The rise of plant-based diet
We’re seeing a global change in eating habits and it’s a good one: meat consumption is going down[1] and we see more and more interest in the plant-based world. Whether it’s meatless Monday or Veganuary (check our Veganuary tips here): initiatives to reduce meat consumption or go vegan altogether are gaining traction by the day. The number of Vegans in Europe has multiplied to 2.6 million people in just 4 years and 22.9% of the European population see themselves as a Flexitarian[2].
It’s clear that more and more people are adopting a plant-based diet and there’s plenty of reasons to do so. Let’s see why!
Environment
Given the amount of media we’ve seen around the environmental benefits of switching to a full or partly plant-based diet, this argument might have been on your mind for a while. It’s not just you: 9 out of 10 people in Europe have already changed their eating habits because of the environmental crisis[3] and there’s plenty of reasons to do so.
About 70% of the Agricultural greenhouse gas emissions are calculated to be caused by livestock[4]. There’s more statistics that are getting people on board of that plant-based train. Did you know that more than 1600 liters of water is used to get a 100-gram meat-based patty on your plate? [5]. That’s the same as taking ten full baths.
It’s stats like these that are helping people make that important first step towards a plant-based diet, but there’s more!
Health
One of the main reasons to go flexitarian, vegan or vegetarian is health. The Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics states that well-planned vegetarian and vegan diets reduce the risk of certain diseases such as type 2 diabetes, hypertension, some cancers and obesity[7]. This is not just because you’re avoiding meat, but also because you’re likely to eat more vegetables, nuts, legumes and getting in less saturated fats.
Taste
Plant-based food is full of flavor, which makes that step into a new diet easy and tasty! At Garden gourmet we've got a wide range of delicious products that are familiar in look, preparation and taste and we’re constantly working on exciting new plant-based products for you to discover.
These are the main reasons that make us all think twice about what to eat. And do you know what's so great? There's all this amazing plant-based food waiting to be discovered, whether you're vegan, vegetarian, flexitarian or if you just want to try something new.
Check out our recipes and you’ll see how tasty plant-based food can be!
[1] https://ec.europa.eu/info/news/eu-agricultural-outlook-2020-30-sustainability-objectives-impact-meat-and-dairy-along-supply-chain-2020-dec-16_en
[2] https://veganz.com/blog/veganz-nutrition-study-2020/
[3] https://ec.europa.eu/spain/news/20191212_Europe-climate-neutral-2050_es
[4] https://www.hsi.org/news-media/european-commission-supports-plant-based-diets-farm-to-fork-strategy/
[5] https://www.mondaycampaigns.org/meatless-monday/benefits
[6] https://www.bmj.com/content/366/bmj.l4897
[7] https://www.bmj.com/content/366/bmj.l4897
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