It's January, all of your friends are starting some sort of health kick and your feeling the need to hop on the bandwagon. One trend many are veering towards this month? Veganism. While it's a big lifestyle change to take on for the month, and may be something you should ease into as a long-term change, there's no doubt it's popularity peaks at this time of year.
So what should you know before you go vegan for one month? Should you even at all? We've spoke to vegans to find out exactly what you should be asking yourself before embarking on Veganuary...
1. What am I actually going to eat?
Considering 20% of the world’s population have food intolerances, never mind your own personal tastes or nutrition goals, all of us have varying dietary requirements and food budgets that influence what we eat. It’s important that if you’re really committing to veganism, you know exactly what you can and can’t eat from a vegan diet before you go on your first food shop and find yourself wandering aimlessly from ailse to ailse.
‘I think doing your research before going vegan is a necessity, there are so many things you think will be vegan that really aren’t’ says Sophie Bailey-Smith, 23, ‘wine is processed through fish bladders so that’s the end of that, salt and vinegar pringles have milk in, who would’ve thought it?
2. Is it good for my mental health?
Following any one diet religiously shouldn’t be taken lightly when it comes to your mental health. Since veganism involves restricting your diet to certain foods, it’s important to take a step back and evaluate how healthy this could be for your mind. With studies confirming a link between vegetarianism and eating disorders, it's integral to consult with a doctor if you are considering a drastic diet change and have a history of eating disorders or an unhealthy relationship with food.
3. Why am I doing it?
‘I went vegan after 10 years as a vegetarian because I realised how damaging the dairy industry is for animals, but a lot of people get into it for health reasons, or to environmental,’ says Sophie, ‘I think your motivation for being vegan hugely impacts how committed you are.'
It's with that in mind that you should really ask yourself, are you doing this as a test to your willpower, as a health exercise or do you genuinely believe going vegan is better for the world? In the last two cases, it may be better to ease into veganism slowly to ensure it's a more feasible long-term change as oppose to going completely vegan straight away.
4. Why just a month?
It's with the former question in mind that Sophie states veganism should feel like a win, not a punishment...
‘If you have a genuine commitment to being more animal-friendly, I think veganism should be a long-term goal,’ says Sophie, ‘if that’s you reason for being vegan, it shouldn’t be something you see as a restriction, and if it feels like a punishment it’s better to wean into it than go completely vegan for an entire month.’
5. Do I need supplements?
'With good planning and an understanding of what makes up a healthy, balanced vegetarian and vegan diet, you can get all the nutrients your body needs to be healthy without the need for supplements,' advises the NHS.
'However, if your diet isn't planned properly, you could miss out on essential nutrients. Vegetarians need to make sure they get enough iron and vitamin B12, and vegans enough calcium, iron and vitamin B12. Women are thought to be at particular risk of iron deficiency, including those on a vegetarian or vegan diet'
If you want to know how to get enough protein as a vegan, click here.
6. Can I get by without actually nice chocolate?
'Vegan chocolate is not good, plain and simple,’ says Emma, 25, who tried veganuary in 2016 and went fully vegan last year, ‘it will never compare to galaxy, but that’s the price you pay for living a more ethical life. I usually have vegan hot chocolate to satisfy cravings, but Vego bars from Holland and Barratt are good when you need to crunch on something.'
'I eat Bournville choclate all the time,' says Sophie, 'it's says "may contain milk", so is made in a factory that handles dairy but doesn't have it in it.'
7. What alcohol can I drink?
'Some alcoholic drinks may not be suitable for vegans because of the filtering process prior to bottling,' says Dominika Piasecka, spokesperson for The Vegan Society, 'Companies may use isinglass (a substance obtained from fish bladders), gelatine, egg whites, sea shells and other animal products which capture impurities.'
However, she says that most clear spirits, like vodka and white rum, are vegan-friendly as they undergo a different filtration process. However, make sure you also check for drinks containing honey. Going vegan does mean one thing is off the menu though: wine cries.
8. Can I be bothered with the jibes from friends and family?
'Every single time i go home for Christmas there's some sort of snarky comment from my dad or cousins, they've never let it go and I've been vegan for four years' says Sophie, 'you have to let it go over your head eventually, but it is draining when you're so passionate about something and everyone is constantly making it seem like a joke.
'Of course, it would never stop me being vegan,' she continues, 'some people are just ignorant plain and simple, that's more their problem than mine.'
9. Where can I eat out?
'Is it hard eating out as a vegan, especially the first few months when you're still working out what you can and can't eat,' says Emily, 'there's usually only two or three options on the menu of a restaurant, but you can also make a dish vegan from the menu, you just can't be shy about asking for it. They should have more options anyway, so I don't care anymore about making the chef jump through a few hoops.'
Check out these vegan restaurants if you want some fool-proof places to eat.
10. How will I talk to other people about my veganism?
'I never really talk about being vegan myself, it's always someone else who brings it up when they notice I am, and then they get really defensive explaining why they eat meat,' says Sophie, 'I know some vegans can be really aggressive about spreading the message, and i don't think thats helping to be honest, but a lot of the time I've noticed meat-eaters just assume you're some militant vegan because they're so insecure knowing they're making the less ethical choice.
'I've found that just being open but not preachy about veganism is the best way, I would never comment on my friends meat-eating ways, but if they wanted to go vegan i'd help them,' says Emily, 'but to be honest once you are vegan whether people think you're aggressive or not is irrelevant, if you're that passionate about something then you shouldn't have to be all docile and nice just to please them, I'm trying to save the world, for Gods sake!'