What is Veganuary all about and is it good for your health?

For many of us, January is the time to kick the year off on a positive note and start as we mean to go on. Over the past couple of years, there have been a rising number of challenges you can take on during the first month of the year with the most popular being Dry January and Veganuary. But do these trends have a positive effect on your health and wellbeing?

What is a vegan diet?

Before jumping into veganism, it's important to understand what the vegan lifestyle entails. Often confused with vegetarianism, the difference is, a plant-based diet includes no animal products or by-products at all, such as eggs, dairy, and honey. Essentially, you’re not eating anything that comes from an animal.

Planning is key

Veganuary is a whole month of eating a vegan diet and if you’re a meat-eater, this will be a big switch. So if you’re going to take Veganuary seriously then planning ahead can make your life a whole lot easier. Depending on your diet prior to Veganuary, going vegan can be a big change, and you’ll need to learn some strategies to make the transition easier.

Planning your meals ahead of time is a good idea to ensure that you’re never at a loss for an easy vegan meal. Getting in the habit of reading labels when shopping is essential as well.

Most importantly, start experimenting with plant-based proteins like lentils, chickpeas, tempeh, seitan, and tofu to ensure that you’re getting enough protein each day. Doing this will help ensure that your Veganuary experience is stress-free and enjoyable!

Vegan food doesn’t have to be boring

There’s a common misconception that a vegan diet is boring but it doesn’t have to be that way. Any diet can be boring, whether you’re a pescatarian, vegan, vegetarian or meat-eater - it all depends on the choices you make and how you plan your meals.

There are so many vegan options available now, with most well-known brands having a vegan version of their products and most popular food restaurants and takeaways have a decent selection of vegan options too. There are also loads more vegan restaurants and cafes popping up which is amazing to see and shows just how much more popular the vegan diet has become.

Your life insurance policy could help with your health journey

If you’re taking part in Veganuary to help kickstart your own journey with a healthier diet and lifestyle, your life insurance policy could help you along the way too. Most of the UK’s leading life insurance providers now offer *free additional benefits if you have a policy with them and some of them can help with your health and lifestyle. One of the best examples of this is AIG’s Smart Health and all it has to offer.

AIG is a major life insurance provider in the UK so when you have a life insurance policy with them you get immediate free access to their Smart Health app. This app can provide access to 24/7 online GP appointments, fitness plans and advice, second medical opinions, mental health support and counselling, and last but not least tailored nutritional plans.

These nutritional plans are unique to you and created by specialist nutritionists. All you need to do is go on the app and ask for a nutritionist to get in touch. You’ll receive weekly plans and menus tailored to you and your personal goals when it comes to your diet.

The nutritionists can provide advice whether you’re vegan, vegetarian, need helping managing your cholesterol, portion sizes and much more. Plus, these life insurance benefits are available to you, your partner and children (up to the age of 21) too, so you and your loved ones can start your journey together.

Lots of your favourite treats could be vegan

You might be shocked at how many vegan items you may have in your cupboard, without even knowing they’re vegan! Here are just a few of the ‘accidentally vegan’ snacks we’ve found out about this Veganuary:

• Jammie Dodgers
• Oreo cookies
• Bourbon’s
• Ginger Nuts
• Jelly Tots
• Skittles
• Starburst
• Doritos - Lightly Salted and Chilli Heatwave
• Hummus
• Peanut Butter
• Lotus Biscoff Spread and Lotus Biscuits
  
  

Are there any risks?

With the rising popularity of the vegan diet, it’s got a lot of us questioning whether Veganuary is good for our health or not. From the outside looking in, it certainly appears that a plant-based diet carries a lot of potential health benefits. However, it's important to understand how your body may react to such changes and what potential you need to be aware of when switching to a vegan lifestyle.

Even though a vegan diet offers so many health benefits, there are potential risks that come along with it well. It’s important to be aware of any risks so you can take steps to avoid them and ensure you;re getting everything you need in your diet. Vegans may be at risk for nutrient deficiencies such as vitamins B12, D, and zinc and may also lack essential omega-3 fatty acids found in fish.

Don’t worry though, there are plenty of brands that offer vegan products/alternatives that have recognised this and pack their food full of these types of vitamins and nutrients. Plus, there’s also the option of taking daily supplements to ensure you’re always getting the vitamins you need and there’s alternative sources such as chia seeds or ground flaxseeds.

Is it worth the hype?

Depending on your goals and reasons behind taking part in the month-long, plant-based challenge, Veganuary can be a great way to get your year off to a healthy start.

Just because you’re a Vegan, doesn’t mean you can’t be unhealthy and if you are taking up a vegan diet with the goal of losing any unwanted weight, you will still need to follow a balanced diet and make good choices.

But by taking part in Veganuary you’ll likely have an increased intake of fruits and vegetables, so by partnering this with a good protein intake and moving your body regularly too, you will definitely be on the right track for the new year!