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Island Source 

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SYS Sportswear 

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Fish Free February 

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SYS Sportswear

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Are you on the hunt for one of the best vegan restaurants in Sheffield? Well, you’re in luck: <a href="https://instagram.com/humpithummus?igshid=YmMyMTA2M2Y=" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">Humpit Sheffield</a> is the one-stop-shop for all your hummus and pita needs. Humpit was founded in Leeds in 2014, winning the Virgin Start-Up Street Food Award at the 2015 Foodpreneur Festival, this inspired them to open their second branch in 2016 - Humpit Sheffield. <h2>Friendly faces and cosy vibes</h2>As you walk into the cosy bar you are welcomed by Humpit Sheffield’s approachable and knowledgeable staff to talk you through their delicious and completely vegan menu. It’s a small spot right in the city centre. The decoration is modern and friendly, with a few bar stools along the window countertop where you can sit to enjoy your food. There is a constant footfall of customers, many of whom are regulars, and everybody is welcomed in. New customers are all given a quick but thorough run-through of the menu before choosing their dish, filling, salad and sauces. Once you order your food it gets prepared in front of you in a matter of minutes, so it’s the perfect spot to grab a quick lunch - but the staff are so nice you’ll want to hang around and chat even if you’re in a rush!<h2> </h2><h2>Delicious food</h2>The base of Humpit Sheffield’s menu is simple, do you want your hummus in a pita or a bowl? But after you’ve made this vital decision there are a variety of ways to customise your meal. First you get to select your hummus. On our visit the options were Humpit’s signature hummus or the olive hummus, all of which was made in-house. We chose the signature hummus in our hummus bowl and the olive hummus in our pita. The olive hummus had a much more intense flavour which really added to the pita, but might have been too much for a hummus bowl. You then get to choose the type of pita you’d like to go with your hummus. Next is the toppings, here you get to choose between falafel, aubergine, spicy kebab, or our personal highlight fried cauliflower. The pieces of cauliflower were tender and had a mouth-watering smoky flavour.&nbsp; Then you get to select from a delicious selection of salad before finally picking which sauce or sauces you would like; these range from a tasty, sweet mango curry to an intense extra hot green chilli - the recommended trick is to ask for all of them! Following this there are also a range of sides and drinks available as well as some delicious vegan snacks. There are few major allergens used and the staff are very knowledgeable so can easily offer alternatives (such as gluten-free pittas) if you have any specific requirements. <h2>Want more Humpit?</h2>One of the best parts about Humpit is that you don’t have to be in Sheffield to get to experience it. There are two stores in Leeds where it was originally founded as well as another in Huddersfield. They also offer a loyalty scheme, so if you enjoy the food there is all the more reason to make a second visit! If you’re after more delicious pita-based cuisine you might also be interested in these<a href="https://www.v-landuk.com/article/5-delicious-vegan-kebab-eateries-in-manchester" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"> </a><a href="https://www.v-landuk.com/article/5-delicious-vegan-kebab-eateries-in-manchester" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">delicious vegan kebabs in Manchester</a> or if you’re nearer Bristol there are some<a href="https://www.v-landuk.com/article/best-vegan-restaurants-in-bristol)" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"> </a><a href="https://www.v-landuk.com/article/best-vegan-restaurants-in-bristol" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">great vegan restaurants</a> there too.

A Humpit Sheffield’s filled pita next to a Humpit hummus bowl, both are filled with salad toppings and covered in sauces.

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Hungry for heavenly hummus? You'll adore Humpit Sheffield


There's never been a better time to be a vegan ale fan. As veganism grows, more and more breweries are eyeing the market. While some breweries opt to take animal products out of their ales, others are coming up with entirely new vegan recipes. Unlike lager, ale isn't typically vegan. Animal products such as isinglass, bone char and gelatine are still industry standard ale ingredients today.&nbsp; While you have to do a little digging to find a decent vegan ale, they are out there. And that's precisely what this article is all about! So pour a glass of your favourite tipple and join us as we highlight four of the best vegan ales money can buy.&nbsp; <h2><a href="https://www.instagram.com/blacksheepbrewery/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">Black Sheep Ale</a></h2>With its beautiful clear amber colour, from a distance, <a href="https://instagram.com/blacksheepalehouse?igshid=YmMyMTA2M2Y=" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">Black Sheep Ale</a> looks as if it belongs on the crown jewels. Get closer, and you'll notice this beer's lovely malty aroma. But the real magic happens when the glass reaches your lips and this charming amber ale hits your tongue.&nbsp; Its malty overtones keep you coming back for more of this ale's masterly balanced flavours. Expect notes of bread and caramel with hints of orange. And, of course, a fantastic roasted coffee aftertaste.&nbsp; All-in-all a fantastic vegan beer. Perfect for anyone new to ales and looking for something mild. That being said, there's still plenty to be enjoyed here, so make sure to give Black Sheep Ale a go. Alcohol Content:4.4% ABV Vegan Statement from Barnivore:"Unfortunately, our cask ales are not suitable for vegans due to the finings we use. However, our bottled ales, cans and kegged beer are perfectly suitable. We offer a large range so you will have plenty of great ales to be able to enjoy." - Source, <a href="https://www.barnivore.com/products/15025-black-sheep-golden-sheep-ale-bottlekeg" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">Barnivore</a> <h2><a href="https://www.instagram.com/newcastle_brown_ale/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">Newcastle Brown Ale</a></h2>Next up, it's the one and only <a href="https://www.newcastlebrownale.co.uk/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">Newcastle Brown Ale</a>. Once the North's favourite beer, this ale comes steeped in heritage. So, without further ado, it's time for a pint of dog. As the name suggests, this beer is brown in the glass. And while it might look dark, Newcastle Brown Ale is a surprisingly light brew. You could even say that Newcastle combines the best of both worlds — with many of the deep, rich flavour profiles you'd expect from a brown ale but with the clear, crisp drinkability of a great lager.&nbsp; Take a gulp to indulge yourself in Newcastle's lovely hoppy flavours, followed by a sweet aftertaste reminiscent of toffee and dark fruits. There's not much bitterness at all with this ale. If anything, it's on the sweeter side of life. And that all adds up to a very drinkable beer.&nbsp; This ale is brewed to drink cold. You'll know when it's ready because the star on the label will turn blue. Pretty cool, eh!&nbsp;&nbsp; Alcohol Content:4.7% ABV Vegan Statement from Barnivore:"We can confirm that Newcastle Brown Ale is suitable for vegan and vegetarians." - Source, <a href="https://www.barnivore.com/products/47906-newcastle-brown-ale" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">Barnivore</a> <h2><a href="https://www.instagram.com/felinfoelbrewery/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">Double Dragon</a></h2>Hopefully, you lot packed a raincoat because this next one comes straight from the valleys. Let us introduce you to the national ale of Wales itself, <a href="https://www.felinfoel.com/beer/double-dragon/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">Double Dragon</a>.&nbsp; Not only is the brewery behind Double Dragon, Wales' oldest brewery, but they were also the ones to introduce the world to craft lager in a can. From the very beginning, they've been innovators and artists - masters of their craft. And as the saying goes, the proof is in the pudding. While it might look dark in the glass, Double Dragon expertly sidesteps any offensive bitterness. Malty yet slightly sweet. With its nut and toffee overtones followed by a deliciously yeasty aftertaste, this ale is nothing short of fantastic. If you're on the lookout for an extremely session-able ale, Double Dragon is what you need! Alcohol Content:4.2% ABV Vegan Statement from Felinfoel Brewery:"Vegan friendly" - Source, <a href="https://www.felinfoel.com/beer/double-dragon/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">Felinfoel Brewery</a> <img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/v-land/image/upload/v1674555765/Image_1_34_pic_2_edit_1_875ebae3fe.jpg" alt="Bottle of Double Dragon vegan ale on a wooden table with a black background behind next to a full pint glass full of the ale"><a href="https://www.felinfoel.com/beer/double-dragon/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(75, 172, 72); background-color: transparent;">Felinfoel Brewery</a> <h2><a href="https://www.instagram.com/sierranevada/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(75, 172, 72); background-color: transparent;">Sierra Nevada</a></h2><a href="https://sierranevada.com/beer/pale-ale/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(75, 172, 72); background-color: transparent;">Sierra Nevada</a> is our only American ale on today's list. And it also just so happens to be the only pale ale, too. Pale ales are similar to IPAs but typically brewed with fewer hops. So, how does that impact flavour? Well, it all adds up to a medium bodied, bitter beer. Which is perfect if you're into that kinda thing! As you'd expect, this ale is pale in colour. Closer to the golden shades you'd expect from a lager, you have to take a sip to realise that Sierra Nevada is in a league of its own. Remember when we said pale ales tend to be bitter? Well, this ale is exactly that. Now, that's not a bad thing at all. In fact, specific hops are added to beers to provide that very flavour profile. And when balanced nicely with flavours from yeasts and malts, they create a deliciously complex drinking experience, highly sought after by beer lovers worldwide.&nbsp; It's safe to say Sierra Nevada has pulled it off. This high-quality pale ale is truly a treat for the senses. Not overly hoppy with a perfect level of bitterness. It's the malty flavours that really carry this brew. Expect subtle notes of citrus and dark fruit with an irresistible smoothness. Get it in ya!&nbsp;&nbsp; Alcohol Content:5.6% ABV Vegan Statement from Barnivore:"All our bottled beer is brewed, filtered and packaged without the use of isinglass, bone char or any other animal byproduct. Our beers are brewed with two row malted barley, whole cone hops, yeast and water." - Source, <a href="https://www.barnivore.com/products/5526-sierra-nevada-pale-ale" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">Barnivore</a> <h2>Bottoms up!</h2>There you have it, folks! Four incredibly drinkable vegan ales worthy of a place in your shopping basket. If you're new to ale, it can feel a bit like lager’s big brother sometimes. While their deep, rich flavours can be intimidating to newer drinkers, it's certainly worth taking the plunge. Not sure if a bevvy is vegan? Head over to <a href="https://www.barnivore.com" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">Barnivore</a>, and they'll have you sorted in two shakes of a lamb's tail. They're an incredible vegan alcohol directory and a valuable source for this article.&nbsp; If you are a lager lover, check out <a href="https://www.v-landuk.com/article/6-top-notch-vegan-lagers-you-may-not-have-tried" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">6 top-notch vegan lagers</a>, or try some <a href="https://www.v-landuk.com/article/what-s-kombucha-and-what-are-5-of-the-best-kombucha-drinks" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">alcohol-free kombucha</a>. *Always drink responsibly.

four half-pint glasses full of vegan ale on a wooden surface

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The best vegan ales money can buy

According to <a href="https://www.vegansociety.com/news/media/statistics/worldwide#:~:text=Behavioural%20changes,150%2C000%20(0.25%25)%20in%202014." rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">Ipsos Mori polls</a>, the number of UK vegans quadrupled between 2015 and 2019. A key driver of this trend is the massive growth in the market for plant-based alternatives to meat and animal products - this market is predicted to more than double to a whopping <a href="https://www.statista.com/statistics/1280394/global-plant-based-food-market-value/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">$160bn by 2030</a> in the US alone. So, how is veganism affecting the meat industry? Plant-based alternatives to meat seek to imitate and replace animal products that are often a major constituent of particular dishes. Their purpose is to reduce the demand for meat, dairy, eggs, and fish by substituting them with a close analogue - one which is made entirely from plants. People in the animal agriculture industry know and understand this, and often interpret the rise of the plant-based market as a palpable threat to their slice of the pie. As a result, the animal industry has taken certain steps to protect its interests - however, none of these steps has involved reducing slaughter or scaling back production. Instead, animal industries often employ new marketing campaigns in a rash, last-ditch attempt at retaining their market share. One example of this came in January 2022, when Dairy UK and the ADHB (Agriculture and Horticulture Development Board) teamed up to deliver their “We Eat Balanced” campaign. On the surface, this campaign was designed to reignite the nation’s passion for British farming, British meat, and British dairy products. Under the surface, however, this campaign was actually a timed, calculated attack by Big Agriculture on the popular <a href="https://www.v-landuk.com/article/sign-up-to-veganuary-every-month-can-be-veganuary-month" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">Veganuary</a> movement, which had been gaining ground every January since its inception in 2014. In an attempt to drive home the benefits of eating animals, the “We Eat Balanced” campaign placed special importance on the inability of “foods of plant origin” to adequately provide naturally occurring vitamin B12 and iron. It is therefore clear that the objective of this campaign involved generating not only renewed interest in meat and dairy, but also public mistrust in the nutritional benefits of a plant-based diet. The animal agriculture industry, with the backing of larger bureaucratic bodies such as the ADHB, is actively engaging in both defensive and offensive manoeuvres to protect its interests. However, lobbyists for the meat and dairy industries have begun to recognise that persistent social movements (such as veganism) often tend to be quite robust and have the advantage of momentum. As such, Big Ag employs other tactics in its battle to protect farming businesses. In recent years, the animal agriculture industry has looked increasingly to language for protection. In 2017, the dairy industry successfully pressured EU courts to prohibit plant-based milk companies (such as Swedish brand Oatly) from using any milk- or dairy-related terminology in their branding or on their packaging. This legislation was a considerable blow to the plant-based milk industry, but it served to show the underlying fragility of Big Dairy. On the back of this recent success, European dairy attempted in 2020 to further ban the use of terms such as ‘creamy’ and ‘buttery’ on plant-based products, but fortunately this move was unsuccessful. These kinds of regulations are a significant tactical weapon in the animal industry’s arsenal. When a plant-based company can no longer legally refer to the very foodstuff that its products aim to imitate or replace, it becomes more difficult to market and sell those products. Their labels may become less visible, less appealing, and less illustrative. Those in the animal agriculture industry know this - and thus language becomes weaponised in their quest for market dominance. However, some companies have found innovative ways to draw attention to this while still advertising, such as <a href="https://www.instagram.com/this.uk/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">THIS</a>, <a href="https://www.instagram.com/alpro/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">Alpro</a> (with their <a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/CbumtoEACEC/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">This Is Not M*lk range</a>), and <a href="https://www.instagram.com/oatly/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">Oatly</a> (with their message: “<a href="https://www.theinspiration.com/2022/03/oatly-we-cant-legally-call-this-ice-cream-but-you-still-can/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">we can’t legally call this ice cream, but you still can</a>”).&nbsp; In a recent landmark case, the government of France went one step further and passed a decree that intended to outlaw the use of any animal-related terminology on foods that contained no animal-derived ingredients; the new decree would pertain only to food produced in the country. However, this news prompted a swift backlash from many producers and manufacturers in France. After only three weeks, the decree was overturned by France’s highest court. The status of this decree is safe - for now.&nbsp; It is clear that ‘language’ is slowly becoming the main theatre in which Big Agriculture and veganism jostle for power. Whereas the animal agriculture industry tends to succeed in gatekeeping animal-related terminology, the vegan movement is not backing down. In fact, there is reasonable cause for optimism: plant-based food producers are constantly using new and innovative ways to market their products, often in comical and sarcastic ways.&nbsp; Read more about the <a href="https://www.v-landuk.com/article/toeing-the-line-how-and-why-brands-use-funny-vegan-product-names" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">funny ways in which plant-based food companies toe the legislative lines</a>.

The word ‘banned’ written in white chalk banned crossed out on a blackboard

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How the animal agriculture industry uses language for protection


Pornpack Khunatorn/Getty Images via Canva Pro

I was diagnosed with Crohn’s disease in 2021. When I was diagnosed I had no idea what Crohn’s was. If, like me, you’re not so sure what this elusive disease is, inflammatory bowel disease is an umbrella term to describe disorders that cause chronic inflammation of the gastrointestinal (GI) tract. The two most common forms of this are Crohn’s disease and Ulcerative Colitis.&nbsp; At this time, there is no cure for IBD; treatment is directed at helping patients to manage symptoms. Some of the symptoms include diarrhoea, abdominal pain, rectal bleeding, weight loss, and fatigue.&nbsp; While medical intervention is often essential in getting patients to remission, it can be helpful to also look at diet and lifestyle factors. For instance, stress is a major trigger for causing a flare of my disease, and eating anything spicy will definitely set me off. It tallies that how we live day-to-day, and what we feed our bodies, can either help or hinder the severity of our symptoms.&nbsp; Before we take a look at the benefits of a plant-based diet specifically for IBD, it’s important to emphasise that none of us in the IBD community are at fault for our diagnosis. It’s upsetting, speaking as someone with Crohn’s disease, when articles appear that suggest our food or lifestyle choices have directly resulted in the onset of disease. That is simply not the case.&nbsp; I want to take a look at the role of fibre, ultra-processed foods and animal protein in relation to IBD.&nbsp; <h2>Fibre</h2>We get dietary fibre from plants, and it is naturally found in foods such as beans, fruits, nuts and whole grains like brown rice or barley.&nbsp; There’s a common misconception that a “low fibre” diet is appropriate for all people (and at all times) with IBD. A low fibre diet is essential when you’re preparing for a colonoscopy and it’s advisable when you are in a severe flare or have strictures (narrowing of the intestinal walls due to repeated inflammation and healing.) Bulking out intestinal content in this instance might cause symptoms that feel uncomfortable.&nbsp; However, if you have active disease in a mild flare or are in remission, some fibre is beneficial. Fibre lowers cholesterol, helps stabilise blood sugar levels and feeds healthy gut bacteria. It also provides a source of energy to the cells that line the gut and helps maintain the integrity of the gut barrier. In a small study, 11 Crohn’s disease patients with moderately active disease were given 3g insoluble and 9g soluble fibre per day. Previously, they had been on a low fibre diet, but after increasing fibre intake, all 11 patients reported an improvement in symptoms, including reduction of diarrhoea, pain, urgency, incontinence and improved overall quality of life.&nbsp; <h2>Ultra-processed foods&nbsp;</h2>Ultra-processed foods account for 56.8% of total energy intake in the UK diet. Not only do processed foods predispose people to develop IBD, but aggravate the disease process too.&nbsp; Processed foods contain salt and sugar, harmful chemicals like Polysorbate 80 and Maltodextrin - emulsifiers that make foods shelf stable and taste creamy. They can be found in things like frozen desserts, cottage cheese and some canned foods. These chemicals can cause unfavourable, pro-inflammatory changes in the gut microbiome (GM) and reduce the gut’s defences against harmful bacteria.&nbsp; Generally, a higher level of GM diversity is associated with better overall health. Having a more diverse GM specifically increases our resilience to infection, impacting the effectiveness of our immune responses - in fact, 70-80% of the immune system is housed immediately behind the gut wall.&nbsp;For this reason, eating a wide variety of predominantly plant-based whole foods is going to be beneficial for your GM. <h2>Animal protein&nbsp;</h2>Studies have shown that reducing the amount of meat and dairy in a diet can improve symptoms of IBD. A review in 2019 in The Permanente Journal showed animal-based diets to be consistently associated with a lower diversity of gut bacteria and an increase of mucus-degrading bacteria that irritates the gut barrier.&nbsp; One of the most compelling studies that I’ve read shows that active Crohn’s disease can be treated with a diet that restricts animal protein, fat, dairy, emulsifiers and food additives.&nbsp; In one of these studies, researchers reported on a group of patients, some with newly diagnosed Crohn’s disease and some with established Crohn’s disease, who were resistant to immune suppression medications. All were in a moderate to severe flare of their disease.&nbsp;The researchers asked the patients to eat half of their calories from an Enteral Nutrition formula, and half from a whole food, predominantly plant-based diet for 6 weeks.&nbsp; After 6 weeks, 78.7% of the newly diagnosed patients showed a significant clinical response and 70.6% were in remission. The established disease patients saw similar results. At week 6, 90.4% of the patients were feeling substantially better and 62% were in clinical remission.&nbsp; <h2>Closing thoughts&nbsp;</h2>While medication undoubtedly plays a huge role in getting people to remission - and has certainly done so for me - diet can also play a role as part of a holistic view to managing symptoms of Crohn’s or Ulcerative Colitis. Incorporating some fibre, avoiding ultra-processed foods and reducing the amount of meat and dairy can all play a role in developing a healthy, happy gut microbiome and increase the likelihood of maintaining remission.&nbsp; For more information about how a plant-based diet might help IBD patients, take a look at the work of plant-forward gastroenterologist Dr Alan Desmond, who provides a wealth of resources on his Instagram page.&nbsp; If you are someone who lives with Crohn’s or Ulcerative Colitis you may like to check out my new vegan cookbook, The Plant-Based Crohn’s and Colitis Cookbook, which shares my nutritious, easy-to-digest plant-based recipes created specifically for people suffering with Crohn’s and Colitis, based on my own experiences of living with and cooking for Crohn’s disease. If you are interested in learning more about the benefits of a plant-based diet check out <a href="https://www.v-landuk.com/article/benefits-of-tofu" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">benefits of tofu</a> and&nbsp;<a href="https://www.v-landuk.com/article/can-a-plant-based-diet-help-prevent-and-treat-type-2-diabetes" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">can a plant-based diet help prevent and treat type 2 diabetes?</a> This article is not intended to be a substitute for medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. If you are a patient with IBD considering a change to your diet, consult a registered dietician for advice. <h1>References</h1>1. &nbsp;Roberts, C. L. et al., Translocation of Crohn’s disease Escherichia coli across M-cells: contrasting effects of soluble plant fibres and emulsifiers. Gut 59, 1331-1339 (2010)2.&nbsp;Brotherton CS, Taylor AG., Dietary fiber information for individuals with Crohn disease: reports of gastrointestinal effects. Gastroenterol Nurs. 2013 Sep-Oct;36(5):320-3273. &nbsp;Rauber F, Louzada MLDC, Martinez Steele E, et al, Ultra-processed foods and excessive free sugar intake in the UK: a nationally representative cross-sectional study BMJ Open 2019;9:e027546. doi: 10.1136/bmjopen-2018-0275464. Nickerson KP, McDonald C (2012) Crohn's Disease-Associated Adherent-Invasive Escherichia coli Adhesion Is Enhanced by Exposure to the Ubiquitous Dietary Polysaccharide Maltodextrin. PLoS ONE 7(12): e52132. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.00521325. ﻿Chiba M, Nakane K, Komatsu M., Westernized Diet is the Most Ubiquitous Environmental Factor in Inflammatory Bowel Disease. Perm J. 2019;23:18-107. doi: 10.7812/TPP/18-107. PMID: 30624192; PMCID: PMC6326567. 6.Rotem Sigall-Boneh, RD. Tamar Pfeffer-Gik, RD, Idit Segal, MD, Tsili Zangen, MD, Mona Boaz, RD, PHD, and Arie Levine, MD., Partial Enteral Nutrition with a Crohn’s Disease Exclusion Diet is Effective for Induction of Remission in Children and Young Adults with Crohn’s Disease. Inflamm Bowel Dis, Volume 20, Number 8, August 2014.

Man having abdominal pain and holding his stomach as he is suffering with Crohn’s disease

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Can a plant-based diet help keep Crohn’s disease in remission?

Vegan living comes with a few staples. Hummus. Wholegrains. And, a personal favourite of ours in the V Land UK hub: peanut butter. Filled with healthy(ish) calories, peanuts are a great source of dietary fibre and provide a wide range of essential nutrients, including several B group vitamins, vitamin E, minerals such as iron, zinc, potassium and magnesium, and antioxidant compounds such as flavonoids. All that, and as an added bonus, it tastes delicious. Whether on toast, in a sandwich or used in baking, peanut butter is an essential to stock in the cupboard all year round. As our love for peanut butter has grown, so has our desire for alternative nut butters. From chocolate hazelnut spread to cashew butter and more, it seems there isn’t a nut out there that can’t be transformed into a delicious nut butter to enjoy. But what is nut butter? Quite simply, any nut that has been ground into a spread or paste to slather luxuriously on your base of choice. And, much to our appreciation, <a href="https://www.instagram.com/hungrysquirrelnuthq/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">Hungry Squirrel</a> have perfected this down to a delectable range of delicious nut butters for fellow nut connoisseurs to scoff and enjoy. The Hungry Squirrel team produce unique artisan nut butters with the aim of making healthy options that are different to those found on supermarket shelves, packed with flavour to get your taste buds tingling and your desire for nut butter recipes brainstorming.&nbsp; <img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/v-land/image/upload/v1673641631/Image_one_8d134eb991.png" alt="Hungry Squirrel founder at a fair selling their nut butters">Hungry Squirrel All of the Hungry Squirrel range is vegan, refined sugar free, contains no palm oil, and is naturally gluten-free too. Included in the range of unique flavours is: Absolutely Almond, Almond Espresso, Chai Spiced Almond, Crunchy ABC Mix, Cookie Dough Cashew, Hazelnut &amp; Cacao, Maple Pecan, Positively Peanut, Royal Raspberry and Smooth ABC Mix. Their <a href="https://www.feedthesquirrel.co.uk/store/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">online store</a> also stocks granola, roasted nuts, gift cards and more. There is something for everyone, whether you’re craving savoury or sweet, and whilst all of the above go amazing on a rice cake or slice of toast, we thoroughly recommend checking out the <a href="https://www.feedthesquirrel.co.uk/nut-butter-recipes/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">Hungry Squirrel recipe section</a>; they have cracked one of the ultimate cookie dough recipes in our humble opinion with this truly morish <a href="https://www.feedthesquirrel.co.uk/chocolate-cookie-dough-cheesecake/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">Chocolate Cookie Dough Cheesecake</a>, and the <a href="https://www.feedthesquirrel.co.uk/vegan-peanut-butter-fudge/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">Vegan Peanut Butter Fudge</a> goes down a treat in a packed lunch box or as an on-the-go treat too. We also adore the Cookie Dough Cashew nut butter for baking, we made an absolutely divine biscoff brownie and cookie crunch cake which now has a firm place in our cookie dough recipes list. Along with creating deliciously morish nut butters, Hungry Squirrel will always have a place in our heart (and cupboards!), as the Scottish based company promotes an <a href="https://www.feedthesquirrel.co.uk/adopt-a-squirrel/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">adopt a squirrel mission</a>, encouraging people to help tackle the declining rate of native red squirrels in Scotland. If you adopt a squirrel, you will receive an eco-friendly information pack with goodies galore, and the knowledge that you’re helping an endangered species to survive and hopefully thrive again once more. For more information please visit the <a href="https://scottishwildlifetrust.org.uk/our-work/our-projects/saving-scotlands-red-squirrels/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">Scottish Wildlife Trust</a>. If you’re looking for more vegan staples to add to the shopping list, check out <a href="https://www.v-landuk.com/article/8-cupboard-staples-every-vegan-should-have" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">8 cupboard staples everyone should have</a>, and our <a href="https://www.v-landuk.com/category/recipes" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">recipe section</a> to get experimenting.

Hungry Squirrel nut butters lined up next to one another 

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Peanut butter lover? You'll love Hungry Squirrel nut butters

Veganism and dating can be delicate subjects. Balancing the harmonious wheel of diet and dating can be a precarious door to walk through.&nbsp; What are the options for vegan dating in the UK when only <a href="https://www.statista.com/forecasts/997894/diets-and-nutrition-in-the-uk" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">3%</a> of the UK population is vegan, how do we meet those people? It is possible to 'organically' meet new potential partners through vegan events, festivals, or activist groups - but what about vegan dating sites or apps? While vegan dating apps don't stray from stereotypes such as ghosting, catfishing and cringy bios, there can also be many positives to the vegan online world. They are a positive step forward, channelling veganism as more of a lifestyle rather than just a diet.&nbsp; Vegan dating apps, similar to traditional apps, show the users’ height, ideal romantic situation, sexuality and whether or not they would like children. The profile often lists the reasoning behind their vegan diet, philanthropism, pets and favourite vegan foods or drinks.&nbsp;&nbsp; <h2 class="ql-align-justify">So what vegan dating apps are out there?&nbsp;</h2><a href="https://www.instagram.com/vegglyapp/?hl=en" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(75, 172, 72); background-color: transparent;">Veggly</a>, launched in 2018, is currently the most extensive vegan and vegetarian app. The site includes fun phrases with super likes and 'carrots' to spend in the Veggly market to gain more matches. This app introduces individuals as either vegetarian, in transition or vegan for X amount of years.&nbsp;&nbsp; Similar to Hinge, Veggly shows the most information to other users. With over 300,000 users across the globe, it's not hard to see why the Veggly craze is so popular.&nbsp; <a href="https://www.instagram.com/grazerapp/?hl=en" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(75, 172, 72); background-color: transparent;">Grazer</a>, another excellent vegetarian and vegan dating app, was relaunched last year for World Vegan Day with its new tag name, 'the meatless matchmaker'. Grazer is a dating and friend-finding app similar to Bumble's BFF feature. Grazer’s passions are crystal clear with their meat-free movement slogan and 'more leaf, no beef' catchphrase. Grazer also includes the option for a friendship account and the ability to add five core values and likes to your profile.&nbsp; <a href="https://www.instagram.com/tofutogether/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(75, 172, 72); background-color: transparent;">TofuTogether</a> is also a vegan and vegetarian dating app using a scroll-type feed to show recent vegan finds, suggestions and reviews. This app can be helpful for dating, socialising and learning about new products. TofuTogether comes with this or that questions, which you can add to your profile. However, this app allows anyone to create an account with very few details parallel to Tinder and may make it harder to achieve a match.&nbsp; We hope you have enjoyed reading about some of our favourite vegan dating apps and what to expect of them. While vegan dating may be relatively new on the scene, the number of vegans is on the rise. But with vegan dating apps as our not-so-silent partner, we believe these options are a great way to meet new people and potential partners.&nbsp; Find out more about veganism and dating <a href="https://www.v-landuk.com/article/being-vegan-and-dating-can-one-get-in-the-way-of-the-other" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">here</a>, and check out ten apps that are <a href="https://www.v-landuk.com/article/10-apps-changing-the-world" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">changing the world</a> for the better.&nbsp;

Red heart made out of 0 and 1s (coding language) 

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Vegan dating apps: Should we use them or avoid them?

Veganism is a <a href="https://www.veganism.com/what-is-veganism/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">way of life</a> that rejects exploiting and harming animals (human and non-human). How does second-hand leather fit within this framework? What do you do with leather bought or inherited before you turned vegan? Animal skin or leather is already second-hand, even if you’re buying a ‘new’ leather jacket, but for this article, second-hand relates to the term commercially.&nbsp; <h2 class="ql-align-justify">Perspectives&nbsp;</h2>Vegans who do not use second-hand leather <a href="https://veganfoundry.com/should-vegans-wear-second-hand-leather/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">adhere</a> to the Vegan Society’s definition of veganism, since leather isn’t vegan, they won’t use it. For some, wearing the skin of another, regardless of how long ago it was produced, would never sit right because they cannot disassociate from the suffering inflicted on the animal to make the product in the first place.&nbsp; It’s safe to assume that vegans do not purchase ‘new’ leather; however, some wear vintage leather rather than throw it away. Arguments against this suggest that wearing any leather is <a href="https://vegan101.net/is-second-hand-leather-vegan/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">hypocritical</a>, but counter-arguments point to the hypocrisy of throwing something away, which goes against being sustainable. Discarding all leather in circulation would increase landfill pollution, producing <a href="https://www.environmentalpollutioncenters.org/news/landfill-gas-pollution/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">methane and carbon dioxide</a>, so some vegans use second-hand leather to reduce items ending up in landfill. Suggestions for vegans who possess leather include giving it to charity, but is that morally any different from wearing it yourself, as it will still be used? <a href="https://doublecheckvegan.com/do-vegans-wear-leather-wool-second-hand-vintage/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">Double Vegan Checker</a> argues that wearing vintage leather contributes to market demand, “if indirectly”, as it normalises the use and can influence trends; however, that may be an outdated sentiment as consumers are demanding sustainable and ethical products and swapping animal products with faux materials, with the synthetic market expected to <a href="https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/synthetic-leather-market-to-be-worth-66-84-billion-by-2030-grand-view-research-inc-301583619.html" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">reach 66.84 billion USD by 2030</a>, according to a new report by Grand View Research. However, many synthetic alternatives contain plastics and are non-environmentally friendly.&nbsp;&nbsp; <h2 class="ql-align-justify">Is leather a byproduct? Public misconception</h2>The general public is often told that leather is a byproduct of the meat industry, so animal skin would go to waste if not used. But this misconceived justification is simply not true, as many animal species are predominantly slaughtered for their skin, not meat. <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2008/aug/27/ethicalfashion.leather" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">Ostrich skins account for some 80% of the slaughtered bird's value</a>. Kangaroo farms supply skin to <a href="https://www.peta.org/features/what-is-kangaroo-leather/#:~:text=If%20you%20buy%20leather,%20there%E2%80%99s%20often%20no%20easy,is%20now%20kangaroo-free:%20the%20company%20announced%20it%20publicly!" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">Nike, Adidas, and Puma</a>. Unfortunately, the term ‘leather’ normalises violence as it is associated with it being a byproduct, which “<a href="https://vegan101.net/is-second-hand-leather-vegan/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">hides the reality</a>”. The Guardian suggests using the word ‘<a href="https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2008/aug/27/ethicalfashion.leather" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">subsidy</a>’ instead of ‘byproduct’,&nbsp;which makes sense considering the market value of the leather industry exceeds <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/topics/earth-and-planetary-sciences/leather-industry#:~:text=The%20leather%20industry%20trade%20is%20presently%20exceeding%20US$,is%20very%20common%20and%20used%20almost%20every%20day." rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">80 billion USD per year,</a> and <a href="https://onekindplanet.org/leather-is-not-an-ethical-byproduct/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">over a billion animals are killed on factory farms primarily for their skins every year</a>, including pigs, goats, crocodiles, and snakes, to name a few. <h2 class="ql-align-justify">The leather industry violates human rights&nbsp;</h2>Commercialising hides into leather involves human rights violations against leather tannery workers, including <a href="https://www.kindnessproject.org.au/issues/humanity/tannery-workers/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">children as young as 11 working</a> under hazardous conditions. The leather industry <a href="https://www.somewhatgreener.com/articles/the-social-impact-of-leather/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">cheap labour</a>, whereby many workers have no access to healthcare and receive no living wage.&nbsp; Most leather is <a href="https://www.collectivefashionjustice.org/tannery-workers" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">tanned with chemicals like chromium</a> (<a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4415597/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">90%</a>), <a href="https://www.leatherusa.org/formaldehyde" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">formaldehyde</a> and <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-017-09075-7" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">arsenic</a>, resulting in people working in or living near tanneries suffering from <a href="https://www.kindnessproject.org.au/issues/humanity/tannery-workers/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">health issues</a>, including cancers, skin disease, child developmental issues, and mental health illness. China has '<a href="https://www.kindnessproject.org.au/issues/humanity/tannery-workers/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">cancer villages</a>’ caused by&nbsp;<a href="http://www.chinawaterrisk.org/resources/analysis-reviews/leather-time-for-business-unusual/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">heavy metal pollution</a>&nbsp;(<a href="https://www.researchgate.net/publication/303318604_Spatial_Assessment_of_Cancer_Incidences_and_the_Risks_of_Industrial_Wastewater_Emission_in_China" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">arsenic, lead, mercury and chromium</a>) from the area's tanneries. <h2 class="ql-align-justify">Environmental impact of leather</h2>Whether leather is regarded as a by-product, co-product, or sub-product of the meat industry, animal agriculture is <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2018/may/31/avoiding-meat-and-dairy-is-single-biggest-way-to-reduce-your-impact-on-earth" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">bad</a> for the planet. To turn skin into leather, it must go through <a href="https://sehd.org/leather-industry-environmental-pollution-and-mitigation-measures/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">wasteful and environmentally damaging processes</a>, as “<a href="https://www.researchgate.net/publication/337724099_Water_Pollution_Caused_by_Leather_Industry_A_Review#:~:text=The%20leather%20industry%20presents%20a%20unique%20case;%20one,concerns%20regarding%20the%20environmental%20pollution%20to%20water%20sources." rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">leather&nbsp;production&nbsp;uses high&nbsp;amounts&nbsp;of&nbsp;chemical&nbsp;agents and&nbsp;water</a>”, resulting in “greenhouse&nbsp;gases, high amounts of solid waste, and high organic loads in the wastewater.” For every metric tonne of rawhide tanned,&nbsp;only 20% is transformed into leather.&nbsp;&nbsp; <h2 class="ql-align-justify">So, can vegans wear second-hand leather?&nbsp;</h2>Like many of life’s questions, there are no binary answers here. In an ideal world, there would be no slaughter and no leather. Still, in a time of austerity and the climate crisis, which is wiping out creatures in the midst of destroying the environment, there are valid points for not throwing away second-hand or vintage leather. And there are valid reasons for not wanting to use any leather.&nbsp; It’s doubtful any vegan would purchase ‘new’ leather, and when it comes to using vintage leather, some vegans use it, and some don’t. <a href="https://veganfoundry.com/author/alexandre93/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">Alexandre Valente</a>, from Vegan Foundry, makes a compassionate conclusion on the topic: “Personally, I believe that despite your choice, you should not be judged. Whether you want to wear second-hand leather or not use any leather at all, you’re already making a huge contribution by NOT purchasing brand-new animal products and increasing its demand.” Read more information on <a href="https://www.v-landuk.com/article/the-environmental-impact-of-animal-agriculture" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">the environmental impact of animal agriculture</a> and check out <a href="https://www.v-landuk.com/article/5-plant-leather-alternatives-for-vegans-and-environmentalists" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">5 plant leather alternatives for vegans and environmentalists</a>.

Second-hand leather jackets on a hanger in a vintage shop

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Can vegans wear second-hand leather? Is leather a byproduct? 

Picture of Ed Winters (Earthling Ed) smiling with a dark background

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Ed Winters shares why he’s compelled to champion vegan activism

Long gone are the days when soya milk was the only option when in search of an alternative to animal-based milk. As the demand for plant based milk brands has grown so has the breadth of possibilities. In the early days of the expanding plant based range, almond milk became a popular alternative to soy, but it was short-lived. It was oat that soon stole the much-coveted position as the best plant based milk out there. These are not the only options though. Walk into any large supermarket and the myriad of choice can be overwhelming. When faced with an ever-expanding wall of different plant based milk brands, it can be difficult to make a decision. Here at V-Land UK, we like to try the newest brands, especially if the offering deviates somewhat from the norm. So, with this in mind, here are some of the more unique vegan milk alternatives for you to consider.&nbsp; <h2>Potato</h2>It would appear you can make plant based milk out of almost anything. Potatoes are not a vegetable you immediately think would make good milk, but you would be wrong. It is the perfect choice for those with nut allergies or if avoiding soy. It is less of a concern for the environment too. <a href="https://www.instagram.com/dugdrinks/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">Dug</a> has to be the go-to potato milk brand with sweetened, unsweetened and barista to choose from. Despite being a relative newcomer, it is available to buy in Waitrose and via their own <a href="https://dugdrinks.com/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">website</a>. <h2>Quinoa</h2>Quinoa may initially seem like a more unusual base for milk but this grain works in the same way that rice does. If you want to maximise your intake of protein then drinking quinoa milk will help on this front compared to other options. As quinoa became more popular it did put some pressure on less developed parts of the world who mostly produced it for local consumption. However, it is easy to grow and a hardy crop and as demand has increased, other parts of the world have started to cultivate the grain, including <a href="https://hodmedods.co.uk/collections/quinoa" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">Scotland</a>. This makes it more sustainable and less environmentally damaging. It is hard to find though. Fortunately, Holland &amp; Barret stocks the award winning brand, <a href="https://www.instagram.com/its_lilk/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">Lilk</a>,&nbsp;which blends quinoa with oat and coconut to dreamy effect. <h2>Pea</h2>As the saying goes, we need to give peas a chance. And don’t worry, it won’t be green, as the peas that are used are yellow split peas. This provides for a heartier, thicker milk, which is surprisingly creamy. As a legume it is nutritionally dense and also has a lower impact on the environment. Can this be considered the best vegan milk for these reasons? It appears to have become a more popular choice and there are quite a few brands now making this type of milk. This includes <a href="https://www.mightydrinks.com/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">Mighty M.lk</a>, which can readily be found in many of the major supermarkets. <h2>Macadamia</h2>Macadamia definitely feels like one of the more extravagant milk choices out there. Even sourcing the nuts themselves can be a challenge. <a href="https://www.instagram.com/milkadamia/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">Milkadamia</a> can be found in specialist stores and online but it is worth seeking out. As far as nuts go, they are much more sustainable than other nut-based options as they are a crop that more easily adapts to different growing conditions.&nbsp;&nbsp; <h2>Hemp</h2>Hemp is a super food and a super crop. It is a nutritional powerhouse, and it can even be used to build houses and make material for clothing. Given such positive credentials, what’s not to love about this plant. Its milk has a much deeper, earthier taste than other plant based alternatives. <a href="https://www.instagram.com/gaiasfarmingco/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">Gaia</a>, who we <a href="https://www.v-landuk.com/article/gaia-s-farming-co-lives-up-to-its-name" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">reviewed</a> earlier this year, blends hemp with oat. The perfect combination, it transpires. If you want to really indulge, their chocolate milk should not be missed as it is by far the best plant based flavoured milk money can buy.&nbsp; <h2>Hazelnut</h2>Many plant based milks are made using nuts and one that works well for baking and coffee, is hazelnut. It is much nuttier in taste and from an environmental perspective compares favourably to other nut based options. We are fortunate too in that the plant based behemoth, <a href="https://www.instagram.com/alpro/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">Alpro</a>, produces this variety. This means it can be found in many supermarkets both on the shelf and in a chiller cabinet. <h2>Tiger Nut</h2>Despite its name, tiger nuts are not nuts, they are tubers. This means it may be a great choice for those with nut allergies. It is a popular drink in Spain, India and Nigeria. While big in these other countries it is not very much used in the UK. Rude Health <a href="https://rudehealth.com/products/tiger-nut-drink" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">sell one</a> (however, it’s not suitable for those with nut allergies). Why not consider experimenting with some of these unique vegan milk alternatives while baking. Our recipes for <a href="https://www.v-landuk.com/article/melt-in-your-mouth-chocolate-cake" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">chocolate cake</a> and <a href="https://www.v-landuk.com/article/brownie-recipe-you-are-going-to-want-to-try" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">brownies</a> both require plant based milk as ingredients. The different flavours the milks offer could really elevate these already yummy treats. And who knows, you could just stumble across what you consider to be the best vegan milk for you.

Glasses of vegan milk alternatives such as potato milk

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7 unusual vegan milk alternatives worth trying

So you have signed up for the gym, the marathon, the yoga teacher training, bought your gear and are ready to embark on an athlete’s journey. But you also want to eat more plant-based food and are asking yourself if you can perform well on a vegan diet and if you actually need to worry about your protein intake. After all, they say “abs are made in the kitchen,” “the most important part of sport is recovery” and “you can’t get strong on carrots and peas alone”. Well all of this is… true. The reality is that food does play a crucial role in your physical and mental well-being and that will affect how you perform, how you feel while doing sports and your overall energy levels day to day. Sport has a lot of short- and long-term benefits but can also take a toll on your body. Learning how to fuel your body properly for recovery is therefore of utmost importance. So let’s bust three myths around vegan fitness to get you to your goals: <h2>Myth 1: Eat meat to build muscle</h2>The international society of sports and nutrition recommends 0.8g/kg per day of protein for sedentary people, 1-1.6g/kg per day for endurance athletes and 1.6-2g/kg per day for strength athletes. For example, if you are 70kg, 70kg x 1.6 = 110g protein per day. Ironman <a href="https://www.instagram.com/brendanbrazier/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">Brendan Brazier</a>, track and field Olympian <a href="https://www.instagram.com/carl_lewis_official/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">Carl Lewis</a>, world heavyweight champion boxer <a href="https://www.instagram.com/davidhaye/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">David Haye</a> and tennis champion <a href="https://www.instagram.com/venuswilliams/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">Venus Williams</a>, have all proven that you can meet these requirements on a plant-based diet (1,2).&nbsp; However, systematic reviews have shown that, on average, vegan diets are lower in protein compared to other diets (3). As one cannot rely on animal products on a plant-based diet, it is important to pay attention to include a protein source with every meal. Different plant foods have the twenty different building blocks of proteins - called amino acids - in different quantities. The amino acid lysine is the lowest in the plant world, but good news, beans and legumes are all high in lysine (think black beans, kidney beans, navy beans, red, yellow, green lentils etc), so make sure you include <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/20622542/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">protein-rich foods</a>. Another easy way of making the most of legumes is to get lentil or bean pasta. They are neutral in taste, easy to digest and add a fun colour to your meals (win-win-win). Including protein powder can be helpful if required, but it should never be the main or only protein source - variety is key. <a href="https://www.instagram.com/syncprotein/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">Sync</a> is a great protein powder brand that minimises additives.&nbsp; Another great source of protein are meat replacements. Meat replacements get a bad rap for being processed compared to meat for example, but the truth is, meat does not have all the ingredients on the package that the animal consumed before it was slaughtered. Also, there are brands of meat replacements with only a handful of ingredients. <a href="https://www.instagram.com/eatplanted/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">Planted</a>, <a href="https://www.instagram.com/heurafoods/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">Heura</a> and <a href="https://www.instagram.com/vegan.outlawzfood/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">Outlawz</a> all do a great job. Seitan, or wheat gluten, is also a fantastic source of protein. You can make your own too, check this <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bJM7d_fstJA" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">YouTube</a> video. <h2>Myth 2: Veggies are not an athlete’s food</h2>Plant foods are absolutely essential for athletes. While working out, humans break down muscle fibres, and these fibres grow back in recovery. Athletes can have a suppressed immune function because of the stress they put their bodies under (2) and high-antioxidant foods can fight this. And what are those antioxidant foods? Right. Plants. The median levels of antioxidants from plant-based foods are almost triple that of animal origin (4). Incorporating a wide variety of vegetables will be most beneficial. Dark leafy vegetables (kale, bok choy, collard greens, rocket) are absolute nutritional stars, also they are important to incorporate for anyone with a menstrual cycle, to maintain good iron levels (2). So be an adult, and eat your vegetables.&nbsp; And if you are a real gym bro who thinks plants are a waste of space on your calorie-dense plate, just look up the <a href="https://www.livekindly.com/nfl-players-vegan-meal-plan-charity-morgan/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">Tennessee Titans NFL team</a>. This plant-based American Football team eats more veggies than ever needed to make their mothers proud.&nbsp; <h2>Myth 3: All supplements are unnecessary or harmful&nbsp;</h2>“Vegans need to supplement, therefore this diet is inferior to an omnivorous diet.” This, again, is a myth. First, most people who are serious about sports take some kind of supplement. Protein powder and creatine are common ones. Not just for vegans. Second, animals are supplemented with vitamins and minerals so taking supplements rather than eating supplemented animals cuts out the middleman. Third, vegans are not more prone to deficiencies, they are prone to different deficiencies. Vegans are more prone to deficiencies in B12, zinc, calcium and selenium. Vegans are also less prone to deficiencies in fibre, vitamins A, B1, B6, C, E, iron, phosphorus, magnesium, copper and folate compared to other diets (3,5). Unless you opt for Oreos dipped into Biscoff spread all day, and instead eat a variety of plant foods at each meal, it is possible to cover nutritional needs mostly with whole foods. Regular blood tests can be helpful to check and B12 supplementation is of course a must.&nbsp;A creatine supplement can also be great. Just 3-5g a day every day - whether it’s a workout day or a rest day - should do the job, it is a very well-researched supplement that has performance-enhancing effects on muscle growth and strength (6,7). In case of doubt, always check with a doctor.&nbsp; Ok, you are ready to lift some serious iron and sprint some serious miles, so start your vegan fitness journey! If you are not exactly a kitchen prince(ss) and are feeling at a loss with delicious wholesome plant-based recipes that cover your nutritional needs as an active person, these are great cookbooks: The Plant-based Athlete by <a href="https://www.instagram.com/robert.cheeke/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">Robert Cheeke</a> and <a href="https://www.instagram.com/nomeatathlete_official/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">Matt Frazier</a>, The Proof is in the Plants by <a href="https://www.instagram.com/simonhill/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">Simon Hill</a>, and Naturally Stefanie by <a href="https://www.instagram.com/naturallystefanie/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">Stefanie Moir</a>.&nbsp;Also, Andrew Bernard’s high-protein vegan cooking <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A5ZvijZcvow" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">videos</a> are epic. Added bonus, they put you in a great meditative state that will make you veg out (and maximize that recovery).&nbsp; Interested in health and vegan fitness? Take a look at these <a href="https://www.v-landuk.com/article/7-esteemed-plant-based-doctors-worth-following" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">7 esteemed plant based doctors worth following</a> or how a plant-based diet helps these <a href="https://www.v-landuk.com/article/how-does-a-plant-based-diet-help-these-famous-vegan-athletes" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">famous vegan athletes</a>. <h2>References&nbsp;</h2>1.	Rogerson, D. Vegan diets : practical advice for athletes and exercisers Vegan diets : practical advice for athletes and exercisers. (2022).2.	Foster, C., Fuhrman, J. &amp; Ferreri, D. M. Fueling the Vegetarian ( Vegan ) Athlete. Nutr. Ergogenic Aids 9, 233–241 (2010).3.	Bakaloudi, D. et al. Intake and adequacy of the vegan diet . A systematic review of the evidence. Clin. Nutr. 40, 3503–3521 (2021).4.	Carlsen, M. H. et al. The total antioxidant content of more than 3100 foods , beverages , spices , herbs and supplements. (2010).&nbsp;5. Maziarz, B., Chojęta, D., Zygmunt, E. &amp; Wróblewski, H. Influence of vegan diet on physical performance of athletes. J. Educ. Heal. Sport 10, 209–215 (2020).6. Buford, T. W. et al. Journal of the International Society International Society of Sports Nutrition position stand : creatine supplementation and exercise. 8, 1–8 (2007).7. Cooper, R., Naclerio, F., Allgrove, J. &amp; Jimenez, A. Creatine supplementation with specific view to exercise / sports performance : an update. 9, 1 (2012).

A woman in white top and orange with white and orange sports shoes sitting on a gym mat in exercising pose with dark background

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Vegan fitness: Let’s do some myth-busting

Whether you are new to veganism or whether you are a seasoned veteran, there are always more ways to actively contribute towards the cause. Many of us contemplate resolutions as we start a new year. As we enter 2023,&nbsp;this is a great opportunity to remind ourselves that there is no time like now. Here are some ideas for vegan related resolutions to add to your list.&nbsp;<h2>Get involved in animal rights activism</h2>Non-human animals cannot galvanise their own movement. Therefore, of all the oppressed beings on this planet, they are some of the most in need of allies. The animal rights movement is growing and offers more and more opportunities for individuals to be those allies.&nbsp;&nbsp;Make contact with groups like <a href="https://instagram.com/earthlingsexperiencelondon?igshid=YmMyMTA2M2Y=" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">Earthlings Experience</a>, <a href="https://instagram.com/activism.wtf?igshid=YmMyMTA2M2Y=" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">We The Free</a>, <a href="https://instagram.com/we.stand.for.the.animals?igshid=YmMyMTA2M2Y=" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">We Stand For The Animals</a> and <a href="https://instagram.com/anonymousforthevoiceless?igshid=YmMyMTA2M2Y=" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(75, 172, 72); background-color: transparent;">Anonymous for the Voiceless</a>. All of these organisations do street outreach and welcome fellow warriors into the fray. Join vigils at slaughterhouses with the <a href="https://instagram.com/thesavemovement?igshid=YmMyMTA2M2Y=" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(75, 172, 72); background-color: transparent;">Save Movement</a> or the bolder among you, disruption events with organisations like <a href="https://instagram.com/directactioneverywhere?igshid=YmMyMTA2M2Y=" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(75, 172, 72); background-color: transparent;">Direct Action Everywhere</a> are something to consider.&nbsp;&nbsp;The above are only examples of what is on offer should you wish to get more involved in the fight for animal rights. You could even just go at it solo if that is something you’d prefer. Design and print out your own leaflets, organise talks at schools or businesses, etc. Get into rights-based activism by getting creative.&nbsp;<h2>Get active with vegan runners</h2>Getting more exercise is often a goal many strive for at the start of a new year. Running is a great way to get and keep fit.<a href="https://www.veganrunners.org.uk/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(75, 172, 72);"> Vegan Runners</a> state they are one of the largest and most active vegan communities in the UK. By joining them you’ll connect with other vegans whilst donning one of the group’s signature running vests. This vest also announces to the world that being vegan does not hinder one’s ability in being fit and healthy.&nbsp;<h2>Experiment more in the kitchen</h2>Should you wish to expand your culinary horizons, there are a myriad of vegan recipe books to choose from and an even greater selection of vegan recipes online.<a href="https://www.bosh.tv/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(29, 33, 41);"> </a><a href="https://www.bosh.tv/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">BOSH!</a> is one of the many perfect resources to get you started. Their recipes tend to be relatively easy and more accessible and cater to everyone’s different needs. Their<a href="https://www.bosh.tv/recipes/bangin-bolognese" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(29, 33, 41);"> </a><a href="https://www.bosh.tv/recipes/bangin-bolognese" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">Bangin’ Bolognese</a> is a firm favourite here at V-Land UK, so why not give it a try? Another fantastic option is<a href="https://www.avantgardevegan.com/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(29, 33, 41);"> </a><a href="https://www.avantgardevegan.com/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">Avant-Garde Vegan</a>, but do be warned that the majority of their recipes are for the technically proficient. Should neither of these two recommendations take your fancy, simply search for the recipe of the vegan version of your favourite dish on the world wide web.&nbsp;Many vegan foodies started off their culinary adventure this way and who knows, maybe like some of them, you might just end up publishing your own cookbook too. <h2>Read more books about veganism</h2>Whichever book you prefer - physical, electronic or audio - there is a wide selection to peruse on the topic of veganism.&nbsp;Reading is educational, can positively challenge our world view and help promote mental wellbeing. <a href="https://www.waterstones.com/book/animal-liberation/peter-singer/9781847923844" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">Animal Liberation</a> from Peter Singer was first released in 1975 and is as important today as it was then. The book questions the way we treat non-human animals and has been hugely influential to many over the decades.&nbsp;&nbsp;Another great read is <a href="https://www.waterstones.com/book/how-not-to-die/michael-greger/gene-stone/9781509852505" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">How Not To Die</a> by Michael Greger. The author provides science based advice on how to use nutrition to prevent lifestyle diseases. Spoiler alert - a whole food plant-based diet is optimal for health.&nbsp;<a href="https://www.waterstones.com/book/this-is-vegan-propaganda/ed-winters/9781785043765" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">This Is Vegan Propaganda: (And Other Lies the Meat Industry Tells You)</a> by Ed Winters is another V-Land UK recommendation. Winters addresses how our dietary choices and exploitation of non-human animals impact the world.&nbsp;There really is no shortage of good literature on the topic of veganism. The sooner you start, the more you can read.&nbsp;<h2>Watch more vegan documentaries/films</h2>If you’re not a book person, documentaries and films will expand your vegan knowledge. The existence of the International Vegan Film Festival is a testament to the variety and quality of the content currently being produced. The annual event ran its 5th year in 2022. Their<a href="https://theivff.com/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(29, 33, 41);"> </a><a href="https://theivff.com/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">2022 listing</a> is worth looking at for inspiration. There are also the more mainstream options like <a href="https://www.nationearth.com/#" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">Earthlings</a>; <a href="https://www.landofhopeandglory.org/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">Land of Hope and Glory</a> and <a href="https://www.dominionmovement.com/watch" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">Dominion</a> - all of which powerfully put the plight of non-humans front and centre. <a href="https://www.netflix.com/title/80091936" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">Okja</a> is a fictional action-adventure Netflix movie that tackles the same subject matter. It’s the story of a young girl who rescues a genetically modified “super pig” from mistreatment at the hands of the meat industry and is most certainly worth the watch.&nbsp;&nbsp;Broader plant-based subjects include health and the environment so there is lots to get to grips with and many angles and perspectives to consider. Grab a friend or two and get watching.&nbsp;&nbsp;<h2>Donate to an animal charity</h2>If you are in a position to do so, make a one-off or regular donation to a reputable animal charity. Most donations made by the British public are allocated to human needs and causes and animal charities are often a second thought.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Most animal sanctuaries are more often than not in desperate need of support. They are the ones who give animals a second chance, but that comes at a financial cost.&nbsp;Even small donations make a difference when added up. Donating shouldn’t be a grand gesture. There is no donation too small. £20 will buy a bale of hay and £35 a bale of straw.&nbsp;&nbsp;<h2>Volunteer at an animal sanctuary</h2>If you’re not in a financial position to donate, but have some time on your hands, volunteering is donating your time. Animal sanctuaries need your donated time as much as they need your donated funds. Looking after the needs of animal residents takes time and effort and hands are often in short supply.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Volunteering for and with animals is also a great way to connect with and acknowledge the individuals who are not considered to be worthy companion animals by our society. These fellow earthlings have their own needs and personalities and we don’t often have the opportunity to be reminded of this. Go and make their home the best it can be and maybe, just maybe, you’ll make a great new friend along the way.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;<h2>Support your local vegan business and events</h2>Many events feature larger brands, but they mostly give smaller street food and independent vegan businesses an opportunity to showcase their wares and fares. More events are being run across the UK than ever before. Handy resources to find an event closest to you include the<a href="https://www.veganeventsuk.co.uk/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(29, 33, 41);"> </a><a href="https://www.veganeventsuk.co.uk/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">Vegan Events UK</a> and<a href="https://www.vegansociety.com/news/events" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(29, 33, 41);"> </a><a href="https://www.vegansociety.com/news/events" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">The Vegan Society</a> websites.&nbsp;If you are not able to attend such events, remember that small independent businesses are the lifeblood of British highstreets and our local communities. While having more plant-based options available in the mainstream is fantastic, small independent businesses led the way in making veganism accessible. Do try and support local vegan businesses.&nbsp;They very much need our support, particularly in areas where vegans may be in short supply.&nbsp;If you have ideas on how to get more active for the vegan cause in 2023, we would love for you to share them in the comment sections on our social media accounts.&nbsp;&nbsp;If you’re looking for more inspiration to step on the vegan activism ladder, check out <a href="https://www.v-landuk.com/article/how-your-creative-career-choices-contribute-to-vegan-activism" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">creative career choices that contribute towards activism</a> and <a href="https://www.v-landuk.com/article/unique-uk-animal-rights-activism-approaches" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">unique UK animal rights activism approaches</a>.&nbsp;

Group of vegan activists protesting for animal rights holding placards and marching.

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New year, new vegan resolution ideas to add to your list

The reasons why people become vegan are as varied and as many as the number of vegans in the world. One thing we all agree on is it’s a lifestyle which everyone tries to live in the most genuine and ethical way.&nbsp; When we talk about veganism or plant-based, the first thing that comes to the mind of non-vegans and even new vegans is “What will I eat if I become vegan?”. Questions like these about food are the most common when we talk to non-vegans, or vegans who have just started their journey.&nbsp; But the more pressing question for those who have been vegan for longer is “How will I take care of my beauty now, since many brands test their products on animals?” and “What are the best vegan products on the beauty market that will bring me the results I want?”. The beauty market is the second largest in the world after the food and beverage market, according to Forbes magazine. For this reason, and as we vegans also want to take care of our body and our skin, we decided to bring to our readers some of the best vegan skincare brands for you to try out this Veganuary. And best of all, these brands are based in the UK and prices are suitable for all budgets. <h2>Luna Skins&nbsp;</h2>The founder of <a href="https://www.instagram.com/lunaskins_/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">Luna Skins</a>, Luna Seto, has developed a keen interest in homemade beauty remedies and would look on the internet for hours upon hours searching for the best, natural homemade remedies for her skin. Luna products are packed with caffeine and antioxidants; the formula may improve blood circulation, could reduce the appearance of cellulite, and help prevent premature ageing. The ingredients are different to most brands as 85% of Luna Skins products are made from coffee beans that have anti-inflammatory and antibacterial properties that can help beat acne blemishes.&nbsp; Luna Skins have gone on to create several products on the market, all of which have given great results for users and this has been noticed by customers, influencers, beauty magazines, and our V-Land UK team. Luna Skins aim to provide high-quality natural beauty remedies for all skin types. They want to help their customers build confidence by giving that individual glowing, radiant skin. Their products can help with those annoying acne scars, cellulite and stretch marks so that you can feel like the best version of yourself. Luna Skins products are about achieving great-looking skin that glows under the spotlight. They are organic, simple, natural products that have no artificial chemicals, and most importantly are 100% cruelty-free. One of the best vegan skincare brands in our opinion. One of our most liked products is the <a href="https://lunaskins.co.uk/shop/coffee-coconut-oil-face-scrub-100ml/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">Coffee &amp; Coconut Oil Face Scrub</a> which left our skin silky-smooth by eliminating impurities from the skin, the results were impressive. <img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/v-land/image/upload/v1673032382/Luna_Skins_0659271d25.png" alt="Vegan skincare products by vegan skincare brand - Luna Skins.">Luna Skins <h2>LU Skincare</h2><a href="https://www.instagram.com/_lu_skincare/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(75, 172, 72); background-color: transparent;">LU Skincare</a> ensures only the highest-quality ingredients are in their skincare products and could improve the health and appearance of your skin. They cater for all complexions and skin types so wherever you are in the world you can find the one that suits you perfectly. Whatever your skin type is, if you are prone to breakouts or acne, or if you want to reduce fine lines and wrinkles and have fully hydrated, clean and healthy skin they can help you achieve the best results. So they have simply followed Mother Nature’s lead by offering natural skincare with honest ingredients. All their products are beautifully blended using the finest oils of argan, coconut, passionflower seed, avocado, evening primrose and more. Combined with other ingredients such as oat silk means they are amazingly smooth and highly nurturing and hydrating to the skin. Many products contain essential oils which further enhance their range with uplifting or soothing properties. They are suitable for vegans and are not tested on animals. We love all their products, especially their <a href="https://laurenceandumehltd.com/product/skin-boosting-moisturiser-and-serum-2-in-1-with-lavender-and-rose-essential-oils/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">Goutte de Rosee</a> and <a href="https://laurenceandumehltd.com/product/almond-scented-skin-rejuvenating-night-cream/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">Minuit Cream</a>; the former is especially hydrating and nourishing and the latter is our team’s go-to. <img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/v-land/image/upload/v1673032493/LU_Skincare_6d7afd650d.png" alt="Tub of pink vegan skincare cream by vegan skincare brand - LU Skincare.">LU Skincare<h2> </h2><h2>Circular Technologies</h2>At <a href="https://www.instagram.com/circulartechnologies/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">Circular Technologies</a>, they are advocates of sustainable skincare. Sustainable skincare is essentially choosing products that will meet your skin and beauty needs, without harshly impacting the environment or the safety of humans. They have biodynamic gardens where they cultivate several herbs and flowers: such as rose and lavender. From these plants, they produce macerates, hydrolats, extracts and infusions which are used in their formulations. Circular Technologies mission is to create products with as minimal negative impact on the environment, natural world, and yourself as possible - which is why, this year, they have invested in a biomass boiler so the production of their skincare is one step closer to being carbon neutral in line with people targets. Their guide for true sustainability is supporting planet Earth’s ecosystems in all of their diversity. Respect for nature’s systems and how we can harmoniously create within them is at their core, from choosing raw materials to manufacturing, packaging and distribution. The brand remains at all times true to their principles, defining beauty above all, as the joy of nurturing not only your own body, but all expressions of life on this planet, with equal and absolute love and respect.&nbsp; Their <a href="https://www.circulartechnologies.co.uk/product/hand-restore-lotion/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">Hand Restore Lotion</a> smells amazing; it is deeply restorative and moisturising, leaving your hands soft. Our team also loved the <a href="https://www.circulartechnologies.co.uk/product/day-hand-soothing-cream/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">Day Hand Soothing Cream</a> which kept our hands hydrated all day long - not to mention the smell is wonderful. <img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/v-land/image/upload/v1673032620/Circular_Technologies_a6a44155f5.png" alt="Vegan skincare hand cream by vegan skincare brand - Circular Technologies">Circular Technologies If you are looking for more vegan beauty content check out <a href="https://www.v-landuk.com/article/pleasing-to-our-senses-harry-styles-vegan-make-up" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">Harry Styles’ make up brand Pleasing</a> or if you’re into DIY beauty: <a href="https://www.v-landuk.com/article/vegan-body-scrub-how-to-make-vegan-body-scrub-at-homepresent-articles" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">how to make vegan body scrub at home</a>.

Man massaging vegan skincare products into his face

Vegan skincare brands you have to try this Veganuary 

In recent years, Brighton has been named the ‘vegan capital of the world’ and for good reason - it is a hub for independent vegan businesses to show off what great vegan food is all about. The humble burger has been adapted for vegans on just about any pub menu, and has been a great staple for experimentation across high street chains.&nbsp; But have you ever wondered, where do I find the best vegan burgers in Brighton? We took it upon ourselves to take a grand tour of the Brighton vegan burger scene to give you some of our hot takes: <h2><a href="https://www.thevurgerco.com/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(75, 172, 72); background-color: transparent;">The Vurger Co.</a></h2>Starting as a small market stall back in 2016, <a href="https://www.instagram.com/thevurgerco/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">The Vurger Co</a>. has grown to over four restaurants across London, Manchester and Brighton. What makes The Vurger Co. super special is their range of burger patties, such as their sausage style patty, vegetable patty, ‘fish’ patty, crispy ‘chicken’ patty and beyond meat patties, all with totally unique flavour combinations to tingle your taste buds. Alongside this they offer a range of mouthwatering salad bowls, sides and decadent milkshakes which are to die for. And to let you in on a little secret, they even have a <a href="https://www.instagram.com/thevurgercosecretmenu/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">secret instagram menu</a> with hidden specials! <h2><a href="https://ooweevegan.com/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(75, 172, 72); background-color: transparent;">Oowee Vegan</a></h2>Opening their 5th location in the heart of Brighton this summer, <a href="https://www.instagram.com/oowee_vegan/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">Oowee Vegan</a> has a mission of revolutionising fast food - to be a high street restaurant that’s loved by vegans and non-vegans alike. With a huge range of fried chick’n burgers, plant-based beef burgers, dirty fries, chick’n strips, sides and milkshakes, you can really live your best vegan junk food life. Oowee Vegan crafts their very own secret chick’n recipe, and it's one that you won’t want to miss. <img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/v-land/image/upload/v1671279443/Image_1_31_pic_2_edit_2_84bbd55b9d.jpg" alt="vegan burger with vegan cheese "><a href="about:blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">Oowee Vegan</a> <h2><a href="https://www.honestburgers.co.uk/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">Honest Burgers</a></h2>Whilst <a href="https://www.instagram.com/honestburgers/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">Honest Burgers</a> isn’t an exclusively vegan restaurant, it is one of our all time favourites, so we just couldn’t leave this one off the list. With two plant-based options on the menu using the infamous Beyond Meat patties, these folks really know how to pack a simple burger full of flavour. With over forty locations across England and Wales, it's a great option for groups, catering for different dietary requirements. We’ve even had non-vegan friends opting for the vegan burger claiming it's just as tasty, without that heavy feeling afterwards. <h2><a href="https://www.worldsend.pub/food" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">Vegan Noms</a></h2>Born out of the experimental pub &amp; food scene in Brighton, <a href="https://www.instagram.com/worldsend_btn/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">Vegan Noms</a> serves guilt free junk food from the heart of The World’s End pub. With a range of chick’n burgers and wings, moving mountains burgers, ‘not dogs’ , deserts and shakes, you’ll be sure to soak up those pints with some mouth-watering dishes. They’re also passionate about sustainability not only in their food, but with their 100% biodegradable and environmentally friendly packaging - we love that! Keen to see more of what vegan delights Brighton has to offer? Check out our guide to <a href="https://www.v-landuk.com/article/delightful-vegan-brunch-options-in-brighton" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">vegan brunch spots</a> and the <a href="https://www.v-landuk.com/article/the-best-4-vegan-fish-and-chips-in-brighton" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">best vegan fish and chip options in Brighton</a>.﻿

vegan burgers, sweet potato fries and vurger co milkshakes

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Best vegan burgers in Brighton

To celebrate Veganuary,&nbsp;East London’s popular bakery <a href="https://charlesartisanbread.co.uk/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">Charles Artisan Bread</a> has launched its indulgent Vegan Savoury Croissants menu which is available at both its micro-bakery in Clapton and its bakery in Chobham, just in front of the Velodrome. Locals and visitors can choose from three delicious vegan croissants, including Vegan Cheese and Tomato, Zalmon and Vegan Cream Cheese and Vegan N’duja &amp; Vegan Brie, all priced at £4.25 and available across the whole month of January. The bakery also offers an impressive selection of vegan pastries and bakes - carb-loving customers can choose from several loaves including the Clapton Sourdough (white), the Charles Wholemeal Sourdough, the Multigrain Wholemeal Sourdough and daily specials, as well as savoury focaccia and delicious sandwiches for every taste.&nbsp; Sweet lovers can pick from a magnificent selection of handmade pastries with Vegan Almond Danish, Vegan Pear &amp; Almond Danish, Vegan Apple Crumble Danish, and daily specials including mouth-watering Vegan Donuts, to satisfy every need. Specialising in Danish artisan sourdough bread and pastries, each loaf and pastry is made with natural ingredients without additives. Using a slow 24-hour fermentation process, the bakery produces a finite number of goods daily, maintaining high-quality standards to satisfy its clients’ needs. <img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/v-land/image/upload/v1672773999/Image_1_33_pic_2_edit_1_49d01df913.jpg" alt="Three vegan croissants on a wooden board ">Charles Artisan Bread Championing its East London origins, both bakeries stock several local products including Vegan Cheese from Honestly Tasty, and Chilli Sauces from Dalston Chillies. Charles Artisan Bread is also passionate about giving back to its beloved local community. Over the Christmas period across the month of December, it helped charity <a href="about:blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">Hackney Night Shelter</a> with their mission to provide shelter and support to homeless guests, kindly donating 50p for each pastry sold at both its micro-bakery in Clapton and its bakery in Chobham, just in front of the Velodrome. Charles Artisan Bread is open daily from 8 am until 3 pm. The Clapton bakery is located at 51 Lower Clapton Road, E5 0NS, the Chobham site is located at 8 Abercrombie Road, Chobham Manor, E20 1FU. For more info, you can visit <a href="https://charlesartisanbread.co.uk/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">their website</a> or find them on <a href="https://instagram.com/charlesartisanbread?igshid=YmMyMTA2M2Y=" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">Instagram</a>. If you would like more insight into baking we had the pleasure of interviewing the founder of the first vegan bakery in the UK; read more about it <a href="https://www.v-landuk.com/article/luzolo-ntima-founder-of-the-first-vegan-bakery-in-the-uk" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">here</a>. Or perhaps, you would like to try your hand at baking yourself, if so check out our <a href="https://www.v-landuk.com/article/brownie-recipe-you-are-going-to-want-to-try" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">decadent brownies</a> and <a href="https://www.v-landuk.com/article/melt-in-your-mouth-chocolate-cake" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">melt-in-your-mouth chocolate cake</a>.

Inside micro-bakery Charles Artisan Bread with a variety of vegan pastries and bakes

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Charles Artisan Bread: London bakery with delicious vegan options


Many people want to kick off the new year with resolutions; from our perspective few are better than trying Veganuary. However, for those who take on this challenge the question often arises - what to eat? What are some tasty and quick vegan recipe ideas? We hope to show you how easy it is to prepare a delicious, nutritious vegan meal. It doesn't matter if you need something for breakfast, lunch, dinner or as a snack; these fritters with an aromatic dip are always a splendid idea.<h2> </h2><h2>Ingredients for 2 portions:</h2> For the fritters:500g potatoes 250g canned white beans (drained weight) ½&nbsp;brown onion 100g flour 1 tsp white pepper Pinch of nutmeg and cumin Salt and black pepper Neutral plant oil for frying For the roasted pepper dip:2 medium sized red bell peppers ½&nbsp;brown onion&nbsp; 2 cloves of garlic 3 tbsp olive oil 1 tbsp chopped parsley 20ml water Bit of sugar Pinch of cayenne pepper Salt and black pepper <h2>Method:</h2>• Let's start with the dip. Wash the red peppers, remove the seeds, as well as the stalk and chop them up. Peel and halve the onion, also peel the garlic cloves and chop everything up. • Add two tablespoons of olive oil to a frying pan and slightly heat it up. Roast the vegetables for about 15 minutes on low to medium heat, adding another tablespoon of olive oil in the meantime. You will know the vegetables are ready, when they start getting slightly charred. A few moments before they are cooked, sprinkle a bit of sugar on top. • Tip everything in a blending jar, add 20 ml of water and the dry spices and blitz it up, using a hand blender. • Chop the parsley, add it and give it a good stir. Then cover the jar and place it in the fridge to let it cool down completely. • For the fritters, peel the potatoes and grate them, using a grater, afterwards press the water out, using some kitchen paper or a clean tea towel. Thoroughly drain the white beans, put them in a mixing bowl and blend them with a hand blender.&nbsp; • Take the other half of the onion and finely slice or grate it, before mixing it together with the grated potatoes and the blended beans. • Add the flour and the spices and give everything a proper mix with your hands. Then shape around 6-8 fritters. • Heat up some neutral plant oil in a frying pan and fry the fritters till they become golden and crispy. Put them aside on some kitchen paper and sprinkle some salt and top to keep them crispy. Enjoy these with your family and friends. All you need now is some vegan dessert recipes. We wholeheartedly recommend our decadent <a href="https://www.v-landuk.com/article/brownie-recipe-you-are-going-to-want-to-try" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">brownies</a> and <a href="https://www.v-landuk.com/article/melt-in-your-mouth-chocolate-cake" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">chocolate cake</a>.

Three white bean and potato fritters on a white plate next to a roasted red pepper dip on a black table

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White bean and potato fritters with roasted pepper dip

Do we need meat to compete? Plant-based nutritionist <a href="https://www.instagram.com/yumfu.life/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">Callum Weir</a> dispels this myth. Cutting through the misinformation to help individuals thrive on a plant-based diet from your average Joe to high-level athletes. He was kind enough to share his journey with us. V-Land UK (V-L): What inspired you to set up Yumfu and to be a plant-based nutritionist? Callum Weir (CW): There’s so much misinformation online and the algorithms will often give you more of what you hope to find, creating echo chambers. This means that whether you type in about veganism, meat or anything nutrition-related you can find data and information - which may be biased - to support whichever viewpoint you hold as well as some which can probably demonise the other side.&nbsp; I initially viewed myself as not knowing a huge amount and being confused about nutrition, so I started to delve into learning about plant-based nutrition with a focus on whole foods and I got qualified. Then, I thought that as I had been so confused there must be others who feel like me, so I wanted to help to dispel some myths and provide people with accurate and helpful nutritional information: I was thinking of what to call this service and I stumbled across <a href="https://www.instagram.com/yumfu.life/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">Yumfu</a> - it doesn’t “mean” anything, but it’s cute, catchy and stuck. V-L: What compelled you to start the Plant Fuelled Podcast? CW: <a href="https://open.spotify.com/show/0e8b8K8stp7S5KmJWxFInm?si=038f533993ae4c25&amp;nd=1" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">Plant Fuelled Podcast</a> was set up on the back of networking with some amazing individuals who did exceptional things while following a plant-based diet. I wanted to amplify their voices by featuring them on a podcast which reaches far more people than they could reach solely through their social media presence and ask them to share why they went plant-based, how it’s helped their conditions/lives and helping to disprove the myths that eating plants will make you weak and ill; to highlight there are benefits to a fully plant-based diet. I didn’t expect anything to come of it, it was just going to be a bit of fun. It did get an audience and I had some incredible guests, which I never expected to be able to get on the podcast.&nbsp; V-L: What were some of your favourite, most insightful chats? CW: There were two podcasts in particular with <a href="https://www.instagram.com/robert.cheeke/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">Robert Cheeke</a> and <a href="https://www.instagram.com/goodgutdoc/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">Dr Anthony Rafferty</a>. With the latter we dove deep into gut health, how to look after the insides of our bodies and how to optimise this extremely important facet through areas such as nutrition. Everything we do is really affected by microbes. Did you know that 90% of our bodies are made up of bacteria?&nbsp; The episode with Robert was meant to focus on bodybuilding, but ended up being around mindset and how just when he was about to give up, all these doors started opening up for him. One particularly illuminating statement he made was around time and technology:&nbsp; “The most important thing is that I rediscovered a tremendous amount of time; the thing we are all going to run out of. The thing we are just gripping and holding on to, that is just fleeting… I realised I had hours and hours of extra time, which used to be taken over with my obsession with portable technology, that was controlling me, I wasn't controlling it, it was absolutely controlling me.” V-L: We heard you have been offered to host a podcast in which you interview some of the biggest plant-based athletes and Olympians in the world? Well done, how did that come about? CW: It’s amazing. Grateful, would be an understatement. It came out of the blue, Robert (from above) emailed me and suggested the idea and even though I had no planned theme for the second season of Plant Fuelled podcast, I couldn’t turn down such a great opportunity! The second season will consist of conversations with extraordinary athletes in the build-up to the Mr America competition in Atlantic City including some from Robert Cheeke’s <a href="https://www.instagram.com/veganstrongteam/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">Vegan Strong</a> team.&nbsp; V-L: We saw that you offer restaurant menu creations, please tell us some of the favourite restaurants you have collaborated with? CW: It’s not something I set out to do, I was asked about offering it as a service and have done it a few times. Currently, I am working with a restaurant in London that will offer a fusion of Spanish and English food, I have been tasked with veganising some traditional Spanish dishes such as paella, I have been using artichokes, seaweed and a few other ingredients to try and mimic the deep flavours of paella. <img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/v-land/image/upload/v1671277654/Image_1_30_pic_2edit_2_70f4450b65.jpg" alt="Plant-based nutritionist Callum Weir smiling while holding a bag of flaxseeds ">Maddison Hicks V-L: We know you offer a plant-based transition plan for individuals, is that popular? It seems a great and needed resource for the v-curious. CW: It is popular, it is only second to my body builder and athlete plan. The majority of my clients are flexitarians; some want to go fully vegan, some want to simply eat more plants and others just want more information around how to thrive on a plant-based diet. The transition period is key in whether individuals stay on the path towards a more plant-based - or even fully vegan - lifestyle: I steer people away from ‘middle ground foods’ such as plant-based fast food and towards whole plant foods which ought to increase the adherence rate for those transitioning. Highlighting ways we can mimic tastes they miss (the most missed is cheese) is also a point I focus on, for example, they miss lasagna so I tell them they can substitute cheese for cashew cream and nutritional yeast. V-L: It proves that you don’t need meat to compete; in fact, quite the opposite with your bodybuilder and athlete nutrition plans. Do you have any plans for the future? CW: Exactly, I help a lot of runners and CrossFit enthusiasts fuel themselves optimally; they often are well informed about their macronutrients (protein, fat, carbohydrate), however, they tend to need help hitting their micronutrient (vitamins and minerals) targets. By making sure they are hitting all of their targets and eating a diet high in antioxidants they can thrive, recover quicker and hopefully perform better than their competition; if they don’t pay attention to even a couple of micronutrients they will not be able to reach their peak performance. Over the next decade, I do see myself still wanting to be a plant-based nutritionist, helping others and building the Plant Fuelled Podcast. However, supposing things continue to go well, there may be a limit which is reached in which I can no longer offer bespoke plans for say 100 clients at once. I like the idea of having an app which people can use, they enter personal information, likes/dislikes and their goals - the app, alongside help from me and my team (maintaining the human element is very important), helps them achieve this. I’m sure lots will change within the decade so it’s hard to know for sure where I will be and what my goals will be, however, I feel it is likely to still involve championing plant-based nutrition, and hopefully to a larger group of individuals.&nbsp; It was great chatting Callum and we wish you and Yumfu every success! If any readers are in the “New Year, New Me” frame of mind or simply would like some help in improving their plant-based nutrition, Callum offers a <a href="https://www.yumfu.life/product-page/free-consultation" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">free initial consultation</a>.

 Plant-based nutritionist Callum Weir holding vegetables and next to canned vegan foods 

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Exploring the power of plant-based with nutritionist Callum Weir

At V-Land UK we know that our readership consists of vegans and the v-curious. So if you’re thinking of making the change for Veganuary, we provide 10 fabulous reasons to go vegan for January and keep going long after Veganuary ends. <h2>Save water, save the world</h2>A U.N. report entitled “<a href="https://www.researchgate.net/publication/239524071_Livestock's_Long_Shadow_Environmental_Issues_and_Options" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">Livestock’s Long Shadow</a>” has revealed that&nbsp;“eating meat is one of the most significant contributors to the most serious environmental problems, at every scale from local to global”. Thus switching to veganism is a powerful way to help save our planet. For every litre of cow’s milk produced, the global water footprint is 1050 litres! Furthermore, consider the fact that approximately 2400 gallons of water are needed to produce just one pound of beef! The numbers are crazy and unsustainable. Ditching animal products is most certainly the way to go. <h2>Stop the unfair and unethical treatment of animals</h2>Before I turned vegan, I was a vegetarian. I thought I was doing more than enough to help not only the environment but also the horrific treatment of animals. It’s only when you look deeper at how dairy cows are treated that you realise how barbaric dairy farming truly is. Go to<a href="http://www.scarydairy.org.uk" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"> </a><a href="http://www.scarydairy.org.uk" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">Scary Dairy</a> to see how consuming dairy products violates moral codes. Bottom line – dairy is not good for you or the planet. It’s only good for calves.&nbsp; <h2>It may help you reach your ideal weight</h2>The caloric density of animal products can cause people to exceed their energy balance and put on weight and potentially contribute to other health issues. Loading our plates with veggies, pulses and all the good stuff can help drop the pounds as they tend to be nutrient-dense but not calorically dense and <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/20096093/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">often have</a> higher levels of antioxidants than animal products. If you have trouble with or don’t like veggies, blend them into a pasta, chilli sauce or soup - that way you’ll still get all the health benefits.&nbsp; <h2>Vegan doesn’t mean expensive</h2>If you’re cutting meat out of your diet, you’re not only helping the planet but you’re also helping your bank account. Vegetables are cheaper than steak or prawns. Buying from a local market or trader is cheaper and contributes towards the local economy. You could also look at buying more expensive products like seeds and nuts in bulk either online or at a discount supermarket. Eating whole foods plant-based isn’t only cheaper, but healthier - something your health, waistline and your wallet will thank you for. <h2>Help end world hunger</h2>The amount of crops and water it takes to raise animals for food is astonishing. It takes up to 13 pounds of grain to produce only 1 pound of meat. That grain would be better used by distributing it for human consumption. Eating meat not only destroys the planet and your health, but it is hurting others. One in nine people in the world are undernourished but still a third of our global crop production goes towards the production of meat products. By ending this we could help in reducing needless hunger as we are able to grow more crops for people and not for livestock. <h2>Help prevent and alleviate certain lifestyle diseases</h2>Research has proven that a plant-based diet can help alleviate the symptoms of chronic conditions such as <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/31552259/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">arthritis</a>. It can also help prevent and treat life-threatening diseases such as <a href="https://www.v-landuk.com/article/can-a-plant-based-diet-help-prevent-and-treat-type-2-diabetes" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">diabetes</a> and <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5466936/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">heart disease</a>.&nbsp; <h2>Avoid hidden nasties</h2>There’s no polite way to say this but animal flesh can be contaminated with faeces, blood and puss. A <a href="https://www.food.gov.uk/research/antimicrobial-resistance/a-microbiological-survey-of-campylobacter-contamination-in-fresh-whole-uk-produced-chilled-chickens-at-retail-sale-y6" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">study</a> done by The Food Standards Agency detected Campylobacter spp. in 59.6% of the chicken skin samples obtained from non-major retailer shops. Campylobacter app. are the most common bacterial cause of foodborne illness in the UK, with chicken considered to be the most important vehicle for this organism. That is a whole lot of NOPE from us! <h2>It’s easier than it’s ever been</h2>Britain’s vegan population has increased from 150,000 to 542,000 in the space of just a decade. It’s become easier and easier to find vegan food in supermarkets and on restaurant menus. We don’t recommend eating faux products too often as these can be highly processed, but they do make the transition a lot easier.&nbsp;&nbsp; <h2>A whole new culinary adventure</h2>It’s easy to fall into a cooking rut when using meat and dairy. Cooking vegan food forces you to get creative. The vibrant colours of vegan food can be exotic and adventurous. There are thousands of edible plants to work with and culinary techniques have grown with the vegan movement. Who would have thought that the best vegan cheese is made from nuts, or that an omelette can be made from beans? The possibilities are endless.&nbsp;&nbsp; <h2>A new community</h2>Like with all changes in life, when going vegan, you will encounter some push back. Not everyone in your circle of friends and family will understand your decision. Fortunately, the vegan movement is large and still growing. There are plenty of people who have walked the path you are on and who are able to support you and shower you with patience and understanding. There are vast amounts of social media groups dedicated to veganism, so you are bound to make new friends and become part of a community that gets you when others don’t.&nbsp;&nbsp; Want to know more about the financial side of veganism? Find out if it really is cheaper <a href="https://www.v-landuk.com/article/vegan-on-a-budget-is-it-really-cheaper" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">here</a>.

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10 fabulous reasons to go vegan in the New Year

Spending time with friends and family at Christmas is often the best part about it - until they find out you’re vegan. Unless you’re having a completely vegan Christmas, you will likely be surrounded by your non-vegan loved ones and everything they have to say. Telling someone that you’re a vegan is often like playing a really strange game of roulette, you just don’t know how they are going to act. You’d think in a world with so many different diets, from gluten-free to halal, that veganism would be far better understood than it seems to be. Unfortunately, this isn’t the case and while you’ll experience some positive reactions when you tell people you’re a vegan, they can really vary. Not only is it such a food-centric time of year, it’s also a time when you are likely seeing friends and family that you haven’t seen for a while. Unlike those closest to you, they probably don’t know that you’re vegan and you’ll have to have the same conversation over and over again.&nbsp; Despite your <a href="https://www.vegansociety.com/go-vegan/why-go-vegan" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">reasons</a> being the same - going vegan for the animals, <a href="https://www.wired.co.uk/article/vegan-diet-environmental-carbon-impact" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">planet</a>, your <a href="https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/vegan-diet-benefits" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">health</a> (or all three) - the other person’s reaction will vary depending on who you’re talking to. While every reaction will be unique, there are some that are certainly more common. Here are the types of people you’ll meet this Christmas as a vegan. <h2>The coercer</h2>No matter how long you’ve been living a vegan lifestyle, there is always a loved one that is trying to get you to step outside the lines of plant-based eating. From the innocent “oh it did have meat on it but I picked it off for you” to the wicked “oh you can have one egg, what’s one egg?!” Though this can be frustrating, it’s important to understand that this usually comes from a place of caring. These individuals enjoy eating these foods and truly think that you’re missing out when you don’t want to partake in eating them too. How to deal with this: politely decline each time and explain <a href="https://www.vegansociety.com/go-vegan/why-go-vegan#:~:text=Preventing%20the%20exploitation%20of%20animals,right%20to%20life%20and%20freedom." rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">why</a> you’re vegan to help them understand. <h2>The concerned</h2>This type of loved one is an offshoot of the coercer. They will likely equally try and get you to indulge in non-vegan food and drinks but from a slightly different place. Instead of just wanting to share their favourite thing to eat and drink with you at Christmas, this individual is concerned for your health, often based on misinformation surrounding meat and dairy products. In most cultures, including here in the UK, it’s not common practice to discuss the negative implications of someone's diet. However, the meat and dairy industry have pushed the idea of these products being both beneficial and even vital for human health.&nbsp; This has been disputed countless times in recent years, with many studies finding that animal products aren’t only unnecessary for a <a href="https://www.peta.org/about-peta/faq/dont-we-need-to-eat-meat-and-dairy-products-to-be-healthy/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">healthy</a> lifestyle but can actually have much more of a negative impact. It’s important to remember that this individual probably just cares about you and wants you to be as healthy as possible. Unfortunately, their idea of what makes up a healthy diet may be a little misguided. How to deal with this: acknowledging their concern is certainly the most important move to make when coming across these people at Christmas. However, if possible, letting them know the benefits of a vegan diet may not only set their mind at ease but also open their mind up to a different way of eating. <h2>The confused</h2>Though many people in your life may be confused as to why you are vegan, in this case the confused refers to those individuals who just don’t understand what being a vegan means. Whether it’s being confused with vegetarianism with the occasional “but you can have halloumi right?” or those that think it’s such a restrictive diet and question every food you come across “can you eat bread? What about apples? Are brussel sprouts vegan?” How to deal with this: though you might find the barrage of questions a bit much, this is actually a great opportunity to open up the conversation and discuss veganism. After being asked what you do and don’t eat, going into the why can really help them understand this way of living and why it’s so important. <h2>The carnist</h2>Probably the most difficult members of your family at Christmas. The carnist reaction itself can take many forms. From the hedonistic “I eat meat because it tastes good” to the appeal to nature “tigers eat meat”. While it’s natural to want to argue that their physiology differs quite a bit from that of a <a href="https://www.veganfoodandliving.com/features/are-humans-designed-to-eat-meat/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">carnivore</a>, in these cases, it’s probably best to not engage in a heated debate over the not-so vegan Christmas dinner table.&nbsp;Part of going against the grain with something like a vegan diet is understanding that some people are so far removed from your belief system, that it’s not worth the hassle of trying to get them to see the other side of things. How to deal with this: keep conversation surrounding food as limited as possible and change the subject if needed.&nbsp; <h2>The curious</h2>This is arguably the best type of loved one to come across during the Christmas period. The curious want to know about veganism and are likely coming to you as a source of knowledge in some way. Having this mindset means they are not only comfortable with your choice but want to know more about it for themselves. Conversations with this type of person can range from anything, whether that’s animal welfare, <a href="https://www.bbcgoodfood.com/howto/guide/best-sources-protein-vegans" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">plant-based protein sources</a> or vegan Christmas treats.&nbsp; How to deal with this: using this chance to answer as many questions as they have can really help them on their own journey towards veganism and is a nice break from dealing with the family members above. There is no doubt about it, being vegan stirs up a variety of reactions from people and it’s clear why. When you’re doing something that is making a difference, highlights injustice and presents a level of self-control not usually found in today’s food culture, it’s bound to rub some people up the wrong way.&nbsp; Though you meet these people all year round, it can be much more common at Christmas, with different sides of families all coming together for this special time of year. Understanding that you’ll have to deal with these individuals at some point and knowing you won’t convince everyone, the most important step to take before sitting down at the dinner table with your nut roast. How about checking out our <a href="https://www.v-landuk.com/article/vegan-christmas-dinner-ideas-that-everyone-can-enjoy" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">vegan Christmas dinner ideas that everyone can enjoy</a> and if you are being extra last-minute we come to your salvation with our guide to <a href="https://www.v-landuk.com/article/impress-your-office-with-these-vegan-secret-santa-gifts-under-10" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">impressing your office with vegan secret santa gifts under £10</a>.

Disgruntled looking women chatting with men in a festive looking room with candles and lights 

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5 types of family members that a vegan can face at Christmas

If you are vegan and haven't heard of <a href="https://instagram.com/gauthierinsoho?igshid=YmMyMTA2M2Y=" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">Alexis Gauthier</a> over the last few years, this is your invitation to learn about a truly inspirational human being. A classically trained French gastronomic chef who, in an effort to establish a more sustainable and plant-based presence in the fine dining world, converted his London-based Michelin Star restaurant into the first completely vegan fine dining restaurant!&nbsp;&nbsp;V-Land UK (V-L): What an absolute pleasure to meet you, Alexis! You made the bold and admirable decision in June 2021 to reopen Gauthier Soho, as the first French and fully vegan fine dining restaurant in the world. What motivated this choice? Alexis Gauthier (AG): It was a process which had taken about five years: transforming my restaurant from an animal abuser profiting place, to somewhere where no animals were involved in the making of the meals. Many things happened! I’ve always been very much in love with vegetables, but that wasn’t enough. For many years, the majority of my cuisine was vegetables. In 2013 I released a book called <a href="https://www.gauthiersoho.co.uk/vegetronic.php" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">Vegetronic</a> with vegetables at the centre of the plate. However, I was still using animal products.&nbsp; I happened to read the book <a href="https://www.amazon.co.uk/Antisp%C3%A9ciste-R%C3%A9concilier-lhumain-lanimal-nature-ebook/dp/B01DDOWFVG/ref=nodl_?dplnkId=7c65e117-4d0e-42e6-a585-3c921aeb8927" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">Antispéciste</a>. As a chef animal welfare was something I was always thinking about. When I finished the book, I knew I couldn’t carry on the way I was living my life. It would be impossible as a human being to continue profiting and contributing to all sorts of abuse and torment being inflicted on the world of animals. The day I closed the book was the day I stopped eating animal products. I haven’t eaten any since. It really was the catalyst.&nbsp; I had a classical French gastronomic restaurant serving racks of lamb, scallops and lobster! So, I decided that firstly we are not going to create any new dishes involving animals. Removing them two by two, making dairy-free pastries then removing all the meat and fish. When we re-opened after COVID, the restaurant naturally became fully vegan and will never again serve animal products.&nbsp; V-L: For our readers who may not know, the principle of ‘gastronomy’ is to create a unison of flavour and colour during the cooking process, contributing to a pleasant sensory experience at the dining table. What has been your biggest challenge creating a plant-based, French gastronomic experience?&nbsp; AG: Well when I started, I thought it was going to be a massive challenge. What about everything I learned in the past? What about my French-ness in the world of gastronomy? For hundreds of years the invention of French gastronomy is all based around French techniques and ingredients! But thank God my vision has changed about it. I felt like I could retain all the knowledge I have learned, and put everything towards a creative future based on the French gastronomic spirit. But without animals. It was wonderful because you open so many avenues to create a new kind of gastronomy.&nbsp; I’m in the middle of writing a big book about French vegan gastronomy, which I hope will be the book that every chef who has reached the same conclusion as I have can actually take it out and say “OK we can carry on being French and gastronomic.” It can be seen as discovering a new planet! It’s all ready to be written, which is why I feel chefs have a major role to play in our future. Creating delicious food more than anything, can help people realise they can live without eating animals. V-L: You’ve gained a great deal of attention from both the meat-eating and vegan community for the pioneering of ‘faux-gras’, your plant-based alternative to the popular French delicacy ‘foie gras’. Is the culinary process of replicating dishes such as this, an easy one? AG: No. It’s not easy because trying to recreate the richness of the animal fat is always a challenge. The fat from grains doesn’t linger as long as animal fat. This is when you realise that animal fat is really overpowering. Not as refined or rich as what you get from a grain for example. It took us a while to develop the recipes. We had to think really hard about how to add umami flavours at certain stages of the recipe, to recreate the richness for the faux-gras. It isn’t like sending someone to the moon, it's visible and we did it! Of course it’s not the same but it’s very close in terms of taste and the pleasure of eating it. It’s flavoursome, rich and beautiful. So, no need to have foie gras, you can have faux-gras!&nbsp;&nbsp; V-L: The refined presentation of your dishes is simply stunning. What inspires their conception?&nbsp; AG: My eyes are always one of my guests. I think about who the customers may be, sitting in front of the plate. Does it portray my inspiration? Does it encapsulate the season we are in? On your way to the restaurant in the autumn for example, the colours of the leaves and the looks of the people. It’s got to be different from the summer and reflected in the plate. It’s a big melting pot of flavour and colour that I try to recreate. It’s usually a combination of dishes with lighter oranges at the beginning, greyish colours from mushrooms for example in the middle, and darker, warmer colours at the end. More importantly when I write recipes with my chefs, we talk about the season and ingredients whilst drawing the final look of the plate. Visually, that helps us to make sure we are within the season. It’s also influenced by the magazines we’ve read, or a reflection of what we’ve seen on the streets of Soho. Everything feeds us. &nbsp;&nbsp; V-L: Having read through the Gauthier Soho menu, the Tempeh Hash, Autumn Wild Mushrooms and Chlorophyll Crisps sound like a dream to try! What is your personal favourite dish on the current menu, and why? AG: To be fair, this dish is one of the most addictive! This plate is pure creation. The way we work with tempeh, which is absolutely not a classical French ingredient, is that it’s a beautiful tool. It really absorbs the flavours of the mushrooms it's mixed with. We then caramelise it and it tastes almost like the skin of a roast chicken if I can remember it well! We get this tempeh from a company called <a href="https://www.instagram.com/clubcultured/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">Club Cultured</a> who put a lot of love in their tempeh. You have to be careful not to eat too much, because it's rich and fills you up fast. With the crisps, we extract the chlorophyll from parsley leaves releasing an intense green. These flavours paired with the tempeh bring to mind the autumn soil, or a walk in the woods. Truly a wonderful combination. I feel it is one of the best dishes we have ever created. <img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/v-land/image/upload/v1671375948/Image_1_32_pic_2_edit_1_d975921628.jpg" alt="Vegan chef Alexis Gauthier tasting some food next to one of his chefs in vegan fine dining restaurant Gauthier Soho">James Lewis V-L: PETA UK’s Vegan Food Awards chose your Bond St restaurant 123V’s Sushi, as the Best Vegan Sushi in 2021. Tell us what it meant to you, having your food and veganism journey validated by such a powerhouse in the animal rights movement? AG: This is like the Oscars for us! PETA for me is so progressive. What I respect about them is not only do they have animals at heart, but they support anyone who takes the journey towards love for animals. I’m so grateful that from the minute I told PETA I was going to remove animals from my menu, they were there to support me and for that I am their biggest fan! Winning the awards last year was wonderful, and it helped us! When I talk to ex-vegans who stopped being vegan, sushi is one of the main reasons. So the first thing I decided when I opened <a href="https://instagram.com/123vegan_w1?igshid=YmMyMTA2M2Y=" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">123V</a> was to put as much creative skill into the sushi rolls, maki rolls and nigiri. It would be so close to fish-based sushi, that people will have no reason to say they are going back to the fish! It was nice to have PETA come and try it! The year before, they gave me the ‘Compassionate Chef Award’ and that to me was the biggest award I’ve ever received. Because being both compassionate and a chef doesn’t always go together. I’m so proud and grateful to have received these awards.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; V-L: Lastly, as vegans ourselves we feel it is important to support everyone who has made the wonderful choice to ditch animal products for all the reasons discussed. What advice would you give to any developing or future vegan chefs, aspiring to contribute to a plant-based future? AG: Well, I would say that when you are a vegan chef and your creations are purely based around the delicious concoction of vegetables, customers are more prepared to put real value to your creativity. Because you don’t rely anymore on the farmers raising animals for years. That’s finished, it’s only you. For the work of a chef, your creative skill has so much more value. If we were sculptors people would buy them based on the skill of the sculpture, not the quality of the wood. That’s the case with being a plant-based chef. People are really paying for your creativity. That’s very tempting for a chef; to be properly rewarded for this. Instead of the work of someone else, or the luck of capturing a lobster. This is for you, no one else! I can’t believe more chefs aren’t going for this freedom to create! I’m telling a lot of chefs to level up their plant-based options. For the animals and planet first, but also for their personal skills!&nbsp; If you enjoyed reading about how Alexis is innovating and revolutionising vegan fine dining in the UK, take a look at alternative protein <a href="https://www.v-landuk.com/article/david-yeung-s-omni-foods-makes-a-splash-in-the-uk" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">OmniFoods CEO David Yeung’s</a> journey to the UK market!

Vegan chef Alexis Gauthier smiling, he is the owner of Gauthier Soho the first vegan fine dining restaurant

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One on one with Alexis Gauthier: It’s all about fine dining

In a few months, I will have officially been vegan for half of my life. I have lived the entirety of that life in a rural area, where the concept of veganism still seems unfathomable to most people. For anyone who didn’t grow up in the country, let me just say that things are… different here. People, in general, tend to be less open-minded, and whatever progress is happening in the rest of the world always reaches us last. Hunting and fishing are still favorite pastimes, and a fair number of people still make their living by raising animals for food.&nbsp; When I first went vegan for the animals, I knew not a single other person who was, and it was hard not to feel utterly alone. It felt like the entire world was blind to the suffering of nonhuman animals, and the inherent value of their lives. I knew there were others out there who felt the way that I did, but my experience of them was limited to reading about them online. I finally did meet a few other people who were vegan for the animals too, but the thought that those of us who cared about animal rights were doomed to remain a tiny minority was an ever-present shadow hanging over my head.&nbsp; The first time I remember feeling like we might truly have a chance at changing the world for the better was when I attended an event, at an animal sanctuary, called <a href="https://www.farmsanctuary.org/events/acton-celebration-for-the-turkeys/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">Celebration For the Turkeys</a>. This is an annual event that takes place around the holidays for many vegans as an alternative to the traditional holiday dinner. The idea is that, rather than being terrorized, slaughtered, and commodified, these beautiful creatures are appreciated and treated with respect and reverence. Vegan versions of holiday foods are set out on picnic tables and the sanctuary’s resident turkeys are allowed to help themselves, as the human guests look on.&nbsp; Despite having lived so long in a place where farming animals was common practice, I’d had very little opportunity to observe any of these animals, in a safe and comfortable setting. I was amazed at the difference I could see in each individual. Their unique personalities were obvious, even from a distance. I could look into their eyes and see the souls residing within. I knew, in that moment, that no matter how difficult and heartbreaking it might be, I was doing the right thing. These wonderful beings were worth fighting for, even if it often felt like I was fighting alone.&nbsp; What was even more amazing to me than the turkeys themselves, were the other humans in attendance. For the first time in my life, I was surrounded by people who truly cared for animals that the rest of the world considered nothing more than products to be consumed. I looked around me and saw the emotions in the faces of my fellow spectators; some were smiling, some laughing, some had tears in their eyes. I knew, without a doubt, that everyone else there was feeling the same thing I was. They were looking at these turkeys, who could have so easily ended up as someone’s dinner, and reveling in the fact that would never happen to them. We were all experiencing the turkeys’ joy and contentment as if it were our own, and we were seeing that a world in which humans and other animals live in peace was possible. I would recommend anyone, vegan or not, attend an event like this, if at all possible. It will, without a doubt, change your perspective on the world, humanity, and our relationship to nonhuman animals. For me, it was the first time in a very long time that the holidays truly felt like something to celebrate.&nbsp; If you’d like to participate in fun Christmas activities this year that are centered around helping animals there are many animal sanctuaries that are open over Christmas. <a href="https://www.instagram.com/hopefieldanimalsanctuary/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">Hopefield Animal Sanctuary</a> in Essex have their annual <a href="https://hopefield.org.uk/page/a-magical-christmas-experience" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">Magical Christmas Experience</a>, <a href="http://www.instagram.com/towerhillstables" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">Tower Hill Stables</a> have a <a href="https://www.towerhillstables.org/turkeys-in-need" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">Turkeys in Need</a> awareness program and welcome people to <a href="https://www.towerhillstables.org/sponsor-a-turkey" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">sponsor a turkey</a> for Christmas, and <a href="https://www.instagram.com/dean_farm_trust/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">Dean Farm Trust</a> in Kent have their <a href="https://deanfarmtrust.org.uk/events-visits/sanctuary-christmas-drop-in/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">Christmas Drop In</a>. You could purchase items from a <a href="https://www.amazon.co.uk/hz/wishlist/ls/1HPPLOMNL4KWM?ref_=wl_share" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">sanctuary wishlist</a>, or <a href="https://shop.hillside.org.uk/gifts/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">order festive animal greeting cards</a> from animal sanctuaries to help give them a helping hand over the holidays, or save an animal this Christmas by adopting an animal from a local shelter, or <a href="https://www.battersea.org.uk/support-us/fostering/fostering-dogs" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">fostering a dog</a> over the holidays.&nbsp; Check out these amazing <a href="https://www.v-landuk.com/article/animal-sanctuaries-to-support-across-the-uk" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">animal sanctuaries to support in the UK</a> too. However you decide to celebrate the festivities this year, we hope the animals in your lives have a happy festive season and a very merry Christmas.

Three turkeys in a field full of snow and trees

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Vegan for the animals: Happy turkey-free festive season 

With the demand for easy and quick food increasing in the 00’s with life becoming busier and more stressful the need for mass-farming increased. However, this led to a sacrifice in nutritional quality. Now in the 20s we’re facing more than ever, with pandemics, global warming and social media constantly in our faces. On top of this, a paper published in the 2000’s found that an alarming amount of macro and micronutrients had depleted by up to 70% in all food groups.&nbsp; This <a href="https://www.ohmgwater.com/pages/our-story" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">study</a> found that magnesium, one of the most abundant minerals in the human body, was one of the most depleted in our food. This is important as we can only get this from our diet. The irony of the situation is that the reason our food has less magnesium is due to increased stress and high demand of products, yet magnesium is known as the anti-stress mineral. It was from this discovery that the founders of <a href="https://www.instagram.com/ohmgwater/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">OHMG</a> began to sell a magnesium supplement which received a lot of positive feedback. The next step was to make the product more accessible and appealing to a wider range of people. It was from here that OHMG Water was created, combining magnesium with water to create a range of enjoyable drinks.&nbsp; Amazingly these drinks are available in a variety of flavours and have a variety of <a href="https://www.ohmgwater.com/pages/relaxation-lounge" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">health benefits</a> including easing anxiety, helping you sleep and helping with metabolism. While being good for your body they are also good for the planet, made from high quality ingredients and packaged in environmentally friendly materials, and therefore don’t contribute to <a href="https://www.v-landuk.com/article/an-everyday-solution-to-reduce-plastic-pollution-ecobricks" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">plastic pollution</a>. OHMG Water has a variety of flavours to choose from including <a href="https://www.ohmgwater.com/products/immunity?variant=38037026832566" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">Blackcurrant and Echinacea</a>, <a href="https://www.ohmgwater.com/products/focus" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">Peach &amp; Rosemary</a>, <a href="https://www.ohmgwater.com/products/relax" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">Raspberry &amp; Lemon Balm</a>, as well as <a href="https://www.ohmgwater.com/products/sparkling-magnesuim-water?variant=38037021360310" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">Sparkling Magnesium Water</a>. These flavours are available to buy individually or as part of a variety pack from their <a href="https://www.ohmgwater.com/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">website</a>, Amazon, Well Easy, Planet Organic and Harrods.&nbsp; Trying to get in your vitamins and minerals on a vegan diet? Take a look at our articles on <a href="https://www.v-landuk.com/article/upgrade-your-water-with-bubbl-and-co-s-effervescent-vegan-vitamins" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">Bubbl &amp; Co’s effervescent vegan vitamins</a> and <a href="https://www.v-landuk.com/article/feel-your-best-with-sunshiine-health-vitamins-vegan-vitamin-d" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">Sunshiine Health Vitamins</a>.

four brightly coloured cans of OHMG’s Magnesium Water

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OHMG’s Magnesium Water offers a refreshing new take

From staycations to trips further afield, at V-Land UK, we love to travel. One city we were fortunate to visit several years ago during summer was Prague and we recently had the opportunity to return. This historic city is nestled in the heart of Europe and it is the capital of the Czech Republic.&nbsp; <h2>What to do in Prague</h2>With its rich architecture, it is a beautiful city to visit at any time of the year and there is plenty to keep you enthralled. You will want to visit <a href="https://www.hrad.cz/en/prague-castle-for-visitors" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">Prague Castle</a> and the breathtaking <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/St._Vitus_Cathedral" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">St. Vitus Cathedral</a> within its grounds. A wander across the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charles_Bridge" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">Charles Bridge</a> is a must. And don’t forget to stop and touch the Statue of John of Nepomuk, as to do so, is said to bring good fortune. Finally, the hourly "The Walk of the Apostles" at <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Prague_astronomical_clock" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">astronomical clock</a> in the Old Town Square is a performance worth catching.&nbsp; <h2>What to do in Prague in winter</h2>Our return visit was in winter and we found there to be many more themed activities to keep you entertained. This, for some, would surely make it the best time of the year to visit Prague. During late November, December and Early January, you can hardly turn a corner without stumbling upon a Christmas market. Two of the best markets can be found at the aforementioned Prague Castle and the Old Town Square.&nbsp; Another popular activity in the city at this time of year is outdoor ice skating and there are many pop-up locations to choose from. This presents the opportunity to skate under the tallest building in Prague at the <a href="https://towerpark.cz/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">Zizkov TV Tower</a>. What a thrill. Running at a similar time to the Christmas markets is a relatively new festive tradition - the Christmas trams. A fleet of these vehicles are decked out with lights and decorations that can be viewed or ridden as they weave their way through the city streets. This, without doubt, adds a touch of magic to the darker winter evenings. Like most large cities there are plenty of vegan options, but the extent of choice may come as a surprise. Throughout the city you can find numerous restaurants, cafes, bakeries, <a href="https://www.worldvegan.cz/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">a mini supermarket</a> and even a <a href="https://deniteckuje.cz/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">tattooist specialising in floral prints</a>. It certainly punches above its weight. So, to make it a little easier for you, here are our top picks. <h2>Hotel</h2>A vegan hotel is not the norm when travelling but Prague has one. The <a href="https://www.salvatorboutique.cz/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">Salvator Boutique Hotel</a> is situated in the heart of the city. This means you will not need to go very far when venturing to the main attractions. It has 38 designer rooms, of varying sizes to fit most needs, and all have a comfortable, contemporary feel. On the ground floor, is their restaurant, <a href="https://www.instagram.com/paloverdebistro/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">Palo Verde Bistro</a>. This vegan eatery is Happy Cow top-rated, and it is easy to see why. It serves breakfast staples like oatmeal, waffles and scrambled tofu from 8:00 to 10:00. For the more adventurous of us there is kimchi ‘omelette’ or pea guacamole toast. The latter, a creative spin on the less environmentally friendly avocado. Surely a win. Do return for dinner though. Their lasagne bolognese is the perfect hearty dish for a winter evening. And don’t miss out on sampling a cheeky cocktail or one of their many desserts, tantalisingly displayed in glass casing for all to see.&nbsp; <h2>Bar</h2>If you just want to focus on drinks and nibbles then <a href="https://www.instagram.com/gingerprague/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">bar GINGER</a> has a lot going for it. It is an intimate venue with a cool and vibrant feel. Plant-based snacks are served alongside cocktails, draught beer and wine. Sunday and early week make for a more relaxed visit, whereas it can get quite lively on a Saturday evening. <img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/v-land/image/upload/v1670546429/Image_1_731e9fb573.png" alt="vegan bar GINGER in Prague">Mark Flood <h2>Restaurants</h2>There is plenty of vegan food to sample in Prague so you will certainly not go hungry.&nbsp; Another Happy Cow top-rated restaurant, and V-Land favourite, is <a href="https://www.instagram.com/forrest_bistro/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">Forrest Bistro</a>. They offer veganised Czech and Asian cuisine alongside coffee and cakes. With friendly staff and a chilled atmosphere you could easily return every day for lunch to sample the rotating menu. If you are a lover of noodles, then you must not miss the opportunity to devour the hot and sour flavours of their Tom Yum. There are many sweet treats like puff pastry cream cake or chai chocolate truffle to tempt you, so do leave room for savouring such indulgences.&nbsp; <a href="https://www.instagram.com/vegansprague/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">Vegan's Prague</a> has one of the most unique settings as it is housed in a 16th century building, close to the city’s castle. The tastefully renovated attic space also has an outside terrace with a view overlooking the surrounding buildings. It serves home-style Czech and international cuisine ranging from dumplings to salad to burgers. Something for everyone. To sample the most vibrant and healthy food in Prague, <a href="https://www.instagram.com/lifehouse_bistro/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">Lifehouse Bistro</a> is a must. Their food is natural, 100% plant-based and freshly prepared in their very own kitchen. Boost your vitamin and mineral intake with dishes like Greek salad with almond feta, nut cheese topped sourdough or raw banana cake. Their exquisite plant milkshakes, smoothies and hot drinks simply amplify the wholesome eats on offer. You will leave both satiated and rejuvenated. So, to conclude, the best time to visit Prague is during whatever season you decide to go - winter, spring, summer or autumn. There is so much to do and so much to eat, it really doesn’t matter. For more travelling reviews you might like to see what we thought of our visit to the theatre spectacle that is the <a href="https://www.v-landuk.com/article/edinburgh-festival-fringe-through-a-vegan-lens" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">Edinburgh Festival Fringe</a> last August. Or there was the time we stumbled across <a href="https://www.v-landuk.com/article/a-vegan-dish-with-a-difference-eggs-benedict-anyone" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">a vegan dish with a difference</a> on our way to Cornwall.&nbsp;

City of Prague lit up with multicoloured lights

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Vegan travel: Is winter the best time to visit Prague?

Christmas can be a bit of an awkward time for vegans. That said, in 2022, it is easier than ever before to spend the festive period on a plant based diet. Thanks to many new roast dinner alternatives, preparing vegan Christmas food is no longer the drama it once was. Just add a mouthwatering mushroom wellington or a scrumptious seitan brisket to the oven on the 25th and relax! However, as any right-minded Christmas-lover might tell you, Christmas dinner has never just been about the centrepiece: a proper Christmas dinner is simply incomplete unless it is served with all the trimmings. Some might even argue that the ‘trimmings’ are the most important part. Perhaps surprisingly, the trimmings are where it becomes a bit problematic when pondering vegan Christmas dinner recipes. The manners in which Christmas dinner vegetables are cooked often render them unsuitable for those on a plant based diet. Consider, for example, goose-fat roast potatoes, cauliflower cheese, and honey-glazed carrots; it is clear that finding vegan Christmas dinner recipes is a bit more complex than just buying a vegan Christmas roast. So, why not try some vegan Christmas dinner ideas that everyone can enjoy? As we all know, hosting Christmas usually involves using pretty much every tray and pan in the kitchen, all of which end up jostling for a prime position in the already overcrowded oven. Why double the number of pans used, and, by extension, the amount of washing up? Making some of the best-loved Christmas dinner trimmings vegan as standard eliminates such issues. With that in mind, here are some of our best vegan Christmas sides to enjoy at home. <h2 class="ql-align-justify">Stuffing</h2>Homemade stuffing can often contain pork and butter, but there are plenty of vegan recipes that skip these unnecessary ingredients without compromising on flavour. Try, for example,<a href="https://www.thefieryvegetarian.com/vegan-stuffing-recipe/#mv-creation-70-jtr" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"> </a><a href="https://www.thefieryvegetarian.com/vegan-stuffing-recipe/#mv-creation-70-jtr" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">this 30-minute recipe</a> by The Fiery Vegetarian, or<a href="https://www.seriouseats.com/best-vegan-stuffing-thanksgiving-recipe-vegetarian" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"> </a><a href="https://www.seriouseats.com/best-vegan-stuffing-thanksgiving-recipe-vegetarian" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">this hearty stuffing</a> by Serious Eats. If strapped for time, Paxo’s easy<a href="https://www.paxo.co.uk/our-ranges/stuffing/sage-onion-stuffing" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"> </a><a href="https://www.paxo.co.uk/our-ranges/stuffing/sage-onion-stuffing" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">Sage &amp; Onion stuffing</a> is vegan as standard. For something more adventurous, why not try Merchant Gourmet’s new<a href="https://www.merchant-gourmet.com/products/chestnut-stuffing" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"> </a><a href="https://www.merchant-gourmet.com/products/chestnut-stuffing" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">Chestnut Stuffing</a>? <h2 class="ql-align-justify">Yorkshire puddings</h2>Although it can be somewhat difficult, it is entirely possible to make homemade Yorkshire puddings without eggs and butter. This <a href="https://www.crackd.com/recipes/yorkshire-puddings" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">recipe</a>, using the <a href="https://www.tesco.com/groceries/en-GB/products/311935187?gclid=Cj0KCQjwkt6aBhDKARIsAAyeLJ3aGVwrI8Ya7cyTSWaqAm1ijPzWiO5lCW-SBcoFoYX_4zJ4OR4mZo8aAugSEALw_wcB" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">No-Egg Egg</a> by Crackd, will definitely keep your guests guessing. Homemade vegan Yorkshires may require some trial and error, but in a rush, there exist a few shop-bought alternatives that fit the bill. Look no further than <a href="https://www.hollandandbarrett.com/shop/product/free-easy-gluten-dairy-free-yorkshire-pudding-mix-60060918?skuid=060918&amp;utm_campaign=shopping&amp;utm_medium=cpc&amp;utm_source=google&amp;gclid=Cj0KCQjw48OaBhDWARIsAMd966Cc_S51MFqlY_SYxu76XfhFv3QKenZiZ2JCyVagVdVMaHIbXUW_i4caAgRGEALw_wcB&amp;gclsrc=aw.ds" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">Free and Easy’s pre-mix</a>. <h2 class="ql-align-justify">Pigs in blankets</h2>One of the most popular Christmas trimmings, pigs in blankets also happen to be among the weirdest items on the Christmas dinner plate. Why not try to make your own version with Richmond’s <a href="https://www.sainsburys.co.uk/gol-ui/product/richmond-meat-free-saus-singleface-336g?utm_medium=cpc&amp;catalogId=10241&amp;productId=1311786&amp;utm_campaign=15424330555&amp;storeId=10151&amp;gclid=Cj0KCQjw48OaBhDWARIsAMd966CxgxEr_WM0oQ0ehr_s0CBzWd7K55M-tm1jLZshfykEfjfHWEPePf0aAsxlEALw_wcB&amp;langId=44&amp;utm_source=Google&amp;krypto=Oh5Ve7F1DmhQzwn7wTGLEbcf0eKFxOrBnnyte7u8y%2B0DQchEXKxKhr7YP9Nb3p1C%2BgKbjTfSrw75CHrBSTa4j18J9Rm1xbQbmkYVJkv2T51uU04jqpJZHUlb5Cx0aOcqzP4SkfHgIxco1RfKNUfaa01s9dGBQetjR6uO3AgUbiQSNCB6M5nMcM%2B%2Bw001TXcS69Vk%2B6UdPvUf5s8Vuo%2BGXYEokE%2B6EpbgwY46jUwak6pn%2FpuEzvuX2u42eOOhqlb269ajCIOS2X4LER20mOl0LcB7NUDPFqJrLAiKHvEMq69SQHhaikZXoDt8o03saBKWknzDJWKABxUEMveK2Ku89%2Fx3b8NkAI1N678uqnRdWn487AEs%2FoKmLsRb%2BvqIe7Heimy2xLQIzGrUfWw9RwCckz5seoCWz3r1dS8zWGn4YITpybHOST8%2FWpVLvVO9KnSdWwN6AgX%2BRCuOrCR8VtwNCnQePQf%2BT7pWG7jXonCsHZXnech7a3nrCwqZxPKYVMUXXxTNFDJNpBZ%2F0glENd%2FZow%3D%3D&amp;ddkey=https%3Agb%2Fgroceries%2Frichmond-meat-free-saus-singleface-336g" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">vegan sausages</a> and <a href="https://www.sainsburys.co.uk/gol-ui/product/richmond-meat-free-smoked-bacon-rashers-x8-150g?istCompanyId=1e096408-041f-4238-994e-a7cf46bf9413&amp;istFeedId=689af7a8-5842-4d88-be59-1ee5688a81b5&amp;istItemId=pxwrqpwlr&amp;istBid=t&amp;&amp;cmpid=cpc&amp;utm_source=Google&amp;utm_medium=cpc&amp;utm_campaign=15424330555&amp;utm_content=shopping&amp;utm_term=%257bsku%257d&amp;utm_custom1=129852755749&amp;utm_custom2=759-449-0952&amp;gclid=Cj0KCQjw48OaBhDWARIsAMd966Aav40yXos5IO7Gtfd8I78AfzYJMcdo4jaCS4om19vAvdqNQaw43FEaAj9REALw_wcB&amp;gclsrc=aw.ds" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">vegan bacon</a>? For those with less time on their hands, plant based giant <a href="https://this.co/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">THIS</a> released their <a href="https://www.waitrose.com/ecom/products/this-isnt-pork-plant-based-pigs-in-blankets/887714-762234-762235#:~:text=This%20Isn't%20Pork%20Plant%2DBased%20Pigs%20in%20Blankets190g&amp;text=Plant%2Dbased%20mini%20sausages%2C%20made,100%25%20Plant%2DBased." rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">This Isn’t Pigs in Blankets</a> last year, which - if released again in 2022 - would certainly do the trick. <h2 class="ql-align-justify">The Best vegan roast potatoes</h2>Some argue that the crispiest roast potatoes need only olive oil and a classic smattering of garlic and rosemary. Some excellent recipes include <a href="https://healthylivingjames.co.uk/rosemary-infused-roast-potatoes/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">James Wythe’s</a> or these delicious <a href="https://www.bosh.tv/recipes/perfectly-crisp-roast-potatoes" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">roasties by Bosh</a>. Also, try coconut oil: with its high smoke point, coconut oil is perfect for crispiness and crunch. <h2 class="ql-align-justify">Gravy</h2>Oxo’s <a href="https://www.tesco.com/groceries/en-GB/products/305979475?sc_cmp=ppc*GHS+-+Grocery+-+New*MPX_Shopping_All_Other_Smart+Shopping+All+Products_Other_Online+Budget*All+Products*PRODUCT_GROUP305979475*&amp;ds_rl=1116322&amp;gclid=Cj0KCQjw48OaBhDWARIsAMd966Dmr5aAa3M6yZcL4oxX-pgG1xiJ7w_dl7iv64OvprqAjnRP7XfVzcEaArRtEALw_wcB&amp;gclsrc=aw.ds" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">meat-free beef stock cubes</a> can go a long way to ensuring an authentically-flavoured homemade gravy. In the absence of this free-from stock, a heaped spoonful of marmite or a generous tablespoon of <a href="https://www.tesco.com/groceries/en-GB/products/257442342?sc_cmp=ppc*GHS+-+Grocery+-+New*MPX_Shopping_All_Other_Smart+Shopping+All+Products_Other_Online+Budget*All+Products*PRODUCT_GROUP257442342*&amp;ds_rl=1116322&amp;gclid=Cj0KCQjw48OaBhDWARIsAMd966Be3oODjtfSizQft_-2txQ6FVBZrlz8rfs0cQvEZVAANIZxYetroMcaAnXBEALw_wcB&amp;gclsrc=aw.ds" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">Maggi Liquid Seasoning</a> can also help to generate that deep umami flavour. These <a href="https://www.tesco.com/groceries/en-GB/products/309449428?sc_cmp=ppc*GHS+-+Grocery+-+New*MPX_Shopping_All_Other_Smart+Shopping+All+Products_Other_Online+Budget*All+Products*PRODUCT_GROUP309449428*&amp;ds_rl=1116322&amp;gclid=Cj0KCQjw48OaBhDWARIsAMd966BPnAEkemAAHv-NpKqC8HQ1HBhzMVu2I1sU-0OOBjKiUPR06DwwquIaAv2HEALw_wcB&amp;gclsrc=aw.ds" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">Bisto gravy granules</a> are vegan as standard and can be made in as little time as it takes to boil the kettle! <h2 class="ql-align-justify">An inclusive Christmas</h2>The vegan kitchen is, necessarily, a creative one. While many Christmas side dishes can be ‘veganised’ simply by swapping butter and lard for a plant based margarine, the scope for innovation and imagination is broad and exciting. Some honourable ‘muncheons’ for your Christmassy consideration include <a href="https://www.deliciousmagazine.co.uk/recipes/carrots-and-parsnips-with-maple-and-orange-glaze/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">maple and orange carrots</a>, <a href="https://www.tasteofhome.com/recipes/agave-roasted-parsnips/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">agave roasted parsnips</a>, or a vegan cauliflower cheese sauce using Cathedral City’s new <a href="https://www.tesco.com/groceries/en-GB/products/312351579?sc_cmp=ppc*GHS+-+Grocery+-+New*MPX_Shopping_All_Other_Smart+Shopping+All+Products_Other_Online+Budget*All+Products*PRODUCT_GROUP312351579*&amp;ds_rl=1116322&amp;gclid=Cj0KCQjw48OaBhDWARIsAMd966COfp41gXOfYBHWnxvEXJfVsAuFqLKEesLrW_96gn-NRBy3pBnFTKwaAktJEALw_wcB&amp;gclsrc=aw.ds" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">vegan range</a>. Go all in and use these <a href="https://www.tesco.com/groceries/en-GB/products/308462603?sc_cmp=ppc*GHS+-+Grocery+-+New*MPX_Shopping_All_Other_Smart+Shopping+All+Products_Other_Online+Budget*All+Products*PRODUCT_GROUP308462603*&amp;ds_rl=1116322&amp;gclid=Cj0KCQjw48OaBhDWARIsAMd966AjFIvjbXinodgg24tAq3GraTqZm48gW3_7uDxghBde2NQvz8IA_L8aAgX2EALw_wcB&amp;gclsrc=aw.ds" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">Plant Based Lardons</a> from <a href="https://this.co/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">THIS</a> in the Brussels sprouts.&nbsp; While it is not often that you will be able to convince the entire Christmas guestlist to opt for 100% vegan at the dinner table, there is no reason why vegans can’t enjoy the holly-jolly festivities as much as the next person. That said, perhaps you can try to convince some of your family to further explore the wonderful vegan world by signing up for <a href="https://www.v-landuk.com/article/sign-up-to-veganuary-every-month-can-be-veganuary-month" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">Veganuary</a>, which starts just over a week after Christmas! No Christmas dinner is complete without an after-dinner cheese board, check out <a href="https://www.v-landuk.com/article/vegan-artisan-cheese-worth-treating-yourself-to" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">vegan artisan cheese worth treating yourself to</a> help fill out your cheeseboard.

Head of broccoli with a Christmas ribbon and Santa hat on it

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Vegan Christmas dinner ideas that everyone can enjoy

Christmas specials are on the TV, carols and festive hits are playing in every shop, Christmas lights are illuminating the High Street - it's the most festive time of the year! For some of us it's time to dread that last-minute panic before we finally brave the shops to buy Christmas gifts, while others are more organised and already admiring their perfectly wrapped gifts and well-stocked cupboards and fridges. Whether it's all going to plan or you're hoping it'll all come together at the last moment, there's still time for you to buy the perfect Secret Santa gift.&nbsp; But, what do you buy for your vegan Secret Santa? Worry not festive friends, V-Land UK have got you covered. Your colleagues will think you are the most thoughtful colleague in the office with these vegan secret Santa ideas that can be found on the High Street. <h2>Whittard Instant Tea</h2><a href="https://instagram.com/whittardofchelsea1886?igshid=YmMyMTA2M2Y=" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">Whittard</a> powdered instant tea in festive <a href="https://www.whittard.co.uk/instant-tea/mulled-wine-flavour-instant-tea-342881.html" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">Mulled Wine</a> flavour comes in a beautiful tin and is the perfect Secret Santa gift at £9. Browse their website for <a href="https://www.whittard.co.uk/search?q=Instant+tea&amp;lang=en_GB" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">more instant tea flavours</a> for more secret Santa gifts under £10. <h2>Marks &amp; Spencer's Sparkle</h2>Bound to be a hit this year, <a href="https://www.marksandspencer.com/marks-and-sparkle-wine-based-drink-with-22-carat-gold-leaf-case-of-6/p/wnp60590193" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">this vegan-friendly sparkling wine</a> sparkles all the more with the addition of edible 22ct gold leaf. <a href="https://www.instagram.com/marksandspencerfoodpr/?hl=en" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">Marks &amp; Spencer</a> describe it as “crisp and citrusy with notes of pear and melon”. If you're looking for an alcohol-free Secret Santa gift, you can also find £10 and £5.50 chocolate boxes from Marks &amp; Spencer's Plant Kitchen range or a £5 bag of vegan fudge. <img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/v-land/image/upload/v1669733737/Image_1_29_pic_2_edit_1_1936cd5ec2.jpg" alt="AT: Bottle of Marks &amp; Spencer’s ‘Sparkle’ - vegan sparkling wine"><a href="https://www.marksandspencer.com/marks-and-sparkle-wine-based-drink-with-22-carat-gold-leaf-case-of-6/p/wnp60590193" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(75, 172, 72); background-color: transparent;">Marks &amp; Spencer</a> <h2>Boots</h2><a href="https://instagram.com/joeandseph?igshid=YmMyMTA2M2Y=" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(75, 172, 72); background-color: transparent;">Joe &amp; Seph's</a> <a href="https://www.boots.com/joe-and-sephs-gourmet-popcorn-vegan-gourmet-popcorn-selection-box-128g-10283239" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(75, 172, 72); background-color: transparent;">Gourmet Vegan Popcorn Selection Box</a> is available in Boots for £7.50. A box includes four flavours; Vegan Salted Caramel, Vegan Toffee Apple &amp; Cinnamon, Vegan Coconut &amp; Cacao and rich Vegan Dark Chocolate. These are perfect small vegan Secret Santa gifts under £10 and also a great stocking filler to prepare for a festive film night. <h2>Neal's Yard&nbsp;</h2><a href="https://www.instagram.com/nealsyardremedies/?hl=en" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(75, 172, 72); background-color: transparent;">Neal's Yard</a> <a href="https://www.nealsyardremedies.com/products/dreamy-nights-sleep-duo" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(75, 172, 72); background-color: transparent;">Dreamy Nights Sleep Duo</a> includes their <a href="https://us.nealsyardremedies.com/products/goodnight-pillow-mist-1-52-fl-oz" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">Goodnight Pillow Mist</a> and <a href="https://us.nealsyardremedies.com/products/remedies-to-roll-relaxation-0-30fl-oz" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">Relaxation Remedies To Roll</a>. Made with relaxing, sustainability sourced French lavender from the unspoilt foothills of the French Alps, this miniature gift set promises to aid blissful sleep right on budget for £10. <h2>Lush Butterbear</h2>If you're looking for secret Santa gifts under £5, <a href="https://www.instagram.com/lush/?hl=en" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">Lush's</a> <a href="https://www.lush.com/uk/en/p/butterbear-bath-bomb" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">Butterbear bath bomb</a> is a perfect small gift if the recipient likes a long soak in the bath. We chose the Butterbear as it's sulphate-free, enriched with ylang-ylang oil and softening Fair Trade organic cocoa butter with no nasties for just £3. <a href="http://www.instagram.com/lush" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">Lush</a> have plenty of vegan products, one of our favourites being their <a href="https://www.lush.com/uk/en/p/dont-look-at-me-fresh-face-mask" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">Don't Look At Me</a> skin brightening face mask, a vibrant, lemon scented, bright blue face mask, the gift of self care for your vegan secret Santa. It’s also worth checking out <a href="http://www.instagram.com/thebodyshop" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">The Body Shop</a> and <a href="http://www.instagram.com/hollandandbarrett" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">Holland &amp; Barrett</a>, or, if personalised gifts are your thing, <a href="http://www.instagram.com/etsyuk" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">Etsy</a> is a great place for eco-friendly, vegan gift ideas too.&nbsp; For the ultimate eco-friendly Christmas gift, why not check out your local charity stores for a one-of-a-kind find at an unbeatable price. Our personal fave option! Or, for more vegan secret Santa gifts you might want to check out <a href="https://www.v-landuk.com/article/7-organic-vegan-brands-worth-checking-out" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">7 organic vegan brands</a> and <a href="https://www.v-landuk.com/article/vegan-and-cruelty-free-makeup-for-your-travel-bag" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">vegan and cruelty free makeup for your travel bag</a>.

Woman surrounded by Christmas presents, one of which she is holding

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Impress your office with these vegan secret santa gifts under £10 

<a href="https://www.instagram.com/pritchardswyd/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">Matt Pritchard</a> may be most well-known for his days at Dirty Sanchez, however, <a href="https://www.amazon.co.uk/Dirty-Vegan-Matt-Pritchard/dp/178472596X/ref=sr_1_1?crid=2TCRP1DDSDQ64&amp;keywords=dirty+vegan+cookbook&amp;qid=1668686258&amp;sprefix=dirty+vegan+cookbook%2Caps%2C100&amp;sr=8-1" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">Dirty Vegan</a> chef Matt Pritchard nowadays is a far cry from those times and is a dedicated vegan with a new interpretation of what living live to the full is all about as he explains in our chat. V-Land UK (V-L): Please tell us about the transition and journey from Dirty Sanchez to Dirty Vegan?&nbsp; Matt Pritchard (MP): Well it was a pretty simple transition really. I started researching veganism - I know a lot of vegans who are endurance athletes - and a lot of sources encouraged me to watch Cowspiracy, so I did. The next day I went vegan, no questions asked. I haven't looked back since and that was 2015. I guess I'm getting older! I can’t be doing Dirty Sanchez all my life and I absolutely love animals so it just made absolute perfect sense, and as I’m getting older I am ‘waking up’ far more, which is a good thing and a bad thing. V-L: Your talk at Vegan Camp Out this year was received extremely well. Were you nervous? How did you prepare? MP: Yeah I was nervous, I always get nervous when I do stuff like that, and especially when you go on stage in front of all those people. How did I prepare for it? Well, I have done quite a lot of talks in the past but I wouldn't say I'm a professional by a mile off. I wanted to share my journey with people and let people know about what I do in life, what a lot of people think vegans can’t do, like the endurance stuff, and just keep going, you know, on a vegan diet.&nbsp; I just wanted to share with them exactly what&nbsp;I've done as a vegan and the lengths that I've gone to prove to others that a vegan diet doesn't make you weak and it actually does the complete opposite. I really enjoyed that gig and everyone there was absolutely really nice to me. V-L: Not many people knew until your talk that you rowed the Atlantic, please tell us a little bit about that? MP: How can I put it, rowing the Atlantic in a few words, it was the best experience of my life. It was super super hard, but I absolutely loved it. Why? Because I was switched off from the world. I’m not really good with, well it’s just noise, I look at the world as one big noise and when I was out there, there was no noise, no emails, no social media, no nothing, there were no interruptions. It was just beauty and scenery as far as the eye could see. I was constantly exercising and I was in a happy place, peaceful and quiet and I'd absolutely love to do it again just to get away!&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; V-L: People that meet you describe you as a humble down-to-earth person,how do you keep yourself grounded despite your popularity and how have you overcome any personal struggles, obstacles or challenges? MP: I guess it's just the way I've been brought up. I know I'm not nasty. I think dealing with so many nasty individuals in my life and being treated badly, taught me a lesson to not act like them and just to be nice. Everyone thinks I'm positive all the time, I'm not, like when I'm locked on my own in the&nbsp;house it's hard to explain, I quite enjoy being lonely but I'm a very lonely person. My confidence I have trouble with, but I try and be as positive as possible and try and help spread that to others. V-L: You and your dog Lemmy P have the most beautiful bond. What we really want to know is when you've been away have you ever video called him? MP: Oh, mine and Lemmy's bond is something else, when I’m with him I don’t feel lonely. Do I videotime him when I'm away? Damn right I do! I even phoned him from my telephone on the boat! I speak to him all the time. I lay here and tell him stories. If I'm crying or if I'm upset he knows and he comes over to me, cwtches me (Welsh phrase for hug) and makes me feel better. He knows me inside out, I know him inside out it's a bond I dont think I’ll ever have again, he's just the best dog ever. <img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/v-land/image/upload/v1669732756/Image_1_28_pic_2_edit_1_788f47d08d.jpg" alt="Ecstatic man (Dirty Vegan chef Matt Pritchard) holding his dog which has a hat on">Dan Bentley V-L: Please tell us about SWYD and the inspiration behind it? MP: <a href="https://www.instagram.com/swydtattoo/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">SWYD</a> came along in the Sanchez days when I was partying non-stop and barely sleeping. We got into the car to go filming, I hadn't been to bed, I was as high as a kite, Dan Joyce said you need to go to bed and I said “Shut up Dan I’ll sleep when I'm dead”. Everyone laughed and it stuck from there and basically back then sleep when you're dead meant party like hell and non-stop no sleeping and all that kind of stuff but as I got older it's basically live your life to the full and then you've got plenty of time to sleep when you've lived your life to the full. When I go six foot under, I want my body to say “Thank God for that”, hence sleep when you're dead: keep on man, keep rocking it, keep going - don’t stop! V-L: You support many causes including Dean Farm Trust animal sanctuary, what called you to support these causes? MP: I've supported many charities in my time, often the bigger the charity the less money actually goes to the charity to be able to help out the cause, hence why I don't support them anymore. (There was one charity I supported that I had to leave, I found out the guy at the other side was getting up to no good so I didn't want to have my name tarnished by being involved with it.)&nbsp; <a href="https://www.instagram.com/dean_farm_trust/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(75, 172, 72); background-color: transparent;">Dean Farm Trust</a> asked me if I wanted to be a patron, I went on to have a look at what they do and they are such a small charity and it's amazing what they do and I thought well, I know that every single penny that I raise for these people goes to the animals, so I’m not having my pants pulled down. Charities these days they get on my nerves a bit because all the money should be going to the charity. Dean Farm Trust do an amazing job and they are nice people. V-L: Any plans for the future? Will we see another book? MP: I’m working on the third book now, so the last three days I’ve been in the kitchen cooking. It’s due to come out August 2023, I’m enjoying putting the recipes together and it’s looking good. There's some other exciting news coming out which I can't say anything about, I can't say yet but it has to do with food and it's going to be a ripper and I can't wait to launch it and to let everyone know about it. We can’t wait to hear your news and get a copy of your upcoming book! We wish you all the best. If you’re interested in learning about other famous individuals journeys to veganism you will love to read about <a href="https://www.v-landuk.com/article/being-vegan-is-a-real-high-exclusive-interview-with-league-two-player-of-the-season-kane-wilson" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">top footballer Kane Wilson’s story</a> and <a href="https://www.v-landuk.com/article/up-close-and-personal-with-sean-o-callaghan-aka-fat-gay-vegan" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">Sean O’Callaghan’s (aka Fat Gay Vegan)</a>.

Smiling man in a hat (Dirty Vegan chef Matt Pritchard)

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Matt Pritchard: Highs, lows and journey to veganism

As the year comes to an end with shorter days, Christmas markets have opened with twinkling lights for us to enjoy festive food and gifts. Shop windows are stacked with goodies, and the first people are choosing Christmas trees to take home. Cosy Christmas nights indoors with friends and family aren’t complete without watching Christmas movies, decorating the tree, baking biscuits or Christmas stollen. But many vegan Christmas dessert recipes require a lot of preparation and time, so we have a delicious quick and easy vegan dessert, without baking which is based on baked apple.&nbsp; We’re here to show you don’t need eggs or dairy to prepare a scrumptious dessert. <h2>Ingredients for 2 portions:</h2>2 red apples 100g vegan whipped cream 100g vegan crème fraîche 100g vegan butter 40g blanched or ground almonds 3 tbsp brown sugar Dash of brown rum Pinch of cinnamon <h2>Method:</h2>• Wash the apples and remove half the peel. Remove the seeds and dice the apples into small cubes.&nbsp; • Put the vegan butter in a frying pan over medium heat, add the apple cubes and let them fry for about 5 minutes until they are golden-yellow ish. Increase the heat, add the brown sugar and a dash of rum to let the apple chunks caramelise, then take them off the stove. Make sure they stay soft and juicy. • Whip the vegan cream (100ml is approx. 100g) or use store-bought whipped cream. If you use a vegan cream that's unsweetened, add a bit of sugar before whipping it. Afterwards, mix the cream together with the vegan crème fraîche in a mixing bowl. • Grind the blanched almonds using a blender or mortar and pestle, or use ground almonds. Add to the apple chunks and add a good pinch of cinnamon. • Add everything together in a bowl and mix. Then use a hand blender to blend everything until the mix becomes creamy.&nbsp; • Pour the mixture into dessert bowls and leave them in the fridge for about 10-15 minutes before serving. • To garnish, caramelise small apple cubes in vegan butter with brown sugar until they become sticky. Enjoy this vegan treat with your friends and families.&nbsp; Want to bring more sweetness into your home? We have another easy vegan dessert - our <a href="https://www.v-landuk.com/article/brownie-recipe-you-are-going-to-want-to-try" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">decadent brownies</a> and who can resist a vegan cream liqueur over winter? Check out <a href="https://www.v-landuk.com/article/3-tasty-vegan-cream-liqueur-alternatives-to-try-this-winter" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">3 of our favourites</a>.

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Apple crème: Quick and easy vegan dessert

What could be better on a cold day than a <a href="https://www.baileys.com/en-gb/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">Baileys</a> in front of a burning fireplace? Maybe added to your coffee, or your hot chocolate to give it that extra touch. But, you are a vegan and obviously the famous Irish cream liqueur is not part of your diet. But here at V-Land UK we've got you covered. After the disappearance in autumn 2021 of one of the most exciting vegan cream liqueur alternatives - <a href="https://www.baileys.com/en-gb/products/baileys-almande" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">Baileys Almande</a> - from the UK market, we have decided to try out other options and to provide a mouthwatering vegan cream liqueur recipe for each of our suggestions: making easy and delicious cocktails to be enjoyed during the cold season. <h2>Liquid Oats</h2><a href="https://www.instagram.com/liquid_oats/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(75, 172, 72); background-color: transparent;">Liquid Oats</a> is a Scottish vegan cream liqueur made from condensed oat milk and a premium blend of specially selected whiskey. The liqueur is vanilla and honey flavoured, but as the creators are keen to point out, no bees were harmed in the making! The delicious honey flavour comes in fact from the mix of oat milk, sugar and whiskey. No vanilla or honey additives are actually in liquid oats, making it 100% vegan. Liquid Oats has several serves recommended by its creators, here is our favourite one: Liquid Oat White Russian<ul><li>25 ml Liquid Oat Vanilla &amp; Honey</li><li>25 ml coffee liqueur</li><li>75 ml oat milk</li><li>Shake vigorously and strain over ice into rock glass</li><li> </li></ul>Order your bottle from the <a href="https://www.liquid-oats.com/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">official website</a>, or directly from the <a href="https://www.instagram.com/thebevystore/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">Bevvy Store</a>. <h2>Panther M*lk</h2>Award-winner of the prestigious <a href="https://www.instagram.com/theIWSC/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">IWSC wine &amp; spirit awards</a> Golden Medal, <a href="https://www.instagram.com/panther_milk_/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">Panther M*lk</a> is also made in Scotland, but its history goes a little further from there. The recipe would have been inspired by the famous “Leche de Pantera”, a potent cocktail that has its origins in the hedonism and indulgence of 1920s Spain. Panther M*lk is made of a secret blend of premium vegan spirits, <a href="https://www.instagram.com/minorfigures/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">Minor Figures Oat M*lk</a> and condensed oat milk. It comes in four different flavours: vanilla, strawberry, coffee and mint. Only 100% natural ingredients are used to make the product. <img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/v-land/image/upload/v1669550163/Image_1_26_pic_2_edit_1_b5aad3b205.jpg" alt="Different flavour bottles of Panther M*lk’s vegan cream liqueur with shot glasses full of the drink in front of them"><a href="https://www.facebook.com/panthermilkglasgow/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">Panther M*lk</a> A must-try, as well as their perfect serve: Pumpkin Spiced Panther Martini<ul><li>150 ml Panther M*lk Vanilla</li><li>A generous glug of your favourite pumpkin spiced syrup</li><li>Shake vigorously then strain into your favourite cocktail glass</li></ul> Visit their <a href="https://panthermilk.com/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">website</a> or the <a href="https://www.instagram.com/thebevystore/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">Bevvy Store</a> to get your bottle! <h2>Amarula Vegan</h2><a href="https://www.instagram.com/amarula_official/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">Amarula</a> is a cream liqueur based on "marula", a fruit that grows exclusively in South Africa. The vegan alternative of the product is composed not only of this fruit with a fruity caramel flavour, but also of caramel, vanilla and coconut. <img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/v-land/image/upload/v1669550415/Image_2_pic_3_edit_1_6926ad4389.jpg" alt="Amarula vegan cream liqueur bottle and a glass full of it"><a href="https://www.facebook.com/AmarulaUK/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(75, 172, 72); background-color: transparent;">Amarula</a> The liqueur cream is ideal for those who love alternative flavours, and the recommended perfect serve is excellent to be enjoyed in both winter and summer: Amarula Tiki Fire<ul><li>25 ml Amarula Vegan</li><li>25 ml Passoa</li><li>25 ml Vanilla Vodka</li><li>25 ml gomme</li><li>15 ml lime juice</li><li>150 ml pineapple juice</li><li>1 dash Angostura Bitters</li><li>5ml Madagascan vanilla extract</li><li>Shake all ingredients with ice, double strain into glass over ice</li></ul> You can buy Amarula from their <a href="https://amarula.com/product/amarula-vegan/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">official website</a>. We hope we've got you covered for vegan cream liqueurs to enjoy this season, and if you're looking for more vegan alcoholic drink options, you may want to read <a href="https://www.v-landuk.com/article/6-top-notch-vegan-lagers-you-may-not-have-tried" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">6 top-notch vegan lagers you may not have tried</a>.

man pouring a bottle of Liquid Oats vegan cream liqueur into a glass full of ice

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3 tasty vegan cream liqueur alternatives to try this winter


Part and parcel of living a vegan lifestyle means making active choices everyday to avoid what has, for so long, been deemed by society as ‘the norm’. Choosing not to eat animal products, not buying products that are tested on animals nor contributing money to fund other attempts at animal cruelty, we play our own personal part in reducing demand for these options.&nbsp; For those in creative careers, and in particular freelancers, there is another step that we can take towards making active decisions in breaking down these societal ‘norms’, simply by excluding work that involves exploitation of animals. To preface this, we understand that for many, turning down work because of moral misalignment with clients isn’t always an option - someone’s gotta pay the bills! But if you are financially in a position where you can be more selective with which clients and projects you choose to work on, there are a few things you might want to think about next time a new project pops into your inbox. We first heard of this idea when Illustrator, Activist and YouTuber, <a href="https://www.instagram.com/hollyexley_illustration/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">Holly Exley</a>, stated in a Youtube video that she will no longer be illustrating meat. In an <a href="https://us.laurenceking.com/blogs/blog/holly-exley" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">interview with Laurence King Publishing</a>, she explained ‘Food illustration is an area of expertise within my business so it wasn't something I undertook lightly… I care deeply about animals and the environment and painting meat started to make me feel uneasy.’ And it makes total sense - if you have chosen a lifestyle that actively excludes animal exploitation, then why would you want to promote it through the artwork you’re creating? It could be an illustration for a recipe or an article that focuses on meat products, which you may feel uncomfortable illustrating if it encourages someone to go out and support animal exploitation. There are, however, instances where you may be able to reframe what the illustration is to you; for example, illustrating a cake or strawberries and cream or even a glass of milk could be interpreted as using vegan ingredients! And this doesn’t just apply to illustration - whatever kind of creative industry you work in, it could also depend on the clients you choose to work with. For example, choosing not to work with supermarket brands that produce animal products, or fashion companies that create leather goods - the list goes on. This could apply to designers in particular, or photographers who choose not to work for certain brands or use certain animal products in their photos.&nbsp;These are all subtle yet effective forms of vegan activism that can help to align your work with your dietary and lifestyle morals. ﻿If you’re interested in learning more about art and activism, check out our article on <a href="https://www.v-landuk.com/article/art-as-activism-vegan-artists-to-follow-on-instagram" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">vegan artists you should follow on</a><a href="https://www.v-landuk.com/article/art-as-activism-vegan-artists-to-follow-on-instagram" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(17, 85, 204);"> </a>Instagram. Literature also has a huge role to play in changing perceptions of animals, check out our interview with Midge Raymond on <a href="https://www.v-landuk.com/article/writing-for-animals-changing-perceptions-through-linguistics" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">Writing for Animals</a>.

Colourful paint splashed over a white sheet by an artist

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How your creative career choices contribute to vegan activism

<a href="https://www.instagram.com/cafe62brighton/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(75, 172, 72); background-color: transparent;">Café@62</a> is no ordinary vegan café in Brighton. It is also part of <a href="https://www.21blox.com/copy-2-of-cafe-62-food" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">21Blox</a>, a “team of individuals focused on helping young and developing food enterprises move to the next level”.&nbsp; Situated near Brighton’s bustling train station and trendy North Laines, <a href="https://www.21blox.com/cafe-62" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">Café@62</a> is the place to bask in the fully vegan experience. The front of the Victorian town building is covered with climbing green foliage, reminding us of our connection with nature - already, we feel relaxed. Inside Café@62, we drink in the abundance of plants and artwork and meet the friendly, passionate founder, Tracy, who has left 20 years working on yachts to pursue a remarkable dream: to democratise and encourage communal spaces for vegan chefs and foodies, as well as having curated an exciting vegan café menu.&nbsp; <h2 class="ql-align-justify">Café@62’s communal business model: Where dreams come true&nbsp;</h2>Café@62 has its café menu and an extra specials menu whereby anyone with ‘culinary dreams’ can use the premises for their own pop-up space and serve their vegan dishes. Pop-ups have featured <a href="https://www.21blox.com/about-9" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">Plant the Seed</a> whisking up vegan egg dishes, and Pulp Burgers, specialising in plant based burgers.&nbsp; We are lucky to meet the pop-up brand Food for Soul founded by two accountants passionate about cooking Indian cuisine. Over lockdown, what started as a hobby is being served in Café@62. We taste the Dal Makhani and Rajmah Masala, served with aromatic peas and potatoes, with an accompaniment of rice cooked to perfection with a light seasoning of cumin seeds. Food for Soul slow-cook the pulses, allowing the rich lentils and kidney beans to soak up the warm spices, resulting in a sophisticated layering of flavours - perfect dishes to welcome in autumn.&nbsp;&nbsp; <img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/v-land/image/upload/v1669554027/Image_1_27_pic_2_edit_2_ffc28298f2.jpg" alt="Vegan Indian food such as rice, potatoes and curry">Ben Richardson Encouraging this communal space is a fantastic opportunity for new brands, chefs and food influencers to promote their ideas to the public, utilising the professional kitchen and interior of Café@62. Plus, this gives customers fresh, diverse menus. The area can also be used for parties and yoga sessions and sets up a vegan communal vibe for networking and building relationships with like-minded people.&nbsp; <h2 class="ql-align-justify">The food&nbsp;</h2>Café@62’s main menu offers a wide choice of breakfast, brunches, “build-your-own bagel” (charmingly called B.O.B, where you can choose from a Half BOB to a Full BOB), and lunch options. Much care and consideration has gone into creating this dynamic café menu. First, V-Land UK tries The Full Venglish - a monumental breakfast stacked on a bagel (pictured in the feature image). Satisfying the desire for comfort while being nutritious: crisp vegan bacon and succulent sausages, scrambled tofu, mushrooms, tomatoes, a smudge of vegan cream cheese, a golden hash brown, the goodness of avocado and a glorious bundle of fresh peppery rocket. This full vegan breakfast means business!&nbsp; Next, we devour The Cabo San Lucas - a burrito with pulled <a href="https://oumph.net/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">Oumph!</a>, spicy onion and pepper, spiced rice, beans and cheez, served with punchy guacamole, fresh pico de gallo and vegan sour cream. The pico de gallo tastes bright and citrusy with coriander, which complements the heartiness of the burrito - this is one of those meals that will certainly pick you up as the days get shorter. The mingling of spice, herbs and citrus will tantalise your olfactory receptors before you take a mouthful. <img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/v-land/image/upload/v1669551817/Image_2_1_pic_3_edit_1_0575cef5c8.jpg" alt="Vegan Mexican fajita wrap with dips including guacamole ">Ben Richardson <h2 class="ql-align-justify">Don’t delay - follow your dreams!&nbsp;</h2>Next time you roll off the train in Brighton, hungry, and thirsty for coffee, roll into Café@62; when you’re organising a tasty gathering for your friend’s book launch on sustainability, book Café@62; or showcase your culinary skills within a vegan community - <a href="https://www.21blox.com/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">contact</a> Café@62 about having your own pop-up space.&nbsp; If you are a Brighton foodie, here’s our guides for the best options for <a href="https://www.v-landuk.com/article/the-best-4-vegan-fish-and-chips-in-brighton" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">vegan fish &amp; chips</a> and <a href="https://www.v-landuk.com/article/delightful-vegan-brunch-options-in-brighton" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">brunch</a> in the vegan capital of the world’.

vegan full english breakfast on a bagel in a vegan cafe

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Café@62: Vegan café in Brighton bringing vegan foodies together

Investing is usually seen as a word which scares many people and is often associated with the movie The Wolf of Wall Street with Leo, screaming brokers, selling and buying shares and using ‘complicated’ words.&nbsp; According to Investopedia: “Investing is putting money to work for a period of time in some sort of project or undertaking in order to generate positive returns (i.e., profits that exceed the amount of the initial investment)”.&nbsp; <h2>Where to start?</h2>If investing in stocks it is always best to first research the type of investment, evaluate the risk and decide on the amount of money to bring into the market. You could also ask your bank if they could link you with an investment advisor to discuss your preferences and projects. Before you decide to invest, think about your investment goals/strategy even if it’s a very small one, i.e. if you want quick returns or long term. It may be smart to start small and to expand your portfolio later, once you feel more comfortable. Read the latest annual reports of the companies. Make sure to check its financials, strategy, evolution, etc. Also, screen the history of share prices for different periods and Google search for significant changes to see why the price went down or up in the past. This would help you to have a more insightful conversation with your financial advisor as well. <h2>Vegan stocks</h2>On its own, the vegan market theoretically is bigger than you think. It naturally includes veggies, fruits, legumes and even wood and other materials that have no animal provenance or are not tested on animals, nor harming them. In 2022 May, <a href="https://foodinstitute.com/focus/bloomberg-boosts-10-year-plant-based-market-forecast-to-166-billion/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">Bloomberg forecasted the plant-based alternatives market to rise to USD $166 billion</a>. It estimated plant-based alternatives for milk to rise 7% by 2031 and meat alternatives by 7.2% if we take the fast growth vs respectively 5% &amp; 4.4% growth for the base scenario. As senior analyst of Bloomberg Jennifer Bartashus notes: “There are three main catalysts on both the supply and demand side of the equation that will help differentiate plant-based alternatives as a long-term trend versus a fad.” <a href="https://www.nasdaq.com/articles/7-best-vegan-stocks-to-buy-now" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">Here are some suggestions by Nasdaq</a> for the top vegan stocks to buy published in July 2022. And in case you are looking for some more publicly traded vegan companies you may refer to pages such as <a href="https://www.vegpreneur.org/vegan-stocks" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">Vegpreneur, VeFAQ</a> or <a href="https://www.thestockdork.com/vegan-stocks/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">The Stock Dork</a> and many more. <img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/v-land/image/upload/v1668778269/Penny_trees_12d1cc646f.png" alt="piles of coins growing in height with a ‘money tree’ growing out of the top of each pile">Arthon meekodong via Canva Pro <h2>Green, responsible or sustainable investing&nbsp;</h2>First of all,&nbsp;green funds do not especially mean really sustainable or vegan. You might have heard of the term greenwashing. <a href="https://www.businessnewsdaily.com/10946-greenwashing.html" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">As Business News daily describes</a>: “Greenwashing is&nbsp;when an organisation spends more time and money on marketing itself as environmentally friendly than on actually minimising its environmental impact.”&nbsp; To give a better example, imagine you go to your bank advisor and ask them for the sustainable investment options. You will definitely get at least a few choices and most probably it will be a fund which will have a wonderful illustration of saving water, alternative energy, no arms policy, etc. But once you dig deeper you might be surprised to find that inside these funds there could be companies which are major plastic waste producers or are highly involved in forest destruction yet doing one thing ‘right’, such as applying a new policy of cleaning water. This may be highlighted as ‘green activity’ even though in the sustainability balance sheet sustainable activities take a significantly lower percentage than the polluting or destructive ones. Therefore, not so long ago the world was reading about German law enforcement officials raiding the offices of <a href="https://fortune.com/company/deutsche-bank" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">Deutsche Bank</a> on suspicion of the fraudulent advertising of sustainable investment funds at its DWS unit. The reported €459 billion AUM (asset under management) with ESG integration was greatly exaggerated. A total of €100 to 150 billion was more realistic. So again you might wish to check carefully.&nbsp; To sum up, there are so many options and ways to invest in veganism, yet do not forget that investing is way broader than the stock market, bonds, obligations, real estate, small/big business or start-ups. It could be a non-monetary investment such as an investment in future, health and self-development. While going through your life you are constantly exposed to non-monetary investments: primarily time and energy. Invest in society and yourself.&nbsp;If you enjoyed this article and want to learn more about vegan investing you will love our article about how <a href="https://www.v-landuk.com/article/how-vegan-friendly-investments-are-changing-industries" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">vegan friendly investments are changing industries</a>. If you are trying to get your vegan business off the ground check out our interview with David and Lisa from the Vegan Business Tribe about <a href="https://www.v-landuk.com/article/help-your-business-thrive-with-vegan-business-tribe" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">how to help your business thrive</a>. Disclaimer: Please note that this article is not targeted to advise people on their investment decisions yet more of an oversight based on research about sustainable/vegan investment options in the market. If you want to invest please refer to a financial advisor or a specialist for more specific advice.

pile of coins with a ‘money tree’ growing out of the middle set over a background of digital vegan stock prices and fluctuations

Vegan stocks and investing: What are the options?

Some <a href="https://theeverydaymagazine.co.uk/food-1/is-veganism-only-for-the-rich" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">people</a> mistakenly believe that a vegan lifestyle is one that is only accessible to the middle and upper classes, or to those who are rich and privileged. This is based on the idea that factors other than ‘price’ are at stake when comparing the cost of a diet: such factors include time, effort, education, and difficulty. It is true that adopting a vegan lifestyle in an omnivorous world can be difficult - to do so is to accept that one forms part of a minority rather than part of a majority. It does involve reeducation, readjustment and effort. However, the key factor that shoppers consider before and after arriving at the checkout - especially during a cost of living crisis - is price. And by the metric of price, is it not true that plants have always been cheaper than meat, and that, by extension, a vegan diet is cheaper than an omnivorous one?&nbsp; The short answer: it depends. The long answer? A vegan shopping basket need not be any more expensive than one belonging to an omnivore. Cheap vegan food is everywhere to be found. <h2 class="ql-align-justify">Is vegan food expensive?</h2>Recent <a href="https://www.ox.ac.uk/news/2021-11-11-sustainable-eating-cheaper-and-healthier-oxford-study" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">research</a> from the University of Oxford suggested that it is possible to reduce the cost of a food shop by up to one third by adopting a vegan diet. Furthermore, an Ipsos Mori <a href="https://www.ipsos.com/sites/default/files/ct/news/documents/2018-09/an_exploration_into_diets_around_the_world.pdf" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">study</a> in 2018 generated similar findings: according to their results, lower income households were more likely than medium or high income households to adopt a flexitarian diet, whereas higher income households tended to adopt more omnivorous diets. In other words, those with less disposable income not only know that ditching meat and dairy is more wallet-friendly, but they also put this into practice. <h2 class="ql-align-justify">But is being vegan on a budget realistic?</h2>The previous studies do not necessarily paint a comprehensive picture. Notably, the Oxford study did not take into account the cost of meat and dairy alternatives. A 2022 <a href="https://www.vouchercodes.co.uk/savings-guides/guides-reports/food-spend-report" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">Food Spend Report</a> that did account for this found contrasting results: it estimated that vegans were actually spending 28% more on groceries than the national average. This report also suggested that the average shopper spends about £21 a month on meat, whilst those following a vegan diet supposedly spend roughly £35 a month on meat substitutes. A possible explanation for such findings, borrowing Andrew Anthony’s <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2021/oct/10/from-fringe-to-mainstream-how-millions-got-a-taste-for-going-vegan" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">eloquent words</a>, is that veganism is undergoing a “gastronomic revolution”, leaving in its wake the ascetic image of simple vegan abstinence of days gone by. With ever-growing options for alternative meat and dairy products - and a market expected to be worth <a href="https://www.statista.com/statistics/1280394/global-plant-based-food-market-value/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">$160 billion by 2030</a> in the US alone - vegans of the 2020s increasingly enjoy an abundance of choice when they arrive at the supermarket, the local fast-food joint, or even the great British pub. It is perhaps unsurprising that vegans are spending more money to sample the vast swathes of new alternative products. The large and growing range of new options especially benefits vegans who are new to the diet - a demographic of considerable size. Ipsos Mori’s <a href="https://www.ipsos.com/sites/default/files/ct/news/documents/2018-09/an_exploration_into_diets_around_the_world.pdf" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">study</a> estimated that only 34% of vegans had been following the diet for 2 years or more, demonstrating that a large section of the community are newcomers who are likely to opt for the familiar textures and flavours of plant based meat alternatives, perhaps even regardless of their price. <img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/v-land/image/upload/v1668777841/Pig_in_trolley_e733f9db62.png" alt="Sezeryadigar/Getty Images Signature via Canva Pro">Sezeryadigar/Getty Images Signature via Canva Pro <h2 class="ql-align-justify">Is vegan food cheaper in the cost of living crisis?</h2>The cost of living crisis affects all consumers, albeit unequally. This is no more apparent than in the dairy sector. Bloomberg recently <a href="https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2022-10-01/cow-s-milk-becomes-pricier-than-non-dairy-alternatives-in-uk" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">announced</a> that plant based milks were gradually becoming as cheap as, if not cheaper than, cow’s milk. Citing data gathered by Assosia - which looked at own brand milks across four of the UK’s main supermarkets - Bloomberg found that the price of cow’s milk had jumped by 36% between Jan-Oct 2022, coming in at £1.10 per litre, whereas soya and almond were priced at £1.07 and £1.05 per litre respectively. Data from the <a href="https://www.trolley.co.uk/grocery-price-index/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">Grocery Price Index 2021-2022</a> (GPI) corroborate these findings, showing that while cow’s milk had increased by 29.5%, soya, almond, and oat milk had only increased by 17.6%, 8.3%, and 6.7% respectively. Moreover, the GPI provides further data to suggest that vegan products are experiencing lower rates of inflation than products from the animal agriculture industries. Vegan mayo experienced a 7.3% rise; ‘standard’ mayo increased by 15.6%. Beef mince (15.4%), chicken breasts (19.4%), and eggs (14.1%) all rose significantly, whereas tofu (8.5%), lentils (7.4%), and vegan sausages (8.8%) rose by much less. <h2 class="ql-align-justify">Cost of living: Can vegans get cheap protein?</h2>Using recent data from trips to the Co-op, Brendan Montague at The Ecologist provided a promising <a href="https://theecologist.org/2022/sep/01/vegan-cost-living-crisis" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">analysis</a> of protein content against price, across various vegan and non-vegan products. He found that per £1, at the top end, dried split lentils provided 69g of protein, peanut butter provided 26g, and mushy peas provided 22g. For non-vegan products at the top end, semi-skimmed milk provided 24g, chicken breasts provided 21g, and tinned mackerel provided 18g. These findings go some way towards showing that basic vegan foods can get you more protein for a lower cost than both meat substitutes and various meat and dairy products. <h2 class="ql-align-justify">Have the days of rice and beans returned?</h2>Overall, the picture looks quite positive for the vegan community. It is clear that while a vegan diet containing few meat and dairy substitutes can help to reduce a shopper’s spend, this may prove difficult for new-ish vegans, for whom the familiarity of new plant based alternatives to meat serve an important purpose. That said, vegan products are encountering weaker rates of inflation, which bodes well for the community as the UK approaches a likely recession. As purse strings tighten, it may be time to say a temporary farewell to some of the <a href="https://www.juicymarbles.com/eu/shop/thick-cut-filet" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">more expensive vegan alternatives</a>, but the current economic situation should by no means deter vegans from enjoying their cheaper lifestyle. To get you started on your eating well for less journey check out <a href="https://www.v-landuk.com/article/8-cupboard-staples-every-vegan-should-have" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">8 cupboard staples every vegan should have</a>. If you are looking for an easy and relatively cheap vegan meal while out and about read <a href="https://www.v-landuk.com/article/vegan-meal-deals-for-lunch-on-the-go" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">vegan meal deals for lunch on the go</a>.

Young girl in a pink top counting piles of coins that have been taken out of her pink piggy bank next to her

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Vegan on a budget: Is it really cheaper?

When Luzolo Ntima decided to open <a href="https://www.instagram.com/heavenlycakeco/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">The Heavenly Cake Co</a> in 2005, people weren't so used to hearing the word vegan. As someone who had multiple allergies she opened the allergy-accommodating vegan bakery without any expectations.&nbsp; Now, almost 18 years later, we sat down with her and had an interesting chat about the UK's first vegan bakery and the success of their delicious plant based and allergy-accommodating cakes and cookies. They make their cakes and cookies without dairy, nuts, soy or egg (however, they can’t guarantee they are free from traces); they also have gluten-free and diabetic options too. V-Land UK (V-L): When did The Heavenly Cake Co start baking and why a vegan bakery?&nbsp; LN: We started in 2005 when there were no plant based cakes on the market. Our diets were very clean then as well, so that made it even more important to come up with cakes that were as clean as they could be - hence the organic spelt flour, coconut oil and the icing sugar is raw cane organic. So, initially the recipe was for us. A friend had a vegan restaurant at the time and I offered one to him, it went from there as it was the first vegan cake he ever sold.&nbsp;V-L: At that time the word veganism used to scare some people, how did you fight against that? LN: We didn’t find any negativity towards it that I can remember, but there was curiosity. A lot of people didn’t know what veganism was but really looked at it from the allergy perspective when we explained how it affects cake recipes.&nbsp;The fact that we’re a cake company kind of confused people because there’s no meat in cakes, obviously! So, again not using dairy or eggs was the hook. Of course, when we went to vegan events and festivals that was a whole new ball game as nobody else was doing cakes. We used to sell out at every event as we travelled up and down the country (well, as far as Bristol for Vegfest and down to Brighton for the various vegan festivals there and the London events).&nbsp;V-L: Apart from your cakes being vegan, what else sets them apart from run-of-the-mill vegan cakes?&nbsp; LN: The cakes (and cookies and brownies!) are all made with health in mind. We have a nut-free and soya-free policy in the bakery. Not everything is gluten-free, we also bake with organic spelt flour which is an ancient grain (the mother of wheat), it provides more essential amino acids, vitamins, and minerals than refined wheat flour. We also make diabetic-friendly cakes and cookies with diabetic-friendly icing. Most other vegan cakes use almond flour and or soya.&nbsp;V-L: What flavours and types of cake do you make?&nbsp; LN: Chocolate, carrot, lemon, rum, fruit, vanilla, banana. <img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/v-land/image/upload/v1668777225/Cake_8fea9b2d89.png" alt="Slice of vegan cake ">The Heavenly Cake Co V-L: Also, what other products do you make besides cakes, can you tell us more about these products?&nbsp; LN: We make cookies and shortbread. Coconut cookies, digestives and jammies. Jammies are a kind of coconut shortbread with jam in the middle. We have just launched brownies either naked or with a crumble topping option.&nbsp; Coming soon will be ginger, again either naked or wearing a crumble top! We will be making brownie slabs which can be personalised for birthdays and other special occasions. Also watch this space for other variations on brownies and (in the interests of diversity!) we will look at perhaps adding blondies too.&nbsp;V-L: Coming back to the beginning of The Heavenly Cake Co, you were one of the first vegan bakeries in the UK, if not the first. What are the changes you have seen since then in the vegan food industry? LN: This is a huge question! So many changes. Actually going back to before I started baking, I stopped eating meat as a child in 1971 (giving my age away), people used to offer to slice the meat really thinly for me. By the time we started baking in 2005 things hadn’t changed a great deal from that sadly. Now of course the world and his wife are making vegan foods. It’s also become easier to buy ingredients, for example, the fact that we are now making brownies and are able to buy vegan chocolate is a huge thing.&nbsp;V-L: More and more people are studying baking and this industry has grown a lot. What advice would you give to the new baking generation?&nbsp; LN: Keep on baking on! Experiment with different ingredients and don’t just think outside the box, eat outside of it too. An important thing we have found over the years is that ingredients change. Just because you are using, for example, a type of flour from a certain manufacturer, do not think it will stay the same. It doesn’t. You may be having success for a long time and suddenly the cakes start to sink, check to see if the flour has changed, or sugar etc. If this has whet your appetite for some tasty vegan cakes and cookies head to <a href="https://www.theheavenlycakecompany.co.uk/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">their website</a> and get that fix! To keep your sweet tooth satisfied until they get delivered check out <a href="https://www.v-landuk.com/article/5-vegan-chocolate-bar-brands-to-add-to-your-shopping-list" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">5 vegan chocolate bar brands to add to your shopping list</a> and <a href="https://www.v-landuk.com/article/mama-dolce-luxury-free-from-ice123-cream" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">Moma Dolce’s luxurious free-from ice cream</a>.

A smiling woman (Luzolo Ntima) reaching out to one of the shelves in her vegan bakery called The Heavenly Cake Co

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Luzolo Ntima: Founder of the first vegan bakery in the UK


The season is almost upon us. Before we know it, we'll be Christmas shopping, decorating the tree and eagerly awaiting the moment that we'll open the next door of our vegan advent calendars. With so many to choose from including chocolate, alcohol, tea and beauty products, how to choose the best vegan advent calendar? V-Land UK have made this handy list to help you decide, no matter your budget. <h2>Kakoa</h2>The "<a href="https://kakoa.co.uk/collections/christmas/products/iconic-vegan-advent-calendar?variant=42009695420592" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">Iconic Vegan Chocolate Advent Calendar</a>" from <a href="https://instagram.com/kakoa.choc?igshid=YmMyMTA2M2Y=" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">Kakoa</a> includes 24 days of their award-winning chocolates crafted by their master chocolatiers. The luxury flavours include Espresso Martini, Dazzling Strawberry and Champagne, Sicilian Orange and Fiery Ginger for £24.99. Also, if you're in the market for some fun stocking fillers, look no further! Kakoa also sell boxes of <a href="https://kakoa.co.uk/collections/christmas/products/vegan-chocolate-truffle-sprouts-8-chocolate-box?variant=42009972900016" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">Vegan Chocolate Truffle Sprouts</a> for £9.99. <h2>Fever Tree Gin and Sparkling Wines at John Lewis</h2><a href="https://instagram.com/fevertreemixers?igshid=YmMyMTA2M2Y=" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(75, 172, 72); background-color: transparent;">Fever Tree Mixers</a> have paired 12 gin and tonics from classic to fruity to floral for you to enjoy while you count down the days until Christmas in this <a href="https://www.johnlewis.com/fever-tree-ultimate-gin-tonic-advent-calendar/p6164110" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">vegan advent calendar</a> - available for £60 from John Lewis. You can also find this vegan-friendly <a href="https://www.johnlewis.com/fizz-advent-calendar/p6201679" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">Fizz Advent Calendar</a>, containing a selection of sparkling prosecco, wine and Champagne for £140. <h2>Hotel Chocolat</h2>If you're looking for a traditional chocolate advent calendar, the <a href="https://www.instagram.com/hotelchocolat/?hl=en" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">Hotel Chocolat</a> silky smooth 45% Nutmilk vegan chocolate is available in this festive <a href="https://www.hotelchocolat.com/uk/nutmilk-chocolate-advent-calendar.html?gclid=CjwKCAjw8JKbBhBYEiwAs3sxNxN8wrO8t6EJLlKbRO806nCHbcpEUtApzttnSKHQ3FoLfvszyuiLCBoCLwQQAvD_BwE" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">vegan advent calendar</a> containing traditional Christmas tree, snowman, Father Christmas and reindeer shapes. Pick one up for just £13. <h2>Whittard</h2>Tea for two? If you enjoy a hot cup of tea on these cold winter days, <a href="https://instagram.com/whittardofchelsea1886?igshid=YmMyMTA2M2Y=" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">Whittard</a> have got you covered! Get cosy and enjoy their <a href="https://www.whittard.co.uk/all/the-tea-advent-calendar-for-two-354746.html" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">Tea &amp; Infusion Advent Calendar</a>. Open the beautifully designed doors to reveal 24 boxes, each drawer of December holds 4 individually wrapped teabags including Elderflower &amp; Apple, Organic Roobios and Darjeeling for £70. <img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/v-land/image/upload/v1668372423/Image_1_3_3f9df5888e.png" alt="Whittard’s tea and infusion vegan advent calendar"><a href="https://www.whittard.co.uk/all/the-tea-advent-calendar-for-two-354746.html" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">Whittard</a> <h2>Not On the Highstreet’s Luxury 24 Day Advent Calendar for Gardeners</h2>The perfect holiday season gift for green-fingered friends, <a href="https://instagram.com/notonthehighstreet?igshid=YmMyMTA2M2Y=" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">Not On The Highstreet's</a> <a href="https://www.notonthehighstreet.com/borderinabox/product/24-day-advent-calendar-for-gardeners" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">Advent Calendar for Gardeners</a> is the perfect vegan-friendly advent calendar, it comes with seeds, plant markers, recipe cards and a notebook for £49.99 <h2>Nomo</h2><a href="https://instagram.com/nomochocolate?igshid=YmMyMTA2M2Y=" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">Nomo</a> stands for 'No Missing Out', and nobody will need to miss out on their vegan chocolate fix this year with their <a href="https://nomochoc.com/products/advent-calendar" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">vegan advent calendars</a> widely available at supermarkets such as Tesco and Sainsbury's starting at £4. <h2>Holland and Barrett’s 25 Days of Conscious Beauty Advent Calendar</h2>The best vegan advent calendar for beauty fans, <a href="https://www.instagram.com/hollandandbarrett/?hl=en" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">Holland and Barrett's</a> <a href="https://www.hollandandbarrett.com/shop/product/25-days-of-conscious-beauty-advent-calendar-6100269194" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">25 Days of Conscious Beauty advent calendar</a> containing 25 premium beauty products worth over £180 is available for just £55. The calendar even includes 14 full-sized products - by Christmas day you'll be pampered and ready. <h2>Fetcha</h2><a href="https://instagram.com/fetchachocolates?igshid=YmMyMTA2M2Y=" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">Fetcha</a> chocolates are vegan, free from palm oil and wrapped in plastic-free, fully recyclable packaging. The whole range is delicious from <a href="https://fetchachocolates.com/collections/all" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">decorative chocolates and lollies</a> to flavoured caramels and chocolate ganache. Their three vegan advent calendars include a <a href="https://fetchachocolates.com/collections/seasonal/products/advent-calendar" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">solid chocolate advent calendar</a>, a <a href="https://fetchachocolates.com/collections/seasonal/products/luxury-advent-calendar" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">luxury vegan advent calendar</a> and an <a href="https://fetchachocolates.com/collections/seasonal/products/luxury-alcohol-infused-advent-calendar" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">alcohol-infused advent calendar</a>, helping you to find the best vegan advent calendar for your budget. Now that we've got you feeling festive and craving chocolate, why not check out <a href="https://www.v-landuk.com/article/5-vegan-chocolate-bar-brands-to-add-to-your-shopping-list" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">5 vegan chocolate bar brands to add to your shopping list</a>? If you're shopping for stocking fillers for a beauty lover you could find inspiration by reading <a href="https://www.v-landuk.com/article/vegan-and-cruelty-free-makeup-for-your-travel-bag" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">vegan and cruelty free makeup for your travel bag</a>.

 Kakoa’s iconic vegan advent calendar with their luxurious chocolates in front of it

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Countdown to Christmas: 8 luxurious vegan advent calendars

Aaron Calder smiling (a man sitting down in a café)

Alia Halstead

Aaron Calder: Surviving alcohol addiction by going vegan

Following decades of campaigning from groups such as the League Against Cruel Sports, 2005 saw the Hunting Act passed by Parliament. In line with public opinion, the intention of the Act was to cast the hunting of animals such as foxes, hares and deer into the history books and ban it for good. Yet almost 18 years later illegal hunting with dogs is still happening up and down the country on almost a daily basis. <h2>Trail hunting: The smokescreen</h2>Following the passing of the fox hunting ban, hunts created the notion of ‘trail hunting’. Designed to mimic traditional hunting with dogs, hunts lay an animal-based scent trail for the hounds to follow in areas they would have traditionally hunted and where foxes are likely to live. Yet the reality of trail hunting is quite different. Whilst hunts purport to be trail hunting, they <a href="https://www.league.org.uk/what-we-do/hunting/hunting-act/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">almost never actually lay a trail</a>. Since the Hunting Act was passed, monitors attending 4,000 hunts reported that a trail was laid at only 3% of them. And where hunts do lay a trail, it is rarely followed, with hounds hunting live quarry instead. Only 0.04% of the reported hunts were deemed to be a genuine trail hunting event, where the laying of an artificial scent was not simply a smokescreen for illegal hunting. The illusion of laying and following a trail, whether it is laid or not, allows hunts to continue hunting as normal. Incidents where hunts have killed, and have been recorded doing so, are <a href="https://www.stratford-herald.com/news/investigation-into-hunt-after-fox-killed-9215429/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">simply dismissed by those involved as accidents</a>. <h2>Old-fashioned fox hunting continues</h2>The reality is that the majority of hunts do not look any different to how they did before the ban. They are generally attended by terrier men who follow the hunt on quadbikes with terrier dogs. Traditional hunting would have seen terriers used underground to find a fox if it had escaped from the hunt underground. Terrier men would place the terrier in the hole to force the fox out so the chase could continue. If trail hunts genuinely don’t try to catch foxes, why are they always accompanied by terrier men? <img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/v-land/image/upload/v1668011077/Image_1_3df1850904.png" alt="trail fox hunting with dogs, hunters on horseback in red jackets followed by dogs causing disruption on a busy road"><a href="https://www.league.org.uk/hunt-havoc/how-to-tackle-hunt-havoc/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(75, 172, 72); background-color: transparent;">League Against Cruel Sports</a> <h2>Hunt havoc</h2>It is not just foxes who are victims of hunting either. The League Against Cruel sports recently <a href="https://www.league.org.uk/media/filer_public/75/f2/75f25df4-9a09-4c7f-aa92-9d1c177bc153/league_hunt_havoc_report_a4_low_res_v10_-_final.pdf" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(75, 172, 72); background-color: transparent;">documented the wider havoc</a> caused by hunts over the previous four years. This period saw 135 cases of “road interference” by hunts on public roads, 136 of “trespass and nuisance”, ten incidents of “railway trespass”, 32 of “harm to domestic animals’’ and 42 of “livestock worrying”. Sadly, six of the eight incidents of hunts trespassing on railway lines saw hounds being struck by trains and killed. What is more startling is that these incidents only represent incidents that monitors have attended or have recorded or that had been publicly reported in the press - hundreds of hunts are carried out each month where no monitors are present. As well as documenting the wider detrimental impact hunts have on the people and areas where they hunt, these incidents of hunt havoc add further proof to trail hunting being a smokescreen for illegal hunting with dogs. If hunts were really laying a trail, why would a trail be laid over dangerous roads and railway lines or through areas where cattle may be harmed and people’s back gardens?&nbsp;<h2>How can we stop this cruelty?</h2>It is clear that the Hunting Act in its current form is not preventing the hunting of wildlife with dogs. Only strengthening the Act, to really ban hunting, can bring this cruel ‘sport’ to an end. Getting involved in the <a href="https://www.league.org.uk/hunt-havoc/how-to-tackle-hunt-havoc/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(75, 172, 72); background-color: transparent;">League Against Cruel Sports</a>’ work, writing to your MP about this issue or even reporting hunt havoc if you are affected by it - these are all ways that you can help to put pressure on policymakers to strengthen the Hunting Act and help to create a kinder society.

 trail fox hunting with dogs, hunters on horseback in red jackets followed by dogs

Trail hunting: A smokescreen for illegal fox hunting with dogs?

Being vegan doesn’t mean having to give up all that you love. And that includes fashion. Iconic brands such as <a href="https://www.instagram.com/adidas/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">Adidas</a>, <a href="https://www.instagram.com/drmartensofficial/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">Dr. Martens</a>, <a href="https://www.instagram.com/birkenstock/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">Birkenstock</a> and <a href="https://www.instagram.com/newbalance/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">New Balance</a> now offer vegan versions of their most popular models. Whether you are looking for the season's shoe trend or looking to update your collection, we’ve got you covered! First, let us start with Adidas - makers of the season's most coveted shoe: the Samba. Developed in the late <a href="https://vintage002.dns-systems.net/adidas-samba/#:~:text=adidas%20samba%20history.%20The%20Original%20adidas%20Samba%20was,The%20Samba%20was%20finally%20released%20in%201950.%20" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">1940s</a>, the model has grown in popularity again,&nbsp;being continuously sold out. Worn by supermodels, celebrities and your local barista, the Samba now comes in vegan. You can purchase the Samba in either black with the classic Adidas white stripes or white with black stripes. The sleek design is super comfy and pairs amazingly with any outfit. The high demand for the <a href="https://www.adidas.co.uk/samba-vegan-shoes/H01877.html" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">Samba Vegan</a> shoe means that sizes sell out in minutes. We’ll let you in on an insider secret: if you go on the Adidas website very early in the morning, you might be lucky to grab a pair!&nbsp; If the Samba is not your cup of tea, Adidas’ vegan shoe collection includes versions of other iconic models such as the <a href="https://www.adidas.ie/stan-smith-shoes/FX5502.html" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">Adidas Stan Smith</a> (which is animal-free by default!) and the <a href="https://www.adidas.ie/superstar-vegan-shoes/FW2295.html" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">Adidas Superstar</a>.&nbsp; Another big brand offering vegan shoes is New Balance. One of their classic styles, the unisex <a href="https://www.newbalance.ie/en/pd/574-vegan-friendly/U574V2-38556.html" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">574</a>, comes in vegan-friendly material, and they have recently come out with the vegan version of the “<a href="https://www.ftshp.co.uk/en-uk/mens-shoes/210115-new-balance-990v5-grey.html?utm_source=CJ&amp;utm_medium=affiliate&amp;utm_campaign=7808029&amp;utm_content=14074376&amp;cjevent=439c30554fe511ed8337004d0a18ba72&amp;utm_id=cj!7808029&amp;cjdata=MXxZfDB8WXww" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">Made in USA 990v5</a>”, although they are tough to find.&nbsp; Suppose you want a comfy, casual shoe. In that case, Birkenstock has a great option for you: the <a href="https://www.birkenstock.com/ie/search?q=vegan&amp;prefn1=model&amp;prefv1=Boston&amp;lastfilterset=boston" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">Boston clog</a> which has been one of the most sought-after shoes in the past year, it comes in multiple colours with two different finishes: micro fibre and <a href="https://www.birkenstock.com/gb/things-to-know/materials/birko-flor-nubuk/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">Birko-Flor® nubuck</a>, a material that the German brand developed to imitate leather. This vegan Birkenstock is also super versatile and can be worn all year round! If you are looking for a weather-proof, sturdy shoe, Dr. Martens vegan shoes fit you. The quintessentially British brand, with their classic yellow stitching, is notoriously the most reliable shoe on the market. They have made their vegan offering very appealing, from shoes to boots and bags! If you are leaning towards boots, the following come in different finishes: indisputably their most iconic, <a href="https://www.drmartens.com/eu/en_eu/vegan-1460-dark-red/p/23756600" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">1460 ankle lace boots</a>;&nbsp;the <a href="https://www.drmartens.com/eu/en_eu/vegan-2976-black/p/21456001" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">2976 Chelseas</a>; the <a href="https://www.drmartens.com/eu/en_eu/vegan-jadon-ii/p/22563600" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">Jadon II</a> or the <a href="http://cosstores.com/en_eur/women/new-arrivals.html" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">Sinclair platforms</a>. We also recommend the <a href="https://www.drmartens.com/eu/en_eu/vegan-1461-gloss-lace-up-shoes/p/26890431" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">1461 lace up shoes</a> as another staple for your collection. And if you have kids, Dr. Martens vegan shoes now come in toddler sizes too! Lastly, the Australian brand <a href="https://www.instagram.com/Blundstone_uk" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">Blundstone</a> has incorporated a vegan version of their famous Chelsea boot. Keeping the design of the original Chelsea boots, right down to the signature stitching and pull tabs, you can find them in <a href="https://www.bergfreunde.eu/blundstone-originals-vegan-2115-casual-boots/?aid=62bdd783bc87dbd41956a968817631a1&amp;pid=10004&amp;gclid=CjwKCAjwwL6aBhBlEiwADycBIDKh_LPs-zONKjx-dvh9Rd-ggrLQeINLcAEzz5nBBdfHTdUVRFRgvRoCYfYQAvD_BwE&amp;wt_mc=eu.pla.google_eu.18006042465.." rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">black</a> and <a href="https://www.bergfreunde.eu/blundstone-originals-vegan-2116-casual-boots/?aid=6216d4b6dcbb30fea9371875a8c43a5c&amp;pid=10004&amp;gclid=CjwKCAjwwL6aBhBlEiwADycBIP1CiFvldS9giVf9uixj7P8bOgRTqzCUx7Hob7HDr0s5gImhe5gLJRoCvykQAvD_BwE&amp;wt_mc=eu.pla.google_eu.18006042465.." rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">brown</a>, while more colours are set to be released in the upcoming months.&nbsp; Over the past few years, the demand for vegan shoes has made brands invest in innovation to satisfy their customers' needs. And one thing is clear – they have made the smart and vegan-friendly choice exciting. Choosing the vegan option now no longer means having to compromise on design, quality, or comfort. And we are thrilled about it! To learn more check out <a href="https://www.v-landuk.com/article/how-sustainable-are-vegan-shoes-my-guilty-purchase" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">how sustainable are vegan shoes?</a>, and for more on eco-shopping read f<a href="https://www.v-landuk.com/article/fashion-doesnt-need-to-cost-the-earth-exploring-ethical-vintage-clothing" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">ashion doesn’t need to cost the Earth: exploring ethical vintage clothing</a>.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Vegan Samba Adidas shoes in the colour white with black stripes