It's Veganuary, and while the annual plant-based pledge might feel quieter this year, one columnist is reaffirming her commitment for a deeply personal reason: her mental wellbeing. Emma Beddington, writing for the Guardian, argues that amidst a perceived decline in veganism's popularity, her choice to eschew animal products remains a vital tool for warding off feelings of impotence and despair.
The Vegan Inflection Point: Closures and Changing Tides
Beddington acknowledges a significant shift in the plant-based landscape. She references investigations by publications like New York Magazine, which asked where all the vegans have gone, noting a wave of vegan restaurant closures on both sides of the Atlantic. This includes high-profile reversals, such as New York's Eleven Madison Park reintroducing animal products, and declining sales of meat substitutes. Despite the annual Veganuary push, the percentage of people identifying as vegan remains stubbornly static at around 1%.
Several factors are cited for this downturn. There's a noted 'roaring' meat revival, particularly in the US, which is framed as a provocative rejection of 'woke' orthodoxies around carbon footprints and mindful consumption. The influence of figures like RFK Jr. is also highlighted, with his controversial dietary guidelines promoting red meat, much to the concern of health bodies like the American Heart Association.
Wellness Trends and the UPF Dilemma
The current wellness zeitgeist also presents challenges. The relentless focus on high-protein diets makes plant-based eating seem more difficult, despite it being entirely possible. Furthermore, valid concerns about ultra-processed foods (UPFs) plague the vegan sector, as many meat and cheese alternatives rely on heavy processing. Beddington notes it is possible to be vegan and avoid UPFs, but quips that it requires living 'like a 1970s hippy'.
Underpinning these trends, Beddington detects a broader, more worrying sentiment: a 'shrug and give up' attitude towards climate action. When individuals feel their efforts are meaningless against the scale of corporate pollution, the motivation to make personal sacrifices, like dietary change, diminishes. Why bother with a plant-based diet when 36 fossil fuel companies are responsible for half of all emissions?
Veganism as an Act of Mental Self-Preservation
In the face of a 'tremendously, terrifyingly bad' world, Beddington concedes that small treats are understandable. However, she posits that action itself can be a source of feeling good. For her, veganism is an act of self-interested mental health preservation.
By not supporting ecologically disastrous factory farming or contributing to the documented cruelty in the meat industry, she makes a conscious choice that alleviates her sense of powerlessness. Even an infinitesimally small contribution to cutting carbon emissions becomes a proactive step against despair.
She ends on a lighter note, pointing to the new 'fibremaxxing' trend as a potential win for vegans, who are naturally experts in fibre-rich diets. Her message to fellow vegans is one of perseverance: 'hold on, comrades, keep the mung beans soaking. Our time will come again.'
