MAG MAGAZINE March 2024

veganism

Frea Naturalz founder Dr. states that reducing animal product consumption will bring many positive effects for our planet. Naz Demirkılıç shares two delicious recipes by giving information about the vegan lifestyle that emphasizes climate-friendly, sustainable and ethical values.

Veganism, whose popularity has increased exponentially in recent years, has become an important issue with the solutions it offers in the name of sustainability and environmental awareness. It is a candidate to be a beacon of hope with these solutions to many problems in today's world, where resources are rapidly depleting. This lifestyle completely rejects the consumption and use of animal products and prefers foods and products derived only from plants; It has become an important trend for environmental, ethical and health reasons. In addition, with the spread of veganism, important steps are being taken towards building a more sustainable, fair and healthy world. In this sense, veganism is not just a dietary choice but part of broader social and environmental change. While eating habits bring about a motivation that highlights climate-friendly, sustainable and ethical values, the increasing number of conscious consumers and the rise in ecological awareness levels also develop and transform consumption behaviors and therefore production styles.

Despite the growth potential of this transformation, the global fruit diversity and vegetable consumption section of the World Health Organization Health Research Report states that consumers under the age of forty have increased their vegetable consumption by fifty-two percent in the last decade.

According to research conducted in 2023, it is estimated that there are around eighty-eight million vegan consumers in the world and three quarters of this population are women. With this; According to the market research conducted by the international vegan and vegetarian product and service labeling organization "V-Label" and FMCG Gurus in 2022, thirty out of every thousand people in Turkey are vegan.

In this context, the main motivation for consumers to turn to plant-based foods can be summarized as follows: Environmental impacts, healthy eating preferences of conscious consumers and the positive effects of plant-based nutrition on health, ecological side effects of industrial food production, and increasing ethical sensitivity regarding animal welfare.

Accordingly, reducing the consumption of animal products brings with it many positive effects for our planet, because today animal agriculture is shown to be responsible for a large portion of greenhouse gas emissions. Animal agriculture; It is highly costly and inefficient in terms of environmental impacts, with high water and energy consumption, extensive land use, and significant carbon emissions. If we compare the production of a plant-based burger to a beef burger, the production of a plant-based burger uses seventy-five to ninety-five percent less water, ninety-three to ninety-five percent less land, and produces eighty-seven to ninety percent fewer greenhouse gas emissions. . Additionally, the studies carried out; It shows that by adopting a completely vegan diet, a person can reduce their annual carbon footprint by the equivalent of one and a half tons of carbon dioxide.

Vegan diets and alternative food products that support plant-based agriculture enable a more sustainable use of resources, help us reduce our carbon footprint, and promise a more sustainable and environmentally friendly future.

The plant-based food market, which has reached a global size of thirty to thirty-five billion dollars today, also attracts attention with its positive effects on health. Accordingly, a vegan diet; While it reduces the risk of chronic diseases such as heart disease, type 2 diabetes and some types of cancer, it also supports a healthy lifestyle thanks to its high fiber and low saturated fat content. According to the data obtained from the research conducted in 2021, more than five hundred thousand consumers will join the vegan movement as of 2021; In 2022, more than six hundred twenty-nine thousand consumers added vegan recipes such as cauliflower pizza, meatless burgers and vegetable patties to their menus. The popularity of the movement is also related to the ethical dimension of the issue and animal rights. Veganism; It offers the opportunity to reflect these values ​​in food consumption choices by opposing ethical issues related to the breeding, use and killing of animals. Research on the subject; He states that animal rights are the main reason why many people go vegan.

Sustainability and environmental awareness are critical to responding to the pressing challenges of the modern world. Veganism and alternative food products offer significant opportunities to reduce environmental impacts, reduce carbon footprint and protect natural resources. These trends promise hope for a greener and more livable world and encourage individuals, societies and governments to take steps in this direction. In summary, as the motivation for a vegan lifestyle, a healthy, ethical and environmentally friendly, low-carbon life comes to the fore; The global plant-based food market looks set to continue developing steadily.

Blueberry Chia Bowl

Materials

1 banana
1 cup blackberries
1 tablespoon chia seeds
1 cup almond milk
Organic sweet cocoa crumbs
Acai powder mix
Frea Naturalz Coffee Chocolate Granola
Frea Naturalz Peanut Butter with Date Extract and Collagen
Molasses upon request

Red Lentil Hummus

Materials

1 cup Frea Naturalz Cracked Lentils
1 tablespoon tahini
1 clove of garlic
1 tablespoon Frea Naturalz Saurani Extra Virgin Olive Oil
3 tablespoons lemon juice
Salt
Black pepper
Cumin

Dr. Naz Demirkılıç