Veganuary 2022: Go Plant-based for the planet

Veganuary encourages everyone to adopt a vegan planet-friendly diet for at least the month of January. High levels of energy-intensive animal farming are contributing to the climate crisis. Switching to plant-based alternatives could be part of the solution to global warming, the resulting mass extinction, and the devastating environmental impact of monoculture agriculture and deforestation of tropical rainforests for grazing lands.

For most vegans, animal welfare is paramount in their choice to only use animal-free products not just in their food, but also in everyday items like toiletries and clothing. Veganism is not just a diet: it’s a way of life that comes with both benefits and challenges! It’s a month-long challenge that you can try to see if you can avoid meat and animal product consumption. 

Many people trying veganism will have questions about getting the right nutrition (especially around protein and vitamin B12). Luckily there are loads of great, free online sources that use evidence-based research to support the benefits of a whole-food, plant-based diet, like NutritionFacts.org. Make sure you’re getting all you need to ensure you don’t just survive, but thrive on a vegan diet. We’ve highlighted the latest research on plant-based diets, including how we can harness the power of pulses and new alternatives to meat and animal ingredients. Also, we think about how we can phase out using animals for science testing. Watch our animations below to kick-start your animal-friendly journey into veganism!

Harnessing the power of pulses: A food supplement to promote health

We know that people are eating too many ‘fast carbohydrates’ and not enough ‘slow carbohydrates’. This can contribute to health problems such as obesity and type 2 diabetes. In collaboration with Kings College London and New Food Innovation, scientists from the Quadram Institute are developing PulseON, a new ingredient made from chickpeas and other pulses that can be incorporated into your food to release energy over a longer period of time.

Can we phase out animal use in science?

The RSPCA is calling on governments, industry, scientists, and all others involved in the use and care of lab animals around the world to agree that ‘phasing out’ the use of animals in science and transitioning to non-animal methods and approaches is a desirable goal, and to show leadership and commitment to achieving this with clear plans.

How does Shiru find new functional ingredients for the plant-based food industry?

Learn how Shiru’s protein discovery platform Flourish™ is helping to provide food manufacturers with better, more sustainable alternatives to animal-based ingredients.