Rebecca Manzi Veganism is gaining popularity in the U.S., with more people embracing plant-based diets for health, ethical, and environmental reasons. This article explores the rise of veganism, its historical roots, and the role of Veganuary in shaping modern dietary habits.
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More and more people are embracing veganism. According to various surveys, 3% of Americans consider themselves to be vegan. Numbers are slowly growing from year to year. About 6% of Americans identify as vegetarians, while many more have dabbled in plant-based eating.
In other words, the plant-based movement is growing really fast. According to recent surveys, the number of US vegans has increased manifold over the last decade, influenced by concerns on health, animal welfare, and sustainability of the environment. Younger generations are leading the shift to plant-based eating.
Aside from veganism and vegetarianism, other dieting options are increasingly in demand. For example, 30% of Americans drink lactose-free products, while 25% opt for sugar-free ones and 20% take gluten-free foods. People without intolerances of any kind take such products, too, which indicates that people become more open to health concerns.
Donald Watson and the Vegan Society
This month, many people are participating in “Veganuary,” a campaign encouraging individuals to avoid meat, fish, and animal-based products throughout January. But how did modern veganism begin?
It bases its beginning in November 1944 when a British woodworker, Donald Watson, who had already been in the UK Vegetarian Society, desired to invent a new term that would depict individuals who excluded animal products in the diet, excluding dairy and eggs. That gave birth to the word “vegan.”
Along with six others, he founded the Vegan Society in 1945, laying founding stones for what has now grown to be a global movement, commanding millions of followers. In the early years, there were about 70 vegans in the UK. Today, veganism is practiced by millions worldwide, mostly young people, who are more concerned with ethics and the environment.
Veganism is fast-moving from an erstwhile radical ideal to a mainstream way of life, with many envisioning it as part and parcel of life in the near future. The growth reflects a wider cultural and social transformation: veganism places itself not only as a way of diet but also as a worldwide movement toward a more compassionate and sustainable world. Veganuary celebrates and provides an opportunity for people to think through some of these issues, which inspires more and more people to consider a plant-based lifestyle.
