World Vegan Day is a yearly event celebrated by vegans and flexitarians across the globe on 1 November. This marks the beginning of World Vegan Month too, which is an opportunity to shine the light on the benefits of living a plant-based lifestyle; and debunk the myths.
Whatever your personal reasons are for celebrating the occasion, Frive have everything you need to enjoy a plant-based diet. That is, whether you want to go full-on animal-free, or enjoy our selection of vegan meals alongside our meat and fish-based options.
The EAT-Lancet backs the theory that the optimal diet for people and Mother Earth is the planetary health diet. This is a global reference diet represented by half a plate of fruit and vegetables. The rest of the plate is usually made up of whole grains, plant proteins, unsaturated plant oils, with a reasonable amount of meat and dairy, plus added sugars and starchy vegetables. This diet is super flexible, meaning that consumers can adapt to their dietary requirements, personal preferences and cultural beliefs.
Choosing a vegetarian or vegan diet are considered as two popular options within the planetary health diet, particularly ahead of World Vegan Day and World Vegan Month. While there are a number of positive factors of going plant-based either fully or occasionally, for both us and the natural environment, you may also have heard the myths about veganism too.
Frive spoke to The Vegan Society, who have debunked the three biggest myths about veganism that may just get you thinking about going vegan, ahead of World Vegan Day, World Vegan Month, and beyond.
Myth 1: Going vegan is expensive
A recent Vegan Society survey found over a third of shoppers said they were cutting back on or ditching animal products entirely in response to the cost-of-living crisis. This goes to show that there is still a very strong demand for budget-friendly vegan food choices. And, although many supermarkets now offer more affordable home brand plant-based milks and meat alternatives, like-for-like replacements are not the only way to cut down on animal products.
Low-cost cupboard staples such as lentils, beans and chickpeas are nutritious sources of high-quality protein which offer a substantial replacement for meat. A cost comparison exercise, as part of the society’s Live Vegan for Less campaign, found fish and beef products are at the pricey end of the scale while plant foods such as lentils, baked beans and peanut butter are at the lower end, further demonstrating that it’s entirely possible to sustain a budget-friendly, nutritious diet which is kinder for animals and the environment.
Myth 2: Vegan food isn’t tasty
The significant rise in veganism in the last few years is a testament to the fact vegan food can be just as flavourful as animal-based food products, with vegetables, beans, lentils and grains easily adapted to traditional recipes without compromising on flavour. For those considering veganism, there are also a wealth of animal-friendly soy alternatives available, such as mince, burgers or sausages, for easy switches. Whichever way you choose, it’s increasingly easy to veganise traditional animal-based dishes.
Going vegan also provides an opportunity to explore a wider range of plant staples and ingredients, and to get creative in the kitchen, as well as a good way to get to know more about your nutritional needs and the plant sources which provide them.
Myth 3: A vegan diet lacks nutrients
If you are considering a vegan diet, organisations like The Vegan Society can help by providing information about plant sources of key nutrients like protein, omega-3 fat, iron, zinc and calcium. For example, if you switch to fortified milk and yoghurt alternatives, you won’t be missing out on calcium which is important for bone health.
Protein and iron-rich foods like kidney beans, lentils and chickpeas can replace meat in dishes while walnuts or ground linseed (flaxseed) are good sources of omega-3 fat. B12 can be obtained from fortified foods or supplementation, and appropriate supplementation can also provide vegans with a reliable source of iodine and selenium. Going vegan can be an opportunity to learn more about nutrition and improve the quality of your diet by eating more health-promoting plant foods like whole grains, nuts, fruit, and vegetables.
Have you tried our vegan meals yet?
Have a look at what we have to offer in our new menu here. Our entire menu range changes every week so you’ll have a new set of meals to choose from in each delivery.