What is Veganuary? The New Plant Based Monthly Challenge

What is Veganuary? The New Plant Based Monthly Challenge

As the New Year starts, it is accompanied by a new batch of New Year’s resolutions. While some of you may focus on the big goals like moving out, starting that script, or reading more books, a number of people online are taking on the challenge of going plant-based for a month!  Many resolutions often come tied to getting in shape and working out more, but this year a record number of individuals have signed up to the challenge of eating only plant-based foods for the whole month of January according to The Guardian. Every January the best and worst diets for the year curated by experts from US News & World Report are revealed, and the Mediterranean Diet comes out on top for the fourth year in a row. Now more than ever people are looking to feel better about the way they eat by taking on diets that focus more on healthy plant-based eating, and we couldn't be more excited! The Veganuary campaign truly marks a new milestone in the world of plant-based dieting, which is why we hope that you join the team at PlantX in spreading the plant love this month with healthy eating tips, nutritious and wholesome recipes, and satisfying food alternatives. We encourage those of you who are curious about plant-based dieting to give it a try and stay curious about the world of plant-based eating by exploring our shop for delicious pantry items like Oatly Oat Milk, Mid-Day Squares, and Louisville Vegan Jerky

A Global Campaign With A Simple VisionPackages of Beyond Beef and Impossible Burger meat are lined up next to each other.

Veganuary is a global campaign that started in 2014 in the UK by a non-profit organization of the same name that continues to inspire and support people to try plant-based for January and beyond to create a global mass movement—championing compassionate food choices by partnering with businesses and the media to make plant-based food provisions more visible and accessible in shops and restaurants.    The Independent calls it “more than just a diet du jour” or something that’s only popular at the moment. With over a million participants signing up to the challenge since 2014; 192 countries involved; more than 1,200 new products and menus launched (2020); 98 percent rate of recommendations; and more than 600 businesses taking part (2020), this global campaign is certainly here to stay and will only keep growing. According to new research by UBS, a Swiss multinational investment bank and financial services company, an increasing number of people are trying plant-based meat alternatives—from 48 percent growing into 53 percent between March and November 2020 out of 3,000 surveyed consumers from the US, UK, and Germany.  The research also found that half of those who have tried plant-based alternatives have maintained the practice at least weekly. 

Why Eat Plant-Based For A Month?

As retailers continue to embrace Veganuary, more and more plant-based food choices are also becoming easily accessible to people. It’s no longer just a fad that they simply use out of marketing and sales opportunity, but a prospect to demonstrate their commitment as citadels of our food supply and how they also care for consumers by essentially promoting the many benefits of plant-based eating. With innovative services like PlantX's vegan meal delivery, eaters across North America can enjoy healthy and delicious plant-based meals with unique recipes in just a few simple clicks.Whole grain plant based vegan pizza for Veganuary. While people have different reasons to eat plant-based for a month—it all makes a difference no matter how small the steps that are taken. Veganuary’s website says 38 percent of participants choose health as their motivation, 37 percent for animal welfare, 18 percent for reducing environmental impact, and 7 percent for other reasons. A plant-based diet gains you a reduced risk of cancer, heart disease, type 2 diabetes, and a healthy gut microbiome. Improved glucose, insulin, and cholesterol levels have also been confirmed by a 2019 study as published in the journal Nature while a 2018 study published at the National Center for Biotechnology Information (NCBI) demonstrated reduced total cholesterol in just a month of eating more plants which speaks to the philosophy of Veganuary.  While it’s still a matter of taste and how it’ll make you feel, and whether you’ll decide to fill half of your plate with plants at every meal or make one meal a day totally plant-based, trying Veganuary may give you the flexibility in your eating habits and embark you on the road of discovery and a better understanding of the plant-based lifestyle.  Try some of our delicious plant-based recipes for yourself in our recipe section, or send someone else a little encouragement to join you on this month's journey with a plant-based snack gift basket!