Veganuary: could you go meat-free in January?
Woo provides a vegan club sandwich made with organic seed and cereal bread, homemade organic hummus, grilled organic peppers and rocket - © Woo
Many of Monaco’s restaurants offer vegetarian and vegan options.
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Similar in concept to “Dry January”, which encourages people to do without alcohol in January, “Veganuary”, which was launched in the UK in 2014, aims to promote vegan eating, i.e. eating without meat, fish or animal products. In other words say goodbye to eggs, milk and cheese. As we all know, eating too much meat, particularly red meat, isn’t good for our health or for the planet. But while a lot of people agree on that, few are prepared to take the plunge. The challenge aims to help you stick to it, at least for a month, and more if it works for you!
On the health side, the impact is mostly positive, as long as the nutrient intake required by the body is maintained, doctors stress. For example, “cutting down your consumption of saturated fats (butter, fatty meats, etc.) protects cardiovascular health, eating more fibre (fruit, vegetables, cereals, pulses, etc.) helps with digestion and healthy bowel movement and also helps prevent cancers of the digestive system”, Coline Flandrin, a freelance dietician in Lille, recently explained in Le Journal des femmes.
Beware of nutritional shortfalls
A few precautions need to be taken, however: iron intake must be adequate. It is contained in spirulina, lentils, white beans, chickpeas, chia seeds, sesame seeds, dark chocolate, split peas and wholegrain cereals. “The body absorbs iron from plants much better in combination with foods that are rich in vitamin C, such as kiwi fruit, red fruit, citrus fruit, peppers and spinach,” says the specialist.
You should also keep an eye on your protein intake, with plenty of oilseeds (almonds, walnuts, hazelnuts, cashew nuts, etc.), peanut butter, lentils and other pulses, quinoa, lupin seeds and pumpkin seeds. And calcium requirements are met by legumes and tofu. “Some plant-based drinks are calcium-enriched,” adds the dietician, not forgetting mineral waters such as Hépar or Courmayeur, which also contain a lot of calcium.
The best addresses
These days, going vegetarian or vegan is made easier by the different products on offer in our supermarkets, but also thanks to the countless recipes to be found on the web or in the increasing number of books on our bookstore shelves. And for those who aren’t really made out of chef material, many restaurants provide menus that are suited to vegetarian and vegan diets. At Woo, on rue Princesse Caroline, you’ll find vegan buddha bowls with homemade hummus and tender carrots, or veggie ones with avocado and eggs. So tasty!
Behind vegetarianism and veganism there lies a concern for animal welfare, too. Veganism is a way of life, it’s not just about what’s on your plate! You won’t find any leather, fur, or wool in a vegan’s wardrobe for example!