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​10,000 People A Day Are Signing Up For Veganuary Ahead Of New Year

​10,000 People A Day Are Signing Up For Veganuary Ahead Of New Year

Now in its fifth year, the Veganuary campaign has seen participants more than double each year

Jess Hardiman

Jess Hardiman

As the new year rolls around, it's pretty inevitable that we'll feel as though our lives over the past 365 days have amounted to nothing, and that we're worthless beings who Must Try Harder for 2019. Ugh.

But while some of that sense of inadequacy (often misplaced, remember) can manifest itself in ridiculous carb-free diets or vague promises to be a better person, it seems some people are trying to channel it into something that's arguably a little more productive: Veganuary.

Yep, whether it's to help the plight of animals of that of our environment, a whopping 10,000 people a day have been signing up to Veganuary in the run up to the new year.

Now in its fifth year, the Veganuary campaign has seen participants more than double each year, with 250,000 people across 193 countries now considering themselves 'Veganuary alumni'.

Rich Hardy, Head of Campaigns at Veganuary said: "The secret to Veganuary's campaign success has been a combination of its month-long pledge series, its engaging content, the celebrity support it attracts and its non-judgemental approach to getting people to try veganism for the first time.

"Veganuary is dedicated to changing public attitudes, while providing all the information and practical support required to make the transition to veganism as easy and enjoyable as possible."

Yep, you can even get vegan condoms these days.
PA

Hardy also dubbed 2019 the 'year of the vegan', explaining that this has been helped by the increase in available vegan products.

"Going vegan in 2018 has never been far from the news headlines, and trying the Veganuary pledge is often one of the first references used in backing up the headline itself," Hardy added.

"But 2019 will be the year of the vegan, particularly because the supply of vegan product available will meet the demand."

Those who sign up to the official Veganuary campaign will start receiving daily emails containing recipes, meal plans and tips like where to get your nutrients or how to stock your cupboards, along with information about the impact of what we eat on our health, animals and the environment.

Only thing is, while we know about the positive impact going veggie or vegan can have on the environment and our health, according to a recent study, one area where going meat-free isn't winning is our mental wellbeing.

According to the study, which appears in the journal Ecology of Food and Nutrition, those who cut meat from their diets also have lower self-esteem and see less meaning in life, finding that vegetarians are generally more miserable than meat-eaters, with authors concluding that veggies may not be as 'psychologically well-adjusted'. Ouch.

Still, though, January's a pretty depressing month as it is, so maybe now's your best time to bite the bullet?

Featured Image Credit: PA

Topics: World News, News, Vegan