The facts
So let's approach the topic carefully and start with the definition: vegans eat a purely plant-based diet and avoid animal products. In addition to meat and fish, all animal products such as eggs, milk, cheese, gelatine and honey are excluded from their diet. They also refrain from using items containing animal ingredients - be it leather, fur, down or even cosmetics. Veganism as a concept therefore goes beyond a pure form of nutrition.
The term "vegan" was coined by the Englishman Donald Watson. As a teenager, he saw a pig being slaughtered on his uncle's farm and decided to become a vegetarian. In his early 30s, he decided to stop eating animal products altogether. To distinguish his diet from the vegetarian diet, Donald Watson put the first three and last two letters of the English word vegetarian together and thus invented the word "vegan". The term was institutionalised with the founding of the Vegan Society on 01.01.1944 in Birmingham. To mark its 50th anniversary, the Vegan Society proclaimed 1 November as World Vegan Day.
Growing interest worldwide
A Google Trends analysis shows that interest in vegan nutrition has risen steadily and has even skyrocketed since 2015. India has the highest number of vegans in the world, followed by China, the USA and the UK.
(Source: https://de.statista.com/infografik/26070/anteil-der-befragten-die-sich-vegan-ernaehren/)
In predominantly Hindu countries such as India, religiously motivated abstinence from animal products may well be the main reason why so many people follow a vegan diet. But why is the proportion so high in China? The Chinese government is promoting a plant-based diet as part of its efforts to reduce the country's carbon emissions and improve public health. Back in 2016, the Chinese Ministry of Health published dietary guidelines urging residents to reduce their meat consumption by 50 per cent.
Different motivations
Religious or political guidelines may be one reason, but in both cases the decision is dictated by an institution. But why do people decide in favour of a vegan lifestyle? According to surveys in Germany, avoiding animal suffering is the top priority for 81% of respondents. A healthier diet is in second place with 78%. 67% of respondents said they wanted to do less harm to the environment. Only 22% state that they do not like animal products.
Source: Statista.de
Do vegans live healthier lives?
It has long been debated whether a plant-based diet is really healthy. Researchers from the USA have now investigated different dietary styles in various pairs of twins and obtained a clear result. After just four weeks, the test subjects on a vegan diet had significantly lower cholesterol levels, 20 per cent lower insulin levels and lost around two kilograms more body weight than their meat-eating siblings. The plant-based diet is not only beneficial for the cardiovascular system, but also improves the intestinal flora and slows down ageing.
Source: https://www.nationalgeographic.de/wissenschaft/2023/12/zwillingsstudie-zeigt-wer-sich-vegan-ernaehrt-lebt-laenger-gesundheit-fleisch-essen
What studies on vegan nutrition show, however, is that the topic needs to be considered in a differentiated way: The effects depend to a large extent on how the diet is implemented, in other words: a balanced vegan diet is possible under certain conditions and, as the US study shows, is also healthier. Convenience products are only of limited help here, as ready meals - not just the vegan version - often contain additives such as sugar, flavour enhancers or colour enhancers. The intelligent implementation of a plant-based diet, taking into account physical requirements and by taking additional vitamin B12, is therefore proven to be healthier.
Vegan nutrition and the environment
It is also well documented that a large proportion of plant-based foods in the diet is associated with positive aspects for the environment. The data on why a vegan diet also protects the environment and benefits the climate is now clear. The common argument against a purely plant-based diet is that a lot of rainforest is cut down to grow soya for tofu. However, the facts are different: Around 80 per cent of soya production worldwide does not go into the production of tofu and meat substitutes, but into animal feed.
Source: https://www.focus.de/gesundheit/ernaehrung/veganuary-2023-so-beliebt-wie-nie-was-es-gesundheit-und-umwelt-bringt-wenn-sie-vegan-leben_id_12194291.html
However, far less acreage is required for a plant-based diet. In the long term, this could, for example, preserve biodiversity, protect wild animals in their habitat, protect the underwater world, improve soil quality, protect groundwater and ultimately also mitigate the climate crisis.
No mountain pastures without livestock
Livestock farming has a long tradition in South Tyrol. As a small-scale region, livestock farming is still an important economic factor - not least as a tourist attraction: Rustic mountain farms, historic building ensembles, lush pastures and alpine pastures are an eye-catcher.
The mountain pastures in South Tyrol are a cultural asset that has grown over the centuries. They characterise the landscape and have contributed significantly to making South Tyrol a popular holiday destination. But what would happen to the mountain pastures if there were no more livestock farming? The high pastures would gradually become woody and the landscape would change fundamentally.
Conclusion: trend or way of life?
The question posed at the beginning, whether a vegan lifestyle is a trend or goes beyond that, is relatively easy to answer. For some, switching to a purely plant-based diet may not be a sacrifice at all. Anyone who engages with the concept of veganism and identifies with the philosophy on which it is based is probably not someone who simply follows a trend. The decision to go vegan requires an examination of the topic and entails a major change to your entire lifestyle. It would therefore definitely be too short-sighted to describe the phenomenon as a trend.