change every aspect of how I live as I try to always minimise suffering, and do my best for the planet. I am lucky to live in a town with eco-friendly refill shops. I have started making my own body moisturiser, cleaning spray, laundry detergent and “toilet fizzers” to cut down on disposable plastics and chemicals. I question where things I buy come from: who made them? How did they get here? How long will they last? I am trying to be a better consumer, even if it is inconvenient sometimes.

In the end, what it came down to was having the courage of my convictions to embrace veganism. Now I am proud to be walking the walk.

https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2020/jan/27/i-dithered-over-veganism-for-years-until-a-friends-simple-message-convinced-me

There are now plenty of great-tasting wines that don’t contain animal-derived ingredients

From dailymail.co.uk/home

Animal products in wine? Do some wines really contain fish bladders or bull’s blood? In trace form, yes, it is possible that tiny amounts of these and other agents may sometimes be present from clarifying wine – the process of removing insoluble materials. But with the rising popularity of veganism as an ethical choice, or just for those dipping in their toes in ‘Veganuary’, thankfully there are plenty of great-tasting wines that don’t contain any animal-derived ingredients.

Wines that are labelled ‘unfiltered’ ought to be free of additives – and it’s helpful when wines indicate suitability for vegans. On the high street, M&S leads the field, along with the Co-Op. If you search for ‘vegan wines’, Waitrose, Aldi and Tanners, among others, clearly list vegan-friendly options on their sites. The vintageroots.co.uk website is particularly good.

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/home/event/article-7917243/Here-best-vegan-wines-market.html

Are there health benefits to going vegan?

From bbc.com/future

More and more people are eating vegan meals – and part of the reason is it’s seen as healthier. Is it really better for you? In the first of a new vegan series on BBC Future and BBC Good Food, Jessica Brown looks at the evidence.

The number of people cutting down on meat and dairy, or cutting these foods from their diets entirely, has been rising over the last decade. The number of vegans in the UK, for example, quadrupled between 2006 and 2018, according to research by The Vegan Society.

One common motivation for shunning steak and stilton and going vegan is the promised health benefits. The vegan diet is generally considered to be higher in fibre and lower in cholesterol, protein, calcium and salt than an omnivorous diet – but there are still misconceptions and concerns around cutting meat, fish, eggs and dairy completely from our diets.

One common concern is whether a vegan diet provides enough vitamin B12. B12 helps prevent nerve damage, and is found in meat, fish, eggs and dairy, but not in fruit or vegetables. It's recommended that adults consume 1.5 micrograms of the vitamin per day.

“A B12 deficiency can lead to neurological symptoms such as numbness, and it’s irreversible if the deficiency is present for too long,” says Janet Cade, of the Nutritional Epidemiology Group, School of Food Science and Nutrition.

A recent study involving 48,000 people over 18 years compared the health of meat-eaters, pescatarians – who eat fish and dairy but not meat – and vegetarians, including some vegans. They found that people who eat vegan and vegetarian diets have a lower risk of heart disease, but a higher risk of stroke, possibly partly due to a lack of B12.

The researchers found that those who didn’t eat meat had 10 fewer cases of heart disease and three more strokes per 1,000 people compared with the meat-eaters. Researcher Tammy Tong, nutritional epidemiologist at the University of Oxford, says the higher risk of haemorrhagic stroke could be for several reasons.

Haemorrhagic stroke is caused by a bleeding in the brain. While low cholesterol is protective for heart disease and ischemic stroke, there’s some evidence showing that low cholesterol levels (associated with the vegan and vegetarian diet) may be linked to a small risk of haemorrhagic stroke.

People who eat vegan or vegetarian diets tend to have a lower risk of developing heart disease                                                                           (Credit: Getty Images)

“Vegans and vegetarians also have a higher risk of B12 deficiency, which may be linked to higher risk of stroke,” she says.
But it’s easy to get the “minuscule” amount of B12 we need from nutritional yeast or fortified food, such as plant-based milks, says Marco Springmann, senior researcher of environmental sustainability and public health at the University of Oxford.

In countries where food isn’t fortified with B12, he recommends vitamin supplements. However, the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics states that nutritional yeast isn’t an adequate source of B12, and vegans must take supplements or eat fortified food.
Cade also recommends that vegans take B12 supplements, and ensure any children and babies being fed a vegan diet get enough B12.

Another common concern for those tempted to transition is whether a vegan diet provides enough protein. But while there isn’t much protein in fruits and vegetables, Springmann says, this isn’t cause for concern.

“We’ve never [seen] issues with protein deficiencies, only in people who don’t eat enough calories, he says. “Protein is in everything.”

For those who are concerned, soy milk has roughly the same amount of protein as cow’s milk.
It’s also it’s unlikely a vegan diet will cause an iron deficiency, says Springman, as long as your diet includes fruit and vegetables of every colour.

“Over time, the body can adapt to how much iron there is in our diet, and if you have a lower iron intake it can make more efficient use of that iron,” he says.
Springman says a balanced vegan diet is one of the healthiest diets.

The vegan diet is thought to be one of the healthiest because it includes plenty of legumes as well as fruit and vegetables (Credit: Getty Images)

“We’ve found that the vegan diet could be one of the healthiest diets, outperforming pescatarian and vegetarian, because the vegan diet is higher in fruit, vegetables and legumes and the health benefits from this compensate anything else,” says Springman.

He advises eating plenty of fruit and vegetables with a variety of colours, nuts, wholegrains and beans and lentils, as well as chia, hemp and flax seeds, which contain omega 3.

For those who worry that the vegan diet doesn’t offer enough variety, one study in 2018 found no evidence that a more varied diet promotes a healthier diet or weight. In fact, they found that those who ate a more diverse diet tended to eat more processed foods and sugary drinks.

Speaking of unhealthy foods, Springman is concerned about the rising popularity of vegan junk food. “These junk food vegan replacements can give you the same consumption profile as an unhealthy omnivore,” he says.

But this doesn’t have to be the case. In a recent study looking at the effects of a diet high in plants, but not strictly vegan, researchers used indexes that ranked people according to how much of their diet consisted of plant-based foods, compared to animal foods. Even those who ate the most plant-based foods also ate some dairy, fish and meat.

Those who had the most plant-based diets, and lower intakes of animal products, scored better on health markers. There was up to a 32% lower risk among those with the highest intake of plant-based foods for cardiovascular disease, after adjusting for age, sex, race, education and health behaviours such as smoking, alcohol intake and exercise.

“We found a striking relationship between adherence to dietary patterns and risk of important clinical outcomes,” says study author Casey Rebholz, an assistant professor at the John Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health's in Baltimore.

    Eggs are a major source of vitamin B12, which the vegan diet lacks (Credit: Getty Images)

She found that people who ate more fruit and vegetables generally ate less red and processed meat, dairy and fish. However, the research doesn’t confirm if the relationship between eating more plant-based foods and a lower risk of heart disease drops off at a certain point. In other words, it didn’t prove whether a strictly vegan diet is any more beneficial than a diet made up mostly of fruit and vegetables, but with some animal products.

“It’s what a plant-based diet gives you, and the food it generally steers you way from, that’s beneficial,” says Casey.
“I believe that the health benefits from a plant-based diet are from a combination of eating more fruit and vegetables, and lower amounts of animal foods, including saturated fat.”

Researchers are concerned that a lot of research comparing the vegan diet and health outcomes (also known as observational research) is unreliable, since vegans tend to be healthier.

“Typically, vegans smoke less, drink less alcohol and exercise more,” says Faidon Magkos, associate professor at the University of Copenhagen's department of nutrition, exercise and sports, who last year published a review into research examining the health effects of the vegan diet.

These lifestyle factors, which can also contribute to a lower risk of heart disease and mortality, can suggest that the vegan diet alone is healthier than it may actually be. These studies serve as a starting point, says Faidon, and because most data on veganism is observation, there are still uncertainties around the vegan diet, particularly when it comes to long-term effects.

While higher blood glucose could indicate a higher risk of developing diabetes, for example, this isn’t necessarily the case.

To see if a dietary change affects health, you’d have to follow participants for long enough to develop disease outcomes, with intervention studies that are at least a year long,” says Faidon.

Evelyn Medawar, author of a review of randomised controlled trials looking at the metabolic benefits of a plant-based diet, says it’s really important that more researchers start looking at the health effects of the diet.

“As the moment, society is ahead of research when it comes to the vegan diet,” she says.
“Lots of people have doubts about the vegan diet due to potential nutrient deficiencies, and only now are researchers looking into this and the long-term benefits and risks.

“We need to take these fears away, or get to know the long-term consequences. This could make more people interested in taking up the vegan diet for health reasons.”
It will take a couple of years, Medawar says, before research is done to understand the mechanisms behind how a vegan diet affects our health, as it will require controlled studies.

But despite the lack of data on the vegan diet specifically, researchers say existing evidence on diet and health generally points to a few trends.
While the evidence isn’t very strong for the vegan diet specifically, Cade says, the vegan diet seems to be linked to better general health, apart from bone density and fractures, which may be more common due to possible lower calcium intake, and the likelihood of B12 deficiency.

Vegans have a lower body mass index (BMI) which means better cholesterol levels and lower blood pressure, which is a major risk factor for heart disease.

          Flax seed is rich in essential omega 3, which a vegan diet can lack (Credit: Getty Images)

The vegan diet is much like any other. It can help to lower your risk of disease, or increase it – depending on the foods you eat.
“If you compare a plant-based diet with an unhealthy diet that includes meat, the plant-based diet is certainly better,” Faidon says.

“But if you follow a relatively prudent omnivorous diet, such as the Mediterranean diet, which is high in fruit, vegetables, legumes and low in meat, there’s evidence to suggest this type of omnivorous diet is at least as healthy as a vegan diet,” he says.

There’s a lot more digging to be done before we know for certain if veganism can be healthier than any other diet – especially when it comes to long-term health effects. In the meantime, experts advise that the best vegan diet is one that includes lots of fruit and vegetables, and B12 supplements, and less vegan junk food.

https://www.bbc.com/future/article/20200122-are-there-health-benefits-to-going-vegan

How your beauty routine can go vegan

From irishexaminer.com

Extending veganism to your hair and beauty regime is getting easier thanks to a growing industry response to the movement, writes Rachel Marie Walsh.

Pursuing Veganuary with conviction in the kitchen or even staying dyed-in-the-Tencel vegan year round, can make using non-vegan cosmetics feel a little like cheating.

“For me, as long as people wear leather and eat meat, I don’t get the message,” the late Karl Lagerfeld told the New York Times of those who protested his using fur as fashion, and surely he’d say the same of anyone condemning Chanel’s definitely-not-vegan cosmetics.

Consistency matters in these polarising times, and it is possible to get a sophisticated, vegan-approved hair and beauty regime together, if still a little pioneering.

There is no legal definition of a vegan beauty product

Need your cosmetics to meet an independent standard of veganism? The European Commission was scheduled to begin work on one for vegan food just last year, so cosmetics may take a while.
Products can be approved by The Vegan Society, a UK-based charity that regularly requires re-registration to ensure brands and products meet their standards.

Outspoken artist, vegan, and makeup brand Kat Von D notes the lack of legal guidelines for US consumers.
Her e-commerce store uses its own definition (“a product that does not contain any animal products or by-products, and has not been tested on animals”) and marks vegan formulas like her new Kat Von D Everlasting Blush, €27, #VeganAlert.

Inspired by flowers and packaged in a petal-detailed compact, this blush is available in warm shades of pink, peach and coral.

It is a highly pigmented, soft matte formula that — as the name suggests — both lasts all day and only requires a touch to make an impact.

Clarins applies a similar definition of vegan-friendly to selected formulas. Their millennial-targeted My Clarins range is also more purse-friendly than their other products.

I particularly rate the My Clarins RE-BOOST Refreshing Hydrating Cream, €25, for normal-to-dry skin, its rich blend of acerola cherry, Vitamin E and coconut is very comforting.

Vegan formulas are not always more sensitivity-proof or child-friendly

Many vegan beauty products arrive on my desk with claims of being better for sensitivity or acne-prone skin or even better for children and babies.

Maybe some really are great for these delicate types, but there is no evidence that it is their veganism that makes them so.

Veganism may be making more cosmetics animal-free and cruelty-free but it is not a dermatological innovation in itself.

Ingredients like alcohol and perfume (even organic alcohol or natural perfume oils like lavender and eucalyptus, as well as the common fragrance compounds linalool and geraniol), are just as irritating and sensitising in vegan formulas.

Animal-derived ingredients from collagen to beeswax to squalene have been used in skincare for newborns since long before the stars went green, so unless your politics conflicts, there really is no need to feel like you are not making the most nurturing choice for your own skin or that of your baby if your products are not as vegan as Alicia Silverstone’s.

That said, if a product is fragrance and alcohol-free and vegan — as well as packed with goodies like proven antioxidants and plant fats — you can stick to your principles while still making a great choice.

Vegan skincare is not always more effective than non-vegan alternatives

Veganism is an increasingly popular dietary choice, and hair and beauty trends are frequently influenced by food trends long before topical benefits are well-established.

The jury is still out on whether vegan diets are a route to superior health, and it is worth noting that the skin absorbs ingredients topically in a radically different fashion than the way the body breaks down and extracts nutrients from food.

I still feel the choice to go entirely vegan with your beauty is a political one — at least until we have adequate independent dermatological research to prove it the more healthful choice.

Your favourite products may already be vegan

Don’t bin any favourite buys before looking them up, as brands that aren’t exclusively vegan sometimes have quite a few vegan options.

TooFaced is famously cruelty-free but not totally vegan, so the brand offers a list of their vegan buys at TooFaced.com.

Living Proof, the innovative US haircare brand, has several vegan formulas, including Perfect Hair Day Triple Detox Shampoo, about €28.97 plus shipping, exclusive to cultbeauty.co.uk.
This is a gentle coconut and charcoal-based shampoo that combats the effects of pollution, tough-to-rinse products and hard water.

It doesn’t have much of a scent, which is actually great for scalp health — but if you love perfumed shampoo this also works as a clarifying alternate for weekends when you’ve used lots of styling products.

Your favourite scent probably isn’t vegan

If you are anything like me, your attachment to perfumes is an emotional thing, governed by positive memories and moods.

It is troublesome, then, that fragrance seems unlikely to make a major shift towards veganism, if only because the biggest names make billions from the existing formulas we love. Musks alone make perfume halls a minefield when you are shopping for a vegan.

Consider the hit fragrances of Christmas 2019 — YSL’s Libre, Marc Jacobs Daisy Love Eau So Sweet, Lancôme’s Idôle… there is not a vegan-friendly blend among them, and you probably like at least one.

If you are really going cold gherkin, you might try Clean Perfumes, Floral Street, or Lush Cosmetics.
Staying vegan from your pedicure to your perfume really is impressive but this last category is still a swap too far for me.

Will there ever be v-quivalents to my favourite fragrances? Maybe next Veganuary.

https://www.irishexaminer.com/breakingnews/lifestyle/fashion/how-your-beauty-routine-can-go-vegan-977051.html

Vegan orders up 105% at JustEat as Veganuary sees sales soar

From thelondoneconomic.com

 It comes as LEON announced that its vegan burgers are now outselling regular burgers in its outlets

JustEat has recorded a 105 per cent year-on-year increase in vegan dishes ordered across the UK.
Based on takeaway orders, data shows the popularity of vegan dishes has soared so far this year.
Ceredigion in Wales, Northampton and Sunderland are among the places seeing the highest vegan order growth.
Swansea, Darlington and Derby were also home to notable sales spikes.

Vegan burgers

The sales results have been released a day after LEON revealed that its vegan burgers are now outselling regular burgers in its outlets.
Meat alternative products now make up almost 60 per cent of total sales across LEON’s 75+ restaurants in the UK, with vegan burger sales surging from 41.3 per cent to 56.8 per cent in 2020.
Leon’s most popular vegan product is its LOVE burger, which is made from a beetroot soya patty that is topped with smoked gouda-style vegan cheese, tomatoes and pickles.

In second place is the chain’s new chipotle and avocado burger, which is currently outperforming its predicted sales forecast by 57 per cent.

Vegan sausage roll

Staff members at bakery chain Greggs are also set to pocket around £300 each after the company announced a £7 million windfall payment to its employees following a “phenomenal year”.
The company said its underlying pre-tax profit, even with the payout to staff, would be ahead of expectations when it announces the 2019 results in March.
It comes a year after the launch of Greggs’ much-hyped vegan sausage roll, which has helped push up sales and extend the chain’s appeal to a new audience.

Subway, KFC and McDonald’s

Subway, KFC and McDonald’s all launched veggie alternatives of their popular dishes at the start of the month.
Subway unveiled a meatless version of its classic Sub – the Meatless Meatball Marinara – while KFC rolled out a Vegan chicken burger and McDonald’s launched their new Veggie Dippers.
A plant-based Rebel Whopper was also launched at Burger King, although it is not suitable for vegans or vegetarians because of the way it is cooked.

https://www.thelondoneconomic.com/food-drink/vegan-orders-up-105-at-justeat-as-veganuary-sees-sales-soar/22/01/

The vegan diet and weight loss: can veganism help you lose weight?

From t3.com

A beginner's guide to the benefits and considerations of losing weight on a vegan diet

Although a vegan diet is usually adopted for ethical reasons, done right it can also be an effective route to weight loss. You not only have the chance to lose weight with a vegan diet, it can also help you maintain a lower weight. You’ll also feel healthier, and help the planet. Going vegan may be having an explosion in popularity now but that doesn’t make it a fad. It’s not like the Paleo diet, where you eat like a caveman.

If you're struggling to keep stick to your new year's resolution to lose weight fast by following a calorie-counting diet, it could be worth switching to a vegan diet. Rather than following a restrictive diet, consider adapting your eating habits in a way designed not to reach a goal weight by a goal date, but as a permanent change to your lifestyle. The long lasting effects of veganism are great and the amount of effort involved to become vegan may be less than you fear.

                                                            (Image credit: Pexels)

The best diets 

• The Keto diet - low carbs for fast results 
• The 5:2 diet - effective fasting
• The 16:8 diet - less hardcore than 5:2

According to U.S. News, 80 percent of people give up on their new year’s resolutions by the second weekend of February, meaning they last for just six weeks.
What's more, new research by Strava suggests many of us won’t even make it that long, and will have given up by January 19. So if you’re still striving to get fit, well done you!

• The military diet - we don’t recommend this one but it is ’original’

What is veganism?

Veganism has been adopted by millions of people all over the world for a number of reasons including eco-consciousness, animal welfare, overall healthier living and of course, weight loss.
A vegan diet is a diet that completely avoids eating animal products, whether that’s in the form of meat, or animal produce such as milk, cheese and eggs. As a result, a vegan diet is centred around fruit, vegetables, beans, grains and nuts. This is different to a vegetarian diet, where meat is not eaten but products derived from an animal can be.

Sounds healthy, right? Not always.

When following a vegan diet it’s important that you still think about the calories in what you're eating, as well as the nutrients in your food. White pasta, chips and Oreos are vegan (although Oreo themselves say vegans should not eat Oreos because of the risk of cross contact with milk), but try living off just these and you won’t find yourself feeling any of the benefits of a vegan diet. You knew that already, of course.

The recommended balance of food groups when following a vegan diet is to get 55-60% of your calories from carbs, 20-25% from (plant-based) protein and 15-25% from fat. The vegan food pyramid is a helpful visualisation of this.

                                                                   (Image credit: Pixabay)

Is being vegan good for you?

Eating a plant-based diet often leads to a person eating less processed food, and fewer foods that are high in saturated fat. There’s also usually an increase in the amount of fibre in a vegan diet, which means you eat lower calorie foods that keep you fuller for longer.

While the vegan diet is low in calcium and vitamins B12 and D, these can be supplemented either through clever food choices, or actual supplements. Soy, dairy-free milk, almonds, kidney beans, lentils and leafy greens (spinach, cabbage and kale) are all high in calcium, and there are cereal and soy products that come fortified with B12 as this cannot be consumed naturally outside of eating meat.

One of the main concerns raised about the vegan diet is the lack of an obvious protein source in a meat-free diet. However, there are plenty of plant-based protein sources from tofu and lentils, to edamame beans and chickpeas, as well as nuts and seeds.

“I go where the animals get their protein,” says Ashley Frost, a fitness lover and vegan who advocates a plant-based, wholefood vegan diet. Her philosophy echoes that of Patrik Babousmian, the world-record holding strongman who featured in the Netflix documentary The Game Changers, a film debunking myths around the links between meat, protein, and strength Oh, and he doesn't eat meat. Baboumian says: "Someone asked me, 'How could you get as strong as an ox without eating any meat?' and my answer was, 'Have you ever seen an ox eating meat?'” 

Does being vegan help with weight loss?

According to a study published in the Journal of General Internal Medicine, participants eating a vegan diet lost an average of four pounds more than those on a regular meat-inclusive diet over a period of eighteen weeks.

This is because the plant-based nature of veganism results in avoiding foods with high levels of saturated fat and animal proteins, which some studies have shown increase the risk of developing heart disease and  type 2 diabetes.

That said, the choices you make within the vegan diet are important. “Being vegan isn’t synonymous with weight loss. It’s not a case of go vegan and you’ll lose weight. Calories still matter,” Ashley tells us.

This is why she follows a plant-based, largely wholefood diet, not dissimilar to the paleo diet in that she avoids processed foods and foods with artificial additives. 80% of what Ashley eats comes from the ground, allowing for 20% of her diet to include processed vegan food like vegan chocolate and meat substitutes.

What foods should you avoid on a vegan diet?

The vegan diet is very clear on what you can and can’t eat. You should avoid anything that comes from an animal, which means no meat or fish, but also no animal by-products like eggs, milk (and products that contain milk, so chocolate and cheese) and honey.

There are some less obvious things to, for example you’ll need to take note of what your food is fried in – opt for vegetable or sunflower oil rather than animal fat – and how your alcohol is produced. Egg white or gelatin is sometimes used when making beer and wine and isinglass, a form of collagen taken from fish bladders, is used to clarify beer and wine.

There are now many alternatives to non-vegan food that you can use to replace animal products in your diet. For example, meat alternatives such as tofu and Quorn, vegan cheese and plant-based milk like oat and almond are all much more common than they were a few years ago.

                                                                    (Image credit: Pexels)

How easy is a vegan diet to follow?

Ashley recommends a slow transition rather than trying to go from full on carnivore to vegan overnight. She grew up vegetarian but then ate meat for a number of years before becoming vegetarian again for six months. “Once I went vegetarian for the second time I thought I might as well try being vegan,” she says. She started by cutting out eggs from her diet, and waited several months before removing another food.

The simplest way to start is by looking at your regular meals, and considering what you can replace. Love curry? Why not try vegetable curry rather than chicken? Can’t get enough of fajitas? Use Quorn chicken pieces or mince instead of meat. If you love pancakes for brunch on a Sunday morning, try making them with bananas and oat milk instead.

An appealing factor about veganism is that you won’t experience the hunger associated with other methods of dieting, for example intermittent fasting. This is because like for like you can actually eat more food as a vegan, because so much of what you eat is low-calorie. Consider how many calories are in an 8oz sirloin steak: approximately 300 if the steak is lean and the fat is trimmed. For that same number of calories you could eat nearly 14oz of sweet potato or almost 32 oz of broccoli.

Practically speaking, being a vegan is a lot easier now than it used to be. “There are replacements for everything,” says Ashley, “and restaurants are so accommodating. I have even eaten at steak houses... I’m not the annoying vegan anymore!”

What are the side effects of a vegan diet?

We’ve touched on a few of the vitamins and nutrients typically lacking in a vegan diet and how to replace them, but are there other side effects?

“At the beginning I had six weeks of bloating because I was eating so much fibre, in particular beans,” says Ashley. “My body wasn’t used to so much fibre, but after about six weeks it had adapted and the bloating stopped”.

In fact, Ashley initially became vegan because she had been suffering from stomach issues including bloating and poor digestion. She thought she had IBS, but after turning to a vegan diet her symptoms stopped.

While there are a number of things to consider before adopting the vegan diet, it's entirely possible to be healthy, strong and lose weight as a vegan. Ashley strongly advocates giving it a go: “It’s so easy," she says, "and it's really not as dramatic as you think it is.“

https://www.t3.com/features/the-vegan-diet-can-veganism-help-you-lose-weight

Vegan Store: Japan's first vegan convenience store

From japantimes.co.jp

With its pale, unadorned interior, untreated wooden beams and semi-open kitchen, Vegan Store, a two-story “convenience store” that opened in late 2019 near Tokyo’s Kappabashi kitchenware district, is as unlikely a konbini that you will find. With a remit to only stock and serve vegan food, Vegan Store hopes to change the way vegan food is viewed in the capital.

It’s difficult to source exact numbers on what percent of Japanese are vegetarian or vegan, but according to a 2019 survey by Frembassy, a start-up aiming to create an accommodating food culture in Japan, only 2.8 percent of those surveyed identify as vegan, and only 4.8 as vegetarian. Three and 5 percent of Americans identify as vegan and vegetarian, respectively.

                         Keeping it simple: Vegan Store's aesthetic is unfussy, with exposed                                                                         wooden beams and a semi-open kitchen.

Store operator, and CEO of parent company Global Meets, Shoko Suzuki says Vegan Store may seem like an outlier, but is clearly fulfilling a need. Suzuki’s decision to promote her business as a konbini and family restaurant was deliberate, designed to demystify vegan fare.

“I’d heard that many vegans in Japan, whether Japanese or expats from abroad, had difficulties following (a vegan) diet here so ended up quitting,” Suzuki says. “At first I thought to open up (the store) in a so-called prime location like Azabu, but then decided somewhere with many festivals (and tourist attractions) would be better so non-Japanese could spread the message that it is possible to be vegan in Japan,” she adds, commenting on what she thinks is Japan’s tendency to adopt trends from abroad, rather than make the first move.

Similar to regular convenience stores, Vegan Store stocks a mix of domestic and imported grocery items, but only those that are 100 percent plant-based and gluten, onion, alcohol and MSG free.

           Veganism on the rise: A customer peruses Vegan Store’s shelves | JANE KITAGAWA

Deep-fried soy meat karaage substitutes for the dish’s usual chicken counterpart. Frankfurter sausages (¥350) comprising okara tofu lees and konnyaku (devil’s tongue) powder, heavily flavoured with vegetable bouillon, have the same juicy texture as normal franks, albeit more toothsome.

Allernon (¥240), a rice flour-based, lactic bacteria-fermented yogurt substitute comes courtesy of the Yasaka Corporation in both plain and fragrant yuzu citrus flavours, while plant-forward chimaki, (Chinese-style glutinous rice wrapped in bamboo leaves, ¥250) made by a group from the Aizu region of Fukushima Prefecture, are just a few of the more common “convenient” snack food items available. More unusual items for sale include a konnyaku, konbu (kelp) and coconut milk abalone substitute. According to Suzuki, gluten-free cakes and desserts are particularly popular, as are frozen goods such as vegan gyōza dumplings and meat substitutes.

                               Vegan Store's Omurice (rice omelette). Courtesy of Vegan Store

If you want a more substantial meal, you can eat vegan adaptations of omurice (rice omelette) — the recipe is a closely guarded secret — and gyūdon (beef-on-rice bowls), among other similar fare, in the family restaurant on the second floor. You can also take food out, bento style, in sturdy paper containers to minimize plastic use.

Other nods to sustainability include working with local businesses and small organic farmers as much as possible, as well as sourcing fair trade items. Since opening, Suzuki says the store has become a conduit for information on vegan products and topics, with educational seminars held by producers and others in the restaurant industry occasionally offered on the second floor.

Although 75 percent of Vegan Store’s customers thus far are Japanese, Suzuki is eager to attract more non-Japanese clientele — both visitors to Japan and residents of the country. An in-store currency exchange machine is available to encourage such trade.

Tokyo resident, Jess, originally from Wales, read about Vegan Store online and visited because she sometimes struggles to find purely vegetarian foods elsewhere.
“It’s different to what I expected,” she admits. “It’s got (an) organic, authentic kind of feeling to it. I like that you can see them cooking; it makes it even more appealing to try the actual food (upstairs) because you see that it’s freshly made here. That’s quite inviting.”

https://www.japantimes.co.jp/life/2020/01/18/food/vegan-store-japans-first-vegan-convenience-store/#.XiQ6Ibp2vIV

Vegan products total a quarter of food launches in 2019

From cityam.com

Almost a quarter of all new food products to launch in the UK last year were vegan, as companies rush to cash in on the growing number of “flexitarians”, according to the latest research.
The number of people who have reduced or limited the amount of meat they eat has risen from 28 per cent in 2017 to 39 per cent in 2019, although 88 per cent of Brits continue to eat meat.

Of the new food products launched last year, 23 per cent were labelled as vegan, compared to 17 per cent in 2018.

Greggs, Burger King, KFC and Subway are among the fast food chains to recently launch vegan or vegetarian substitutes to cater to the expanding market.
Sales of meat-free foods have grown 40 per cent since 2014, rising from £582m to an estimated £816m last year. Sales are expected to be in excess of £1.1bn by 2024, according to research by Mintel.

However, despite the growth in the number of consumers reducing their meat intake, just one per cent of the UK population follows a strict vegan diet.
Mintel food and drink analyst Kate Vlietstra said: “The rising popularity of flexitarian diets has helped to drive demand for meat-free products.
“Many consumers perceive that plant-based foods are a healthier option, and this notion is the key driver behind the reduction in meat consumption in recent years.

“As the meat-free market becomes increasingly crowded, brands will need to find more ways to distinguish themselves from their competitors – it is no longer enough to just be meat-free.

“Companies will need to be transparent about the healthiness of their products, and also address the quality and quantity of nutrients to win over the discerning consumer.”

https://www.cityam.com/vegan-products-total-a-quarter-of-food-launches-in-2019/

What Would Happen If an Entire Country Suddenly Went Vegan?

From rd.com

It would mean a whole lot more than just a change in diet.

If you know one thing about the food culture in Argentina, it’s probably that it involves a lot of beef. Not only is beef on the menu—it’s also embedded in the culture. Barbecue gatherings called asados, during which different cuts of meat are grilled, are as much about socializing as they are about eating. That’s why a new survey by the country’s Institute for the Promotion of Beef is so shocking: According to the findings, six out of ten Argentines are considering going vegan. That would be a staggering figure in any country, but in Argentina, where beef is king (and queen and the rest of the court), it’s huge.

This has made us wonder what would happen is an entire country suddenly went vegan. In Argentina, the new interest in veganism stems from the high cost of meat, coupled with health and environmental concerns. So, what kind of impact would an entire vegan country have? Here’s what we found out.

                                                                           Olivier Le Moal/Getty Images

It could mean a healthier population

Even without fully going vegan, we know that a primarily plant-based diet can help improve our health. According to Amy Elisabeth Smith, a personal trainer and nutritional therapist who specializes in helping people transitioning to a vegan diet, vegans generally have lower levels of cholesterol and saturated fat, which accounts for their lower levels of heart disease. For instance, a 2019 study published in the Journal of the American Heart Association found that diets higher in plant foods and lower in animal foods were associated with a lower risk of cardiovascular morbidity and mortality in a general population of middle-aged adults. On the flip side, eating this much meat a day could seriously shorten your lifespan. A plant-based diet has also been found to help regulate blood sugar levels, which can reduce the risk of type 2 diabetes, Smith adds. Going vegan could be beneficial for our wallets in addition to our bodies: Fewer health problems could mean lower medical costs.

It could have a huge environmental impact

If an entire country went vegan, it would be a major positive change for the environment. A 2018 study from Oxford University published in the journal Science found that switching to a plant-based diet could reduce food-related emissions by 73 percent. “This reduction is not just in greenhouse gas emissions, but also acidifying and eutrophying emissions which degrade terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems,” according to a statement from the university. “Freshwater withdrawals also fall by a quarter. Perhaps most staggeringly, we would require ~3.1 billion hectares (76 percent) less farmland.”

People might be more productive

If fewer people are calling in sick to work, it could increase our overall productivity. “A healthy vegan diet includes more fruits and vegetables—and therefore a higher intake of vitamins, antioxidants, and phytochemicals—than a non-vegan diet, which all have positive effects on immunity,” Smith tells Reader’s Digest. Not only that, but a 2015 study found that vegans were more productive in the workplace. Though the scientific jury is still out on whether going vegan gives you more energy, one factor to consider is that plant-based proteins like legumes and leafy greens are typically easier for our bodies to digest than meat and dairy, which can mean having energy over a more prolonged period of time.

Holidays would be celebrated differently

Whether or not we realize it, many religious and holiday traditions centre on meat and dairy products, so if a whole country gave them up, it would mean a drastic shift in cultural practices. In the United States, for example, this includes everything from the Thanksgiving turkey to Easter eggs to hot dogs and hamburgers at a Fourth of July barbecue. “If an entire country transitioned to veganism in one generation based on a sense of enlightenment and personal volition, you would probably see an emergence of new cultural expressions valuing the vegan lifestyle,” Jaimie Eckert, a long-time vegan and a doctoral candidate in intercultural studies at Andrews University, tells Reader’s Digest. “Old art, traditions, rituals, and sayings would gradually drop off after several generations. If, on the other hand, veganism was forced on the population, you would probably see a revival of meat and dairy symbolism as a form of resistance.”

It would change the way people cooked and ate

Sure, there could be health benefits to switching to a plant-based or entirely vegan diet, but if someone (or an entire country) decided to make this switch, it would be important to ensure that they were getting all the vitamins and nutrients they needed. “From a dietitian’s perspective, vegan diets need to be well planned in order to be nutritionally complete,” explains Melissa Nieves, a registered dietitian at Healthy Meals Supreme. “Nutrients such as iron, zinc, vitamin B-12, calcium, and vitamin D are not present in large amounts in plant-based foods, and care must be taken to avoid nutritional deficiencies. Plant-based proteins are also not as bioavailable as animal proteins.” In other words, going vegan would mean more than simply cutting meat and dairy from your diet—it would also require careful planning and attention to ensure all of a person’s nutritional needs were being met. 

It could have a massive economic impact

If an entire country went vegan, it could have many potential consequences for its economy. Currently, approximately one-third of food is lost because of trouble in supply chains or spoilage. According to a 2018 study published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, the extra food that could be produced as a result of switching to a vegan diet in the United States could feed an additional 350 million people. Furthermore, a 2016 article in the same journal found that if Americans continued to follow their current animal-based diet, it could cost the U.S. between $197 billion and $289 billion per year. On the other hand, switching to veganism would have a negative impact on a country’s livestock industry, but some argue that the surplus of food from the lack of spoilage could help make up for this loss.

https://www.rd.com/culture/what-would-happen-if-an-entire-country-suddenly-went-vegan/

The rise of the vegans: Where to get your plant-based meat this January

From cityam.com

Whether you’re flexitarian, vegetarian, vegan or something in between, you’ll want to sample these meatless marvels. Now available everywhere.

Greggs Vegan Steak Bake

The rampant veganisation of Greggs continues apace with the launch of a plant-based alternative to its most popular menu item. The vegan steak bake employs Quorn chunks in a rich onion gravy, wrapped in a 96 layer crispy puff pastry. Like Furbies in 1994, the hotly anticipated vegan steak bake is selling out everywhere it can be found. So, to help guide you to your nearest one, Greggs has launched a vegan steak bake finder on its website.

                                                     Greggs Vegan Steak Bake

Wagamama Vegan Suika Tuna

The vegan revolution has generally been pretty well-received (aside from Piers Morgan pretending to puke a Gregg’s vegan sausage roll into a waste paper basket live on morning TV, which is, perversely, something of an endorsement), but Wagamama’s vegan “tuna” hasn’t fared quite so well. Crafted from dehydrated, seared and sliced  watermelon, the texture is in the same ball-park as tuna, but the flavour is resolutely melon, and not in a good way. And it costs £12.95, which is… not cheap.

Moving Mountains Burger

One of the very first ‘bleeding’ burgers to reach the market, Moving Mountains made headlines with its plant-based alternative to beef patties. Unlike the sad, bean-based veggie burgers before it, the B12 burger was marketed to meat-eaters looking to cut down on their beefy intake, rather than to the already crowded vegetarian market. The result was a burger that – alongside rivals Beyond and Impossible – kick-started a vegan revolution. It’s available to buy now from Sainsbury’s stores.

Burger King Rebel Whopper

The burger equivalent of an own goal, Burger King’s Rebel Whopper snatches meaty defeat from the jaws of vegan victory by cooking its plant-based patty in beef juices and adding egg mayonnaise. Whether it’s down to the delicious taste of residual meat-grease or something eIse entirely, it tastes remarkably similar to a regular Whopper. If you occupy the subset of people who want to dial back the amount of cow they’re ingesting while steadfastly refusing to reduce their patronage of Burger King, fill your boots.

Simplicity Burger by Neil Rankin

It’s not only fast and casual dining outlets with plant-based burgers on the brain. Celebrity chef Neil Rankin, a man almost inextricably associated with meat, spent months devising a perfect vegan burger that would be the equal to its meat-based equivalent. It’s made using pickled and fermented vegetables and is available from Simplicity Burger on Brick Lane.

Subway’s Vegan Meatball Marinara Sub‎

The plant-based cover version of Subway’s meatball melt is almost convincing enough to make you wonder if your sandwich artist had mixed up your order, though the addition of tasteless, alien cheese gives the game away. The chunky, meatless orbs drenched in a sweet marinara sauce really can’t be faulted however, easily measuring up to whatever grade of minced beef Subway uses in its regular sandwiches.

Costa’s Quorn Ham and Cheese

Costa Coffee, has produced a vegan alternative to its ham and cheese toastie as part of its limited edition January vegan menu. It is, to Costa’s unending credit, exactly as plain and boring as the version made from pigs.

Honest Burgers Bacon Plant 

Honest Burger expands its plant-based offering with this limited edition fakey bacon burger, which comprises a Beyond Meat patty topped with a soy-and-pea protein mixture pounded into something resembling bacon strips in both taste and texture. This towering masterpiece is completed with vegan smoked gouda, ketchup, chipotle mayo and shoestring fries. This is a glorious burger, a shining example of the advances vegan science has made in recent years.

KFC’S Original Recipe Vegan Burger

Top vegan scientists are yet to recreate decent plant-based chicken, but KFC’s vegan burger – a Quorn fillet seasoned in the unmistakeable flavours of Sanders’ own spice rack – is testament to just how much heavy lifting those 11 herbs and spices do. Bite into it with a positive outlook and an open mind, and you could mistake it for a wonky Zinger.

Gizzi Erskine’s F!lth Burger 

Famous for her vegan junk food, Gizzi Erskine’s F!lth Burger is now available from a brand new pop-up restaurant a couple of doors down from world-renowned Lyle’s. The burger is made from black bean, black lentil, and soy patty, while the distinctive pink bun is coloured with beetroot and sprinkled with black sesame. It’s designed to taste like a regular cheese burger of the deliciously sloppy, Meat Liquor variety.

Brewdog’s Seitan Wings 

Scottish pub chain Brewdog has teamed up with fakey fried chicken shop turned vegan junk food mecca Temple of Seitan to bring its legendary seitan wings to bars up and down the country. They come doused in Brewdog’s in-house hot sauce. Head to Brewdog Dalston, where the burger menu is supplied by Biff’s Jack Shack, for even more vegan filth. 

https://www.cityam.com/the-rise-of-the-vegans-where-to-get-your-plant-based-meat-this-january/

The most common misconceptions about vegans have been revealed

From wakefieldexpress.co.uk

The most common misconceptions about vegans have been revealed - including beliefs that they are tired all day, spend hours planning meals and lack a sense of humour.

A study of 2,000 adults found a quarter are under the false impression a vegan diet results in ‘food boredom’.

Other common misconceptions include the idea that vegans don’t get enough protein in their diet and that they MUST miss eating meat and dairy, as well as it being a difficult diet to maintain.

         A study of 2,000 adults found a quarter are under the false impression a vegan                                                                        diet results in food boredom. (SWNS)

Only ever eating salad and a lack of physical strength are also among the incorrect predispositions about vegans.
The research, commissioned by Cauldron Foods, also polled 200 vegans and found three-fifths say others wrongly believe they opt for their diet in order to be ‘trendy’ or ‘fashionable’.
And a fifth of those with a plant-based diet have been incorrectly told that eating vegan doesn’t keep you full - leaving you feeling hungry and dissatisfied.

The study also found nine in 10 mistakenly believe those who enjoy a plant-based food eat a poor diet mainly based on carbs such as bread.

And more than a quarter are under the false impression vegan diets are expensive, while one in four wrongly think vegans need to take supplements to get the right nutrition.

However, 62 per cent agreed vegans get stereotyped.

As many as three in four said being vegan is more popular now than five years ago, and a third reckon it could really have an impact on the future and sustainability.

Consequently, a quarter of seemingly non-vegan people have made an attempt to live by a plant-based diet, with one in 10 managing to last a couple of weeks reducing their intake of animal products and meat.
And 96 per cent even claimed they could be ‘accidentally’ vegan, as they regularly tuck into plant-based foods such as falafel, peanut butter and tofu.

The research, conducted via OnePoll, revealed 47 per cent of vegans opt for their animal-friendly eating regime to protect the environment, while a fifth opt for it because their partner is following the diet.

Andrea Harburn for Cauldron Foods said: “The research tells us people perceive vegans as serious and lacking a sense of humour, but we understand vegans and from our experience it’s simply not true.
"That’s why we’re hosting the funniest vegans at Cauldron Comedy Club, to celebrate veganism and give vegans the last laugh.
“What is funny, is some of the misconceptions about being vegan.
"A vegan diet is becoming more and more popular for so many, positive reasons.
“It’s also far easier now to pop to the shops or go out for dinner and eat a vegan-friendly diet.
“Cauldron Foods is encouraging people to take the Veganuary pledge and enjoy plant-based foods that are better for you and the planet.
"We hope a little vegan comedy and supper will encourage people to have a ‘fa-laugh-all’ and enjoy delicious plant-based goodness.”
All proceeds from Cauldron Comedy Club will go to Veganuary.

https://www.wakefieldexpress.co.uk/lifestyle/the-most-common-misconceptions-about-vegans-have-been-revealed-1-10199931