2018 – Year of the Vegan!
2018 is set to be a record breaking year for vegans! Supermarkets are introducing more vegan lines. Tesco have just launched a new range of 100% plant-based meals in 600 stores. From crispy carrot pastrami to sourdough pizza, the Wicked Kitchen range includes 18 vegan-friendly ready meals along with wraps, sandwiches and salads. Waitrose have announced production of new vegan sandwiches – Vegan Mean Greens, and the Sweet Potato and Chipotle Sandwich – helping to meet the growing demand for vegan food.
We can’t seem to get enough plant-based milk either… Starbucks have announced that another dairy-free milk will be joining their menu. Oat milk will soon be available in all UK stores and vegan milk company Oatly has been pushed to expand their manufacturing facilities due to the growing demand. Vegan milk is not the only drink in high demand – the Co-op is expanding its vegan wine range to 100 products by the end of the year, with eight more due to launch next month.
The Guardian Weekend magazine had an article in it on Saturday describing how journalist, writer and broadcaster Decca Aitkenhead tried going for vegan for three months in an attempt to get healthier and one year on is still going strong with no intentions of going back to meat and dairy. This simple change of diet, with regular workouts at the gym, has transformed Decca so much that her story will be featured in next month’s Women’s Health magazine.
The newspapers are full of articles about vegan food, vegan recipes and vegan celebrities. Founding member of the Black Eyed Peas, Will. I. Am joined the #Vgang in December and in just one month lost 15 pounds and lowered his cholesterol.
Viva! Health continue to counter the pseudoscience and daft articles that pour scorn on the vegan diet, but these appear to be dropping, like the number of meat-eaters! The times are changing and Viva! Health have high hopes for 2018!
It’s so easy to go vegan! Try our free 30 Day Vegan meal plan. You can start anytime and we’re here to help www.viva.org.uk/30dayvegan.
About the author
Dr. Justine Butler
Justine joined Viva! in 2005 after graduating from Bristol University with a PhD in molecular biology. After working as a campaigner, then researcher and writer, she is now Viva!’s head of research and her work focuses on animals, the environment and health. Justine’s scientific training helps her research and write both in-depth scientific reports, such as White Lies and the Meat Report, as well as easy-to-read factsheets and myth-busting articles for consumer magazines and updates on the latest research. Justine also recently wrote the Vegan for the Planet guide for Viva!’s Vegan Now campaign.
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