#Trending In India: The Future Looks Bright For Veganism In 2017!

From being an alien concept, to something one would associate with animal-rights activists, to a common alternate lifestyle, veganism has come a long way! More and more people are becoming increasingly aware about this wondrous lifestyle and the amazing perks it has to offer.

The word ‘vegan’ is gaining steady interest, this is evident from the fact that in 2016 the average number of times the term ‘veganism’ was searched on the Google was almost 50% more than the previous year and it’s only increasing! Related as well as newer terms have even seen an increase of 1000% as opposed to it nothing being searched in previous years.

From not knowing how to pronounce ‘vegan’ to actually knowing someone who’s following this, brands are offering ‘animal-friendly’ options and coffee shops nowadays. For instance, Starbucks and Cafe Coffee Day also have a vegan alternative to every form of coffee on their menu. This lifestyle is turning heads all over the globe.

The health benefits are also becoming more popular - from reversing diabetes to making your heart healthier. Everyone is shifting to a vegan diet not just for the animals but also for their own well being! According to a harvard study, a vegan diet can decrease the likelihood of developing Type 2 Diabetes which is an increasing health concern for us Mithai & Rice lovers. Dr. Nandita Shah at Sharan & Dr. Saravanan at have been helping people reverse diabetes, obesity and heart diseases, all with the help of a plant based diet – things that were possibly unimaginable till a while back.

According to researchers at Oxford University, going Vegan will not only save millions of lives (both animals and humans), more than few billion dollars will be saved on health care if we quit meat all together, as mentioned on The Huffington Post.

Even though Veganism is still growing little by little back here in India, some of the Vegan entrepreneurs are doing the best they can to create a niche in this space and are slowly making their mark.

Image : The Economic Times, DNA - Mumbai

Talking about the recent developments in India pertaining to Veganism, we can say that there is a positive growth in all spheres surrounding this lifestyle. The awareness has been on a rise as most leading newspapers from Times of India, Hindustan times to Tribune are mentioning the word frequently and talking about the vegan businesses that are sprouting every second day.

In the last year, more than forty brands offering Vegan products have launched in the Fashion & beauty segment and mostly in the food and service industry.

With Vegan recipes being available online, transitioning to this lifestyle has also been fairly easy. Cafes and restaurants are identifying the huge potential this market has. Let’s talk about desserts - Back to the Basics in Pune is baking away our dreams that too - 100% Vegan along with Smitha’s Cakehive in Bangalore. You’ll also find vegan offerings at the Rose Cafe and Getafix in Delhi, Dario’s in Pune and Cafe Basilico in Bombay to name a few.  Purely Vegan cafés and restaurants are cropping up in multiple cities and are flooded with patrons relishing on delicacies palatable for their lifestyle: Carrots Restaurant – Bengaluru, The Real Green Café – Pune and The Philosophy Club – Ahmedabad are a few you must try! Typically a vegan diet is like any vegetarian diet minus the dairy products (and any other animal products like honey). So 2016’s super health trend is literally, that simple!

Image: Back to the Basics, Ahimsa -The Vegan Cafe

Among edibles, newer brands like Chetran’s are evolving to exclusively cater to vegan diets – soy milk, soy tofu paneer and so on. Delhi based White Club ice-creams and Roy’s Vegan Soy curd are gaining popularity and are being talked about in the Vegan community very fondly.

This vegan organic store - Rare Earth also opened its door to patrons in Bombay offering a whole range of organic and vegan products.

In the same year, VeggyTABLE, a vegan convenience store in Chennai was opened by animal lover, Marieen Vijay who decided to come up with vegan substitutes for Meat. With as many as 14 types of mock meats available, she is taking Chennai which also happens to be one of world’s most vegan friendly cities to live in, by storm!

Well known cosmetics brands like Forest Essentials, Lush, The Body Shop, Lotus Herbals and Himalaya Herbals which are widely-used have also introduced vegan options!

In Bollywood, Celebrities like Sonam Kapoor & Aamir Khan have given the Vegan diet a shot! Kangana Ranaut, Jacqueline Fernandez, Lisa Haydon, Mallika Sherawat, Ayesha Takia and several others have been part of this bandwagon for awhile now. Many who want to try it out are slowly cutting down on the meat & dairy intake, or are simply trying it for a temporary time frame – and it’s working! Once you see the detox and weight-loss benefits it’s impossible to let it slide as a passing fad. Beyonce & Jay Z tried it out and they were so happy with it that they started the 22-Day Nutrition Diet Plan so people can actually experience the change it brings about.

Sonam Kapoor, Kangana Ranaut & Jacqueline Fernandes

Image: Shutterstock, Jacqueline Fernandez On Instagram

2017 looks brighter and more hopeful for the Vegan community in India, which is growing manifolds. The vegan stories about regular civilians who have conviction and come from different walks of life are so powerful, they are creating a ripple in this space.

With more restaurants and brands coming up with vegan alternatives and “Zoodles” & mock meats making it’s way into mainstream food, you just have to watch this space diligently for more updates. As per reliable sources, this year will see an increase in the number of restaurants and cafe by the dozen. Bodhi Greens is opening it’s door for vegan tourists even in Dharamshala and the popular Address Chic is also diversifying in new ventures besides Fashion and lifestyle.

After the huge success of the Ahimsa Fest that was held in November, people are now gearing up for the Mumbai Vegan Festival that is happening in mid february.

We at Veganfirst hope to bring the latest happenings in 2017 in the Vegan world to you. Come back to read about restaurant and product reviews, watch fun videos and learn to cook delicious foods along with a full dose of entertainment! We’ve geared up for the year, and we hope you’re looking forward to all the excitement and goodness in 2017 too!

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