What do Billie Eilish, Joaquin Phoenix, Lizzo, Woody Harrelson, and Sadie Sink all have in common?
Whether it has been for a few years or their entire lives, they all follow a vegan diet.
A vegan or plant-based diet consists of fruits and vegetables, beans and legumes, grains, pasta and much more.
Someone who eats a vegan diet does not eat any animal products such as meat, dairy, eggs or honey.
The rise of people trying a vegan diet has only grown in the past decade, according to The Guardian.
The increase of popularity may be in part due to a trend people are trying this month called Veganuary.
Every January, people sign a pledge and try to eat a vegan diet for the entire month.
Veganuary, a company and the title of the pledge, says that over 629,000 people pledged to try a vegan diet for Veganuary in 2022.
The pledge offers participants coaching, 31 recipes, nutritional advice, and a free celebrity e-cookbook.
But, is Veganuary and the rise of vegan diets more than a trend?
A vegan or vegetarian may choose to eat a plant-based diet because of animal welfare, environmental, health, or personal reasons.
Diane Beckett, a sustainability consultant, initially went vegan after learning about the impact the production of meat has on the environment.
She says that the animal agriculture industry causes “all sorts of problems” for the environment.
“The leading cause of deforestation is clearing land for grazing cattle or raising soybeans, which are fed to cattle…The dead zones in the oceans are largely as a result of how we raise animals [for food], whether it’s the industrial agriculture that we use to grow the feed or whether it’s the manure,” says Beckett.
Amy Fitzgerald, a professor at the University of Windsor who works with the Great Lakes Institute for Environmental Research, says the animal agriculture industry has a significant impact on climate change.
She references the UN’s Food and Agriculture Organization report, Livestock’s Long Shadow, which identifies animal agriculture as one of the main contributors of climate change.
“There’s growing evidence of the impacts of animal agriculture on global climate change…mostly because of methane emissions.”
Fitzgerald says there’s no “silver bullet” to the widespread problems caused by the animal agriculture industry, except for the reduction in the demand for animal products.
One way to reduce the demand is to try a vegan diet.
Joseph Poore, a researcher at the University of Oxford, who conducted the most comprehensive research about the impact of animal agriculture on the planet says reducing animal products from one’s diet could have a positive impact on the planet, according to an article by The Guardian.
“A vegan diet is probably the single biggest way to reduce your impact on planet Earth…It is far bigger than cutting down on your flights or buying an electric car,” says Poore.
Yet, many are hesitant to try a vegan diet because they are unsure if it is a healthy option, according to researchers at the University of California, Los Angeles.
However, Carol Aguirre, a registered dietician and vegan nutritionist, says it is perfectly healthy to go vegan but recommends planning your meals, taking Vitamin B12 and getting lab work to see where your nutrient levels are at.
Going vegan may seem like a daunting task, but Aguirre says “go at your own pace and don’t feel obligated to do it overnight. Whatever feels comfortable for you.”
Here are some places on campus where you can try some vegan food.
Places to eat on campus – Humber College North Campus and University Guelph-Humber
- The Street Café
(Humber Retail / Twitter)
The Street Café is located in Humber College at H102, right next to the Humber bookstore. The Café offers vegan meals all under $7.
The Café offers meals such as a veggie hummus wrap, veggie couscous falafel salad, and a roasted veggie sandwich on ciabatta bread.
The Café also offers hot meals such as green lentil and veggie curry.
They also have vegan snacks for those on the go such as hummus and crackers and fruit cups.
Roasted veggie sandwich on ciabatta. (Kate Carveth)
2. Gourmet express
Gourmet Express is located at Humber College in the food court.
They have many vegan options for those looking for a quick bite or for those looking for a meal for later.
Gourmet Express offers a rice stir fry, green salad with raspberry vinaigrette and walnuts, assorted dips such as guacamole, babu ghanoush, hummus, bruschetta with flatbread and a mixed bean salad.
(Kate Carveth.)
The food store also features a frozen section, where customers can pick up a veggie chili for those looking for a hot meal they can heat up at home.
3. Quesada burrito
The Humber campus also has a Quesada Burrito, located in Humber’s food court. Quesada Burrito is a Mexican food restaurant that serves burritos, burrito bowls, nachos, and tacos.
You can get substitute meat with any vegan option such as black beans, refried beans, roasted veggies or the saucy chipotle tofu with all the fixings.
Quesada Burrito also has vegan sauce for any meal and is described as a “creamy mayo-style sauce.”
4. The GH Café – GH221
(Keerthiga Vijayapalan/GH360)
The Guelph-Humber Café is located in Guelph-Humber on the second floor.
They offer some vegan options such as a falafel wrap, a grilled veggie sandwich, and a black bean salad.
For a more refined palate
The Humber Room
(humber.ca)
The Humber Room, located on the first floor of Humber College, offers an “upscale casual setting” to all students and staff, according to Humber College’s website.
They offer a plant-based menu which features an appetizer, entrée, and dessert for $27.
Humber culinary students design and cook the food, while Humber hospitality students serve the patrons.
Be sure to book a reservation and check out their plant-based menu.
Off-campus options
- Wok of Asia – 6640 Finch Ave. West
Wok of Asia, located less than two minutes from campus, is a sit down restaurant that features a variety of Asian food.
They serve a variety of veggie options such as chilli tofu, eggplant in Szechuan sauce, and stir fry of mixed vegetables.
2. Honest Restaurant – 25 Woodbine Downs Boulevard
Honest Restaurant is a dine-in Indian restaurant, located two minutes from the Guelph-Humber campus.
The restaurant serves mainly vegetarian options and includes vegan options such as chana masala, a curry chickpea dish, an aloo veggie sandwich with a spicy mixture of potatoes and vegetables, and dry gobi manchurian, which is batter fried cauliflower with Indo-Chinese spices.
