The Surprisingly Interesting History of Veganuary

Have you ever wondered why January is called Veganuary? It's a pretty strange name, isn't it? Well, it turns out that there is a surprisingly interesting history behind this month-long event! Veganuary is a campaign that encourages people to try veganism for the month of January.  

 

Veganism is a lifestyle that eschews all animal products, including meat, dairy, and eggs. It's a relatively new term, first coined in 1944, but the philosophy behind it has been around for centuries. There are many reasons people choose to go vegan, from health concerns to ethical considerations to environmental concerns. 

 

Despite its growing popularity, veganism is still viewed by some as a fringe lifestyle choice. This may be in part due to the misconceptions about veganism that still abound. For example, many people think that going vegan means giving up all of the foods they love and living on a diet of bland and boring vegetables. Nothing could be further from the truth! In fact, there are now more vegan-friendly food choices than ever before, and vegan cuisine is becoming increasingly popular!  

 

The goal of Veganuary is to raise awareness about the benefits of veganism and to show people that it's not as difficult as they might think to adopt a vegan lifestyle. This year, Veganuary celebrates its 10th anniversary, and the campaign has been more successful than ever! 

 

The history of Veganuary is a bit murky, but it seems that the first recorded instance of someone trying veganism for the month of January was in 2003. Two friends named Jane and Matthew decided to try it out and they were so successful that they continued to stick with it. They went on to coin the term ‘Veganuary’ as a combination of “vegan” and “January”, and went on to found the Veganuary campaign which has seen immense success in promoting veganism.  

 

There are many reasons why people choose to participate in Veganuary. Some people decide to go vegan for ethical reasons, while others do it for health or environmental reasons. Whatever the reason, a vegan lifestyle has some amazing benefits! 

 

One of the great benefits of going vegan is that it can help you lose weight. A vegan diet is naturally lower in calories and fat than a meat-based diet, and it's also high in fibre, which can help you feel full for longer. Additionally, vegan diets are rich in antioxidants, vitamins, and minerals that can improve your overall health.  

 

Going vegan is not only good for your health, but it's also good for the environment. Animal agriculture is one of the leading causes of climate change, and a vegan lifestyle can help reduce your carbon footprint. Factory farming also contributes to air and water pollution, and it takes a toll on our natural resources.  

 

Veganism is becoming more popular each year, with Veganuary being one of the fastest growing trends. In 2019, there were over 250,000 participants in Veganuary, up from just 18,000 in 2014. The number of people identifying as vegan has also skyrocketed in recent years, with an estimated 600% increase between 2006 and 2016.  

 

There are now more vegan-friendly food choices than ever before. Simple swaps like plant-based milk, agave syrup instead of honey, or hummus instead of mayonnaise can make choosing veganism easy and delicious. Today many of your favourite restaurants will also have vegan options, which just goes to show how many people are turning to this lifestyle choice every single day

 

So if you're looking for a new challenge this year, why not try veganism? The January Challenge is a great way to get started, and there are plenty of resources available to help you out. Go ahead and give veganism a try today!