With more dairy companies adding almond milk to their lineup, McDonald’s testing a McPlant burger and Chipotle carrying Sofritas (tofu burritos), vegans are rejoicing as their options multiply.
What exactly is veganism? Unlike vegetarians, who forgo meat but may eat dairy and eggs, vegans do not consume any products derived from animals.
Their numbers are growing exponentially. According to a study from Ipsos Retail Performance, the number of Americans following a vegan diet has increased 300% over the past 15 years, an upward trend that has restaurants adding more choices to their menus and companies such as Beyond Meat and Morningstar Farms reporting an explosion of sales in plant-based products. Bloomberg News reports that the meat-free market is expected to hit $74.2 billion by 2027.
People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals recognized Chattanooga as No. 7 on a Top 10 list of Vegan-Friendly Small Cities in 2020, singling out the ChattaVegan Festival and restaurants including Cashew, Taco Mamacita and Your Local Seitanist. Asheville, North Carolina, topped the list.
According to PETA, vegans are considerably less likely to suffer from heart disease, mainly because vegan foods are naturally cholesterol-free and generally low in saturated fat. Studies show that vegans tend to have a lower body mass index, or BMI, than their meat-, cheese- or egg-eating counterparts. An Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics position paper indicates that people who go vegan reduce their risk of heart disease by 29% and their likelihood of being hospitalized for a heart attack by 33%.