plant-based lifestyle

Planted man with sausage

© Planted
Health

Is a Plant-Based Diet the Secret to Improved Erectile Function?

Businesses in the plant-based food industry may soon have a new target market: men looking to improve their sexual health. Recent research, carried out by Dr. Stacy Loeb, a urologist at New York University in the Manhattan Veteran Affairs and board-certified in lifestyle medicine, has shown that men who consume more plant-based and less animal-based foods have better scores for erectile function, even patients with prostate cancer. The findings suggest that transitioning to a plant-based diet could potentially improve sexual function in men. Dr. Loeb emphasizes that even small dietary changes can make a difference, from incorporating Meatless Monday to switching some animal products for plant-based alternatives. But more importantly, men who follow more plant-based diets increase their overall sexual health and have a lower …

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Vegan meal kits cooked and served

© Just Add Vegan
Politics & Law

Australia to Include Sustainability Messaging in Dietary Guidelines to Align with Global Efforts

Australia is set to promote plant-based foods and diets as it looks to incorporate sustainability messaging into an updated version of its official Dietary Guidelines. Hailed as a milestone step by Food Frontier, a leading advocate for sustainable food solutions, sustainability messaging would raise awareness among Australian consumers about the environmental implications of dietary choices. The move, recommended by the National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC), is poised to align the country with global efforts. As explained by the alt protein think tank, Canada, Switzerland, Sweden, Qatar, Norway, Brazil, and Germany have already recognized the need for more sustainable food systems in light of the increasing global population — from 8 to 9.7 billion by 2050 — and climate crisis concerns.  For the planet Dr. Simon Eassom, CEO …

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A veegie and a meat burger.

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Politics & Law

President of WHO Calls for Shift to Plant-Based Diet to “Protect and Promote the Health of Both the People and the Planet”

In a move to integrate food systems into climate action, the president of the World Health Organization (WHO), Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, has called for a shift toward plant-based diets to tackle the global health and climate crises.  In a declaration at COP 28, Adhanom said that the current food system harms people’s health by contributing to over 30% of greenhouse gas emissions and global diseases, including malnutrition.  He emphasized that delivering plant-based diets could save up to eight million lives annually and made public the organization’s commitment to supporting countries in implementing policies to improve diets and mitigate climate change. “Together, we can protect and promote the health of both the people and the planet,” he said. Anti-beef strategy With this declaration, the WHO has …

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Vegan protein sources- EIT Food calls for innovative policymaking on protein diversification to address the challenges of the food system Challenges

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Health

New Study Finds Plant-Based Diets Reduce Risk of Alzheimer’s Disease

The Journal of Alzheimer’s Disease has published a detailed study on the role of diets in modifying the risk of Alzheimer’s disease (AD). The findings show that regimes that include more vegetables, legumes, whole grains, and fruits reduce the chance of developing this terrible neurodegenerative disorder. According to the paper, more plant-based diets, like the Mediterranean and traditional diets in China, Japan, and India, have been demonstrated to reduce the risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease, contrary to the Western diet. The researchers also found that AD rates are rising in these countries as they adopt Western-style eating habits.  The review, which also investigates which foods reduce the risk of Alzheimer’s disease, outlines the protective foods against AD: green leafy vegetables, colorful fruits, vegetables, legumes, nuts, omega-3 fatty acids, and …

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Austrian supermarket chain BILLA opens plant-based area

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Studies & Numbers

Diet Shift Continues in Austria: Veganism Surges While Meat Consumption Declines

The latest Smart Protein survey on European consumers has revealed a continuing diet shift Austria, where the number of vegans has risen 2%, and over half of Austrians have reduced their meat consumption since 2021. The study carried out by food awareness NGO ProVeg International, in partnership with Innova Market Insights, the University of Copenhagen, and Ghent University, surveyed 7,500 people in ten countries to compare and analyze the eating habits of Europeans regarding plant-based foods. In Austria, 750 individuals (50% men and 50% women) making the purchasing decisions in their household provided information on their current shopping habits and attitudes towards plant-based foods. Following the analysis, the figures show that Austria is leading the way in veganism, with the vegan population rising from 3% …

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Wagamama veganuary

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Charity & Campaigns

Wagamama, Beyond Meat, and Wicked Kitchen Join New ’50 by 25′ Sustainable Dining Campaign

Animal rights charity Viva! and Emma Osborne, founder of Citizen Kind, have together launched a large-scale, two-year long initiative centred around sustainable dining called 50 by 25, which urges restaurants to make 50% of their menu plant-based by the end of 2025. Restaurants, hotels, coffee shops, food brands, distributors, wholesalers, professional chefs, and delivery services will all play an important role in kicking off this UK-based campaign. Brands Wagamama, Beyond Meat, and Wicked Kitchen have already pledged their support, joined by celebrities such as plant-based chef Derek Sarno, co-founder of Wicked Kitchen, and the multi-award-winning French chef (turned vegan) Alexis Gauthier. Wagamama’s menu is already 50% plant-based, and the 50 by 25 campaign is now calling for other restaurants to follow suit. As part of the …

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A men cutting vegetables ion a wooden board in a kitchen

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Charity & Campaigns

New Survey Reveals Over 40% of UK Men Express Interest in Vegan Diet

Today, coinciding with World Vegan Day, The Vegan Society has revealed “encouraging” figures from its latest research showing that 41% of UK males (in the sample group) express an interest in going vegan or have said they are planning to do so. Veganism has gained popularity in the last decade, particularly in the UK; however, only 37% of the UK vegan population are men. Aware of this fact, The Vegan Society has been researching the gender imbalance in vegan and vegetarian populations to understand why men are less likely to adopt a vegan lifestyle.  Young men, traditional masculinity, and health For this new research, the organisation surveyed 1,000 men in the UK, questioning their views on adopting vegan diets and the potential barriers to veganism. The survey shows that from …

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karana-japan launch

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Market & Trends

Japan: Demand for Healthy Alternatives to Animal Products Fuels Vegan Food Market

While still considered a niche market compared to European countries, growing awareness of health and wellness and sustainability concerns are driving the growth of the vegan food market in Japan. The Japanese vegan food market is projected to exhibit a growth rate (CAGR) of 11.2% during 2023-2028, according to the IMARC Group, a leading US market research company. Although Japanese cuisine is already considered healthy, Japanese consumers seek healthier options for animal products to improve their well-being and prevent lifestyle-related health issues, according to IMARC Group. Plant-based diets are associated with various health benefits, including reduced risk of chronic diseases, weight management, and slowing the aging process. To cater to these consumers, long-established companies, such as the miso producer Marukome and the brown rice company …

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Children protest with signs regarding environment

©Pexels-karolina-grabowska, image supplied by the authors
Sustainability / Environment

Leading Scientists Urge Global Shift to Plant-Based Food: “We Only Have 7-8 Years to Prevent a Global Climate Crisis”

A major new study by prominent scientists published in the leading scientific journal Heliyon proposes a new strategy for addressing climate change with what they say are “overlooked” solutions. Co-author Professor Andrew Knight  contacts vegconomist to explain, “Our planet is in a state of emergency and we only have a short window of time (7-8 years) to enact meaningful change to prevent a global climate crisis.” The authors argue that a shift to plant-based diets, a global phaseout of industrialized animal farming, and a global standardization of climate change metrics are effective measures to reduce global warming. Removing animals from the food system could offset the world’s total GHG emissions by 68%, highlights the study.   Meanwhile, the study points out that to avoid an irreversible global climate …

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Vegan meal kits cooked and served

© Just Add Vegan
Market & Trends

19% of Australians Embrace Flexitarian Diets, Taste Top Priority for Omnivores, Reveals New Study

The latest research by the polling institute YouGov shows that 19% of Australians consider themselves flexitarians, eating primarily plant-based foods and occasionally meat and fish. Additionally, across all the Australian states, the flexitarian diet was the most popular choice after a standard omnivorous diet.  The poll also shows that 6% of consumers have adopted a vegetarian or vegan diet, driven mainly by young consumers. Notably, this trend is significantly more prevalent in Victoria, where one in ten consumers have adopted a plant-based diet, according to the authors. The data also reveals that a lower percentage of Gen Z and Baby Boomers identified as flexitarians, with only 12%, compared to Millennials and Gen X, who were approximately 25%. Meanwhile, Gen Z and Millennials are more likely to adopt an entirely vegetarian …

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A veegie and a meat burger.

© Вячеслав Думчев-stock.adobe.com
Studies & Numbers

One Health Study Calls for “Just Transition” to Plant-Based Diets

Researchers from the Stockholm Environment Institute have presented a study with guiding principles to help policymakers accelerate a transition — fair for all — to a more sustainable and healthy food system based on plant-based foods. Led by Cleo Verkuijl and part of a policy forum article published in the CABI One Health, the paper argues that a just transition in animal agriculture is necessary for more effective and equitable One Health outcomes.  One Health is an approach that emphasizes the need for a transdisciplinary understanding that health relies on the interconnections between humans, animals, plants, ecosystems, and their shared environment.  In the study, the researchers highlight that the impact of current industrial animal agriculture practices, including the emergence of infectious diseases, antimicrobial resistance, climate change, biodiversity loss, and …

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Plant-based tacos

© Zess
Health

Plant-Based Diets Combat the Obesity and Climate Crises, Says Top EU Scientific Advisor

Plant-based diets promote human health, combat climate change, and foster a more sustainable food system, highlights Eric Lambin, a member of the European Commission’s Group of Chief Scientific Advisors and co-author of Towards Sustainable Food Consumption. In a recent interview published in Horizon magazine, Lambin, a geography and sustainability science professor at UCLouvain, Belgium, discussed the need for a more sustainable and healthy food system.  “We are now facing a public health crisis – with widespread overweight, obesity and malnutrition issues — and a global environmental crisis,” he told Horizon. To tackle obesity and climate change, Lambin recommends shifting towards plant-based diets, emphasizing legumes, fruits, vegetables, nuts, and seeds, reducing meat consumption, and prioritizing sustainably sourced fish and seafood. He also noted the need to reduce …

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Meatless Week (Week Zonder Vlees will launch in Belgium for the first time

© Week Zonder Vlees
Charity & Campaigns

Successful Dutch Meatless Week Campaign Launches for the First Time in Belgium as Semaine Sans Viande

Meatless Week (Week Zonder Vlees), a campaign encouraging Dutch citizens to give up meat for a week and try plant-based alternatives, will launch for the first time in Belgium as Semaine Sans Viande from the 23rd to the 29th of October 2023.  Week Zonder Vlees is a foundation created by the food blogger Isabel Boerdam in The Netherlands to accelerate the path towards a more plant-based diet into concrete actions with directly measurable results. The project aims to raise awareness of the positive impact of a meat-free diet on human health and its potential to contribute to the 2030 climate goals. “Meatless Week challenges you to give up meat for a week and choose unexpected alternatives. It’s the perfect opportunity to taste and experiment with plant-based foods …

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Drone

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Society

How Drones Can Help Promoting the Vegan Lifestyle

Drones are becoming ever more powerful, and their prices continue to fall. Additionally, ever smaller and more powerful video equipment is becoming available, which allows for precise recordings even at higher altitudes. The agricultural industry is exploiting these advantages under the name “precision farming”. But other players are also increasingly turning to drones.

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