Status: 03.01.2024, 13:15 PM
By: Nico Reiter
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Eating vegan for a month is a resolution that many people share. The change can have an impact on the environment and the body.
Frankfurt – Many Germans are making a number of resolutions for the new year. More exercise, more time for yourself or even a healthier diet. The neologism "Veganuary", from the words vegan and January, describes the resolution to avoid animal products in the first month of the year. But how healthy is a vegan diet and what are the real benefits of Veganuary?
According to the Veganuary website, over 2023,700 people participated in the project last year 000. The project has been in existence since 2024 and shares nutrition tips and recipes online. Not only meat, but also animal products such as dairy products, eggs and honey do not fit into a vegan diet.
For Veganuary there are recipes and nutrition tips online Okrasyuk ©/Imago
Nutrition expert on the Veganuary project
In an interview with Der Spiegel, Birgit Jähnig, deputy head of the Healthy Nutrition Department at the Federal Center for Nutrition, explains what the project can achieve and where she sees its limits. Vegan nutrition is no longer perceived as a renunciation. Plant-based substitutes are now available for many animal products. Many supermarkets and discounters have recognized the trend and are therefore significantly expanding their vegan range. But even the familiar can be surprising: "If you are well informed, you will rediscover many well-known foods."
A balanced and varied diet is also possible vegan. However, a few certain nutrients are less likely to be accepted by plants. Jähnig mentions vitamin B12, iodine, calcium, iron, zinc, selenium, certain amino acids and omega-3 fatty acids. However, if you only eat vegan for a month, you don't have to worry about a shortage. "However, if you want to stick to a purely plant-based diet in the long term, you have to supplement the vitamin," says the expert.
Effects on the body and the environment
A vegan diet is therefore not automatically healthier for the body. For certain diseases, avoiding animal products can be very helpful. Studies show that vegans report positive effects and a positive attitude to life, especially at the beginning of the change. However, people who follow a vegan diet often live healthier overall, pay attention to their diet and exercise. The most important thing is to eat as balanced as possible with both vegan diets and animal products.
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A study by Stanford University and the University of California describes what would happen to the planet if all people were vegan. Without factory farming, greenhouse gases would stabilize for the next 30 years. About 68 percent of carbon dioxide emissions could be offset by the end of the century. "Reducing or eliminating livestock farming should be at the top of the list of possible climate solutions," said Patrick Brown of Stanford University.
Ökotest also writes that a purely plant-based diet greatly reduces the share of emissions from the food sector. In this way, the environment and climate are protected. But animal suffering is also reduced. Veganuary participants also cite this factor as the decisive reason for their participation. A large part of the population would like to see improvements in animal husbandry. Many suppliers have also recognized this desire, which is why better husbandry of dairy cows is also one of the things that should change in the supermarket in 2024.