Veganuary 2023

EVERYTHING FOR THE VEGAN WINTER MONTH

Veganuary – a term that went viral in 2020 and has been growing in public awareness every year since. Interest in the search term “veganuary” has doubled in the past two years and the trend is rising. You too have probably already noticed something of the global event. But do you also know what exactly is behind it? We explain it to you here.

Table of contents What is the Veganuary? Vegan diet - what to look out for? What does the veganuary bring? Veganuary Recipes Veganuary products

1. WHAT IS THE VEGANUARY?

The term "Veganuary" is made up of "Vegan" and "January". So it's about an exclusively vegan diet in January. So far so good! The veganuary is not just a loose Internet trend. Behind the idea is a non-profit organization and campaign from England, which has been campaigning since 2014 for people all over the planet to eat vegan for one month a year and, if possible, to continue this beyond January. The concept is of course voluntary. You can sign up for the program for free on the organization's website to become part of the movement. VEGANUARY will then send you recipes, a cookbook and tips to help you get through the 31 days. By Veganuary 2022, 620,000 people had already registered for the program. If we look at the development of the past few years, 2023 will most likely be another record year - if you join in 😉 But let's start with the basics first.

How is veganuary pronounced?

Veganuary is pronounced "Wi-gn-juäri".

But don't worry: At least 100 other people ask themselves the same question every month on Google ;)

The Veganuary Challenge

Many perceive the Veganuary as a challenge. You can do that too. Don't forget, however, that the month is more than a challenge to fight or agonize through. Join in as long as you feel good about it, but don't let yourself be pressured and don't force the 30 vegan days. If you haven't been 100% vegan for a day, you can still finish the Veganuary without a guilty conscience. But before you get started, here are a few important tips.

2. VEGAN NUTRITION - WHAT TO CONSIDER?

If you only want to eat vegan for a month, you should still deal with the topic a little bit. Because the purely plant-based diet can lead to a lack of important nutrients. In the worst case, you will get a deficiency. According to the consumer advice center, vegans can lack the following nutrients if they do not deal with substitution, i.e. nutrient replacement:

• iron
• calcium
• Iodine and omega-3 fatty acids
• Zinc & Selenium
• B vitamins, especially B12 but also B2.

But don't worry, with a varied diet you can get almost everything vegan instead. Calcium can be found in many types of vegetables such as broccoli and rocket, nuts, legumes and in products made from soy. You can fill up iron with various oilseeds, such as sunflower seeds and flaxseed. Nuts, whole grains and legumes also contain iron. Zinc is also found in oilseeds and nuts, and selenium is found in Brazil nuts, lentils, and collards. With iodine it is basically a bit difficult, because even non-vegans* have to access sea fish for this. For the Veganuary we recommend iodine salt or seaweed. Vitamin B12 is only found in relevant amounts in animal products, which is why only B12 supplements work as a substitute. These are available in the form of tablets or drops. But beware: Before you reach for the preparations, have your blood tested by the doctor. A vitamin overdose can have side effects. Especially if you plan beyond the veganuary, you should keep an eye on your blood values.

OMNIFACTS OUR OMNIBARS ARE 100% VEGAN AND PERFECT FOR THE LITTLE VEGANUARY HUNGER.

3. WHAT DOES THE VEGANUARY BRING?

As is so often the case, many people think that they cannot change the world on their own. And what's the point of a month? If many participate, quite a lot! The Veganuary activists even had the effects calculated scientifically. dr Harvard University's Helen Harwatt conducted a study showing the effects of the 1-month Veganuary when 1 million people (just 0.01% of the world's population) take it. Their results show that... .. the lives of 3.4 million animals are spared. .. 6.2 million liters of water are saved (equivalent to half a million toilet flushes). .. 103,840 tons of CO2 are saved (equivalent to circling the earth 15,000 times by car). Even if numbers are always difficult to understand and your influence on them seems small, always be aware that you have to start small to make a big change.

Image: Veganuary

4. VEGANUARY RECIPES

If you cooked a lot with animal products before the Veganuary, vegan cooking will probably present you with challenges. Unfortunately, many “classics” of everyday cooking contain dairy products or meat. We recommend our favorite vegan chef Sebastian Copien that you don't lose your passion for veganism on the second day. Together with us, he developed the taste of the OMNIbar and posts one delicious recipe after another on YouTube. In a two-week rhythm, there are some vegan variants of classic dishes on his channel, such as:

Vegan protein goulash

Vegan Steak

Spaetzle without egg

If you tend to search for recipes on Instagram and on your mobile phone, we can also recommend the two channels of Maya ( fitgreenmind ) and Jordan Billham ( thenottychef ). Jordan himself is not vegan. His credo is: "F***, that's vegan", so perfect for your Veganuary!

5. VEGANUARY PRODUCTS

Don't worry, there are plant-based alternatives for the veganuary, even if you're hungry quickly and don't need a lot of cooking. Our two OMNIbars are 100% vegan, perfect for in between and get you through the four weeks easily! 😉