Veganuary - Moving Beyond The Instagram Trend: Recipes And Benefits

All of us start the month of January with the aim of completing our New Year resolutions. While for some it is about losing some weight, for others it is about journaling or maybe indulging in a new hobby. This is where the idea of ‘veganuary’ came from. Veganuary is a global campaign which encourages individuals to embrace a plant-based lifestyle for the month of January. The term comes from the amalgamation of two words, ‘Vegan’, and ‘January’. 

However, it is not just a random Instagram trend or another health fad. Veganuary is associated with a lot of history. The movement was launched in 2014 with a desire to protect the environment, prevent animal suffering, and improve the health of many people.

This movement also has an official website, which states, “Our vision is simple; we want a vegan world. A world without animal farms and slaughterhouses. A world where food production does not decimate forests, pollute rivers and oceans, exacerbate climate change, and drive wild animal populations to extinction.”

What is veganism?

Going vegan is more like a lifestyle change because of your compassion for the environment and animals. It is way more than a diet change. Vegans have an option of selecting from a large variety of vegetables, legumes, whole grains, fruits, nuts, seeds, and plant-based alternatives.

Recipes

If you are someone who is planning on embracing this new journey, here are a few recipes to try from:

Creamy broccoli vegan pasta 

This recipe will give a tough competition to your traditional mac and cheese. It does not contain any dairy and this smooth and tangy sauce is a protein-packed blend of white beans, nutritional yeast, and lemon juice.

Vegan tacos

Use jackfruit as the filling of this scrumptious snack. Top it with fresh mango, cucumber, and some avocado salsa.

Soba noodles 

Soba noodles are a healthy substitute for your regular noodles. The light, tangy sesame dressing pairs well with all sorts of veggies. You can pair it with your favourite seasonals. 

Benefits

• Rich in nutrients: Vegan food has more nutrients as compared to your regular food. Include fruits, vegetables, pulses, grains, nuts, and seeds in your regular vegan diet. According to many studies, people who eat vegan tend to consume more fiber, antioxidants, potassium, magnesium, folate, and vitamins A, C, and E.
• Healthy body weight: Eating vegan helps you achieve healthy body weight. Vegan foods tend to be lower in calories than the animal-derived ones. This helps you in achieving a healthy body weight without actively focusing on cutting calories. 
• Reduces arthritis pains: According to studies, a diet high in healthy vegan foods can help reduce the symptoms of arthritis. Eating probiotic plant-based foods, like fermented vegetables and non-dairy yogurts, helps in boosting the good bacteria in the large intestine which helps reduce the inflammation.