Making Plant-Based Diets More Popular: Just Add Convenience

Veganism is enjoying a tidal wave of new followers. Many consumers are opting to follow plant-based diets for both health and environmental reasons. Yet this type of diet can often be incredibly time consuming. The laborious process of chopping endless vegetables and whizzing up your own almond milk is not suitable for our modern, busy lifestyles. It is estimated that around one billion people in the developed world are overweight, leaving them vulnerable to illnesses like heart disease, cancer and diabetes. Overconsumption of red meat has been shown to be one of the leading causes of this issue. Furthermore, rearing animals for meat and dairy products is calculated to be responsible for around 18 per cent of global greenhouse gases. Becoming a full or part-time vegan has become an attractive option for health and sustainability conscious consumers. In the United States, around 36 per cent of consumers now purchase milk and meat alternatives. But care must be taken to ensure that a reduction or removal of meat and dairy from the diet does not result in missing out on vital protein and nutrient intake. Pulses have until now been an unsung hero in the food industry. The high levels of protein, iron and zinc in pulses like beans, chickpeas and lentils are an alternative source of nutrients for non-meat eaters. The International Year of Pulses 2016, as declared by the United Nations, seeks to raise awareness of this. That is why a team of students from my university, Kansas...
Source: Healthy Living - The Huffington Post - Category: Consumer Health News Source Type: news