Veganuary is Nearly Over, So Should You Become a Vegan Permanently?

As the end of January draws near, hundreds of thousands of people in the UK will know the finish line is nearly in sight. If you’re one of the many people who pledged to give up meat for a month as part of Veganuary, you’ve either been pleasantly surprised by your experience so far or you’re desperate for a cheeseburger with a side of cheesy bacon-topped fries.

If it’s the former (and hopefully it is!), trying to go vegan for a month may have left you considering incorporating plant-based eating into your diet permanently. But are you really ready to go vegan full-time? 

Unlike Dry January (giving up alcohol for a month), Veganuary has actually got easier in recent years, with plant-based ranges in every major supermarket and vegan options on the menus of most chain restaurants (some, like Wagamama, even bring out special dishes in collaboration with Veganuary). 

Swearing off meat permanently is a much bigger step though. The obvious major benefit of being a vegan is helping to prevent cruelty to animals, so if you’re an animal lover, this could be enough to make you decide to follow a vegan diet for good.

However, there are so many more pros to becoming a vegan. It’s largely more friendly to the environment as it requires much less energy and farmland to feed a vegan. Plus, the huge amount of grain feed needed for meat production is a significant contributor to deforestation, habitat loss and species extinction.

When followed correctly (aka, not just living off vegan Ben & Jerry’s ice cream), a vegan diet is one of the healthiest you can have. Health benefits include lowered blood pressure and cholesterol as well as a decreased risk of diabetes, plus the additional vitamin C you’ll likely be consuming in all those veggies will give you glowing skin.

Linda Mohamed, content writer for TopMBA.com, became a vegan at the beginning of her third year at uni, and told us about the multiple benefits she gained from ditching meat:

“At first it was just about the animals for me, but later on I started caring a lot more about the environment and noticed significant improvements in my health – from energy levels to digestion.” 

You’ll have to be more vigilant than you used to be and make sure you get enough iron and protein in your diet, as these can be lacking in a vegan diet. Good sources of protein include nuts and legumes, and grains (yes, this includes peanut butter on wholegrain toast).

Iron can be found in certain green vegetables like broccoli, as well as the vegan staples of beans and tofu. You should also take B12 supplements to avoid developing anaemia.