Veganuary continues to see growth in participation every January since its launch in 2014. In 2024, 25 million people joined in, according to the campaign's official website.
As veganism becomes more popular, plant-based alternatives have become increasingly cheaper. However, the core foods of a plant-based diet — such as beans, rice, tofu, and pasta — have always been affordable.
Vegan diets are associated with lower cholesterol, lower body fat, lower blood pressure, and higher fiber intake. Unfortunately, the naysayers will focus on the possibility that a vegan diet may be lower in needed nutrients, which can easily be avoided by eating the right foods and the occasional supplement.
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The health benefits 🥗 Research has found that the benefits of participating in Veganuary lasted far beyond the 31 days. According to a survey by Veganuary, over 80% of participants reduced their meat intake by half or more, even after six months.
Avoiding meat also affected their sense of selves and their outlook on meat. Researchers at the University of Exeter found that many participants started liking meat less, even finding it "disgusting," as published on The Conversation. Participants in Veganuary also see a shift in their attitude towards self-perception with increased feelings of self-control and knowledge that they can support a meat-free life.
For every million people who try veganism for 31 days, it equates to the emissions of 1.2 million flights from London to Paris. Long-term, if someone were to replace half of their meat and milk consumption with vegan alternatives, it would be the equivalent of 31 years of emissions from food production.
Adopting a vegan diet can come with challenges if you live in a food desert or are surrounded by people who are not open-minded to a plant-based diet. Luckily, there are so many more options that make veganism more accessible — from more vegan options while traveling, to more athletes sharing their plant-based successes, to the countless vegan influencers who offer tips for all budgets and lifestyles.
On Veganuary's website, the organization's confidence in the success of trying out veganism is apparent.
"There are three main reasons people give for wanting to try vegan, and all are equally valid: to better protect animals, to reduce the impact on our planet and to improve their own health," the site says. "While they may be prompted to try vegan for one of these reasons, people often end up staying vegan for all of them."
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