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Plant-based diets stole the spotlight in 2015. Top
advisors to the U.S. government voted for a vegan diet, a veggie burger was
voted “best burger in the world,” and prominent figures from Miley Cyrus and
Adele to the president of the American College of Cardiology sang the praises
of plant-based diets.
Here are 15 times that veggies took center stage in
2015:
1) When the World Health Organization
Declared that Red and Processed Meats Cause Cancer: A
large-scale international review published in Lancet Oncology in
October concluded that red and processed meats are linked to cancer.
2) When a Veggie Burger Took the Top
Prize: Where’s the beef? Not in the best burger
in the world, according to GQ Magazine. In November, the magazine crowned New York
City’s vegan Superiority Burger as best burger. The veggie burger’s win
represents a shift in consumer preferences over the past year. More and more,
people are pushing the beef off their plates. At the same time that McDonald’s
closed more than 700 stores this year, demand has increased for plant-based
fast-food and fast-casual restaurants, like New York’sBy Chloe and the West Coast’s Veggie Grill. Even a former McDonald’s CEO has left beef
burgers behind: In November, Don Thompson joined the board of a veggie burger
start-up company.
3) When Scott Jurek Crossed the Finish
Line: In July 2015, ultramarathoner Scott Jurek became the fastest person to ever race
through the 2,189-mile-long Appalachian Trail. Fueled entirely by a plant-based
diet, he broke the world record by running about 50 miles per day for 46
straight days.
4) When the President of the American
College of Cardiology Went Vegan: In July, Kim Williams, M.D., president of the American College of
Cardiology, took the stage at the Physicians Committee’sInternational Conference on Nutrition in Medicine: Heart
Disease to explain why he made the switch to a plant-based diet and
why he recommends the same for his patients. The evidence that plant-based
diets are best for heart health continued to mount in 2015. New studies show
that vegetarian diets lower cholesterol levels, reduce the risk of heart attack, reverse angina, and lower the risk of heart disease in obese children.
5) When Beyoncé Was Crazy in Love with
Veggies: Beyoncé’s music and fashion choices
might create frequent media frenzies, but it was her menu making headlines
earlier this year. In January, Queen Bey – inspired by how great she felt after
her own 22-day vegan challenge – teamed up with Marco Borges and 22 Days
Nutrition to launch a vegan meal delivery service. Also pushing plants into
center stage in 2015? Miley Cyrus, Ellie Goulding, Jon Stewart, and Liam Hemsworth all raved about the many benefits of
plant-based diets.
6) When Vegan Mayo Went Mainstream: In
July, news broke that 7-Eleven made the switch to using
vegan mayo in all prepared dishes. It’s one of many reasons why following
a plant-based diet became more convenient than ever in 2015. This year brought
vegan meatballs to Ikea, veggie sliders to White Castle, and coconut milk to Starbucks.
And due to popular demand, Ben &
Jerry’s has been hard at work in 2015 creating a line of vegan ice
cream, which will hit shelves next year.
7) When U.S. Government Advisors Voted
for Plants: In February, the 2015 Dietary Guidelines Advisory Committee released a
scientific report acknowledging the power of plant-based diets to fight obesity
and reduce the risk of heart disease, high blood pressure, and other common
health problems. The report is being used to shape the upcoming 2015 Dietary
Guidelines for Americans, which not only guides individual choices, but drives
food and nutrition policy.
8) When Veggies Rocked the Lunch Line: In
September, MUSE School CA became the nation’s first plant-powered
K-12 school after debuting an all-vegan menu packed with bean-based chilis and
fresh vegetable salads. Along with Meatless Mondays and vegetarian options,
school gardens and nutrition education programs have all risen in popularity at
schools in the U.S. These trends might explain why a study published in March found that fruit and
vegetable intake is on the rise in schools.
9) When Vegetarian Diets Proved Best for
Weight Loss: In January, a major meta-analysis conducted by the Physicians
Committee and published in the Journal of the Academy of Nutrition and
Dietetics found that adopting a vegetarian diet causes weight loss,
even in the absence of exercise or calorie counting. Anotherstudy in July confirmed that compared to diets that
contain meat, vegetarian and vegan diets are more effective for weight loss.
Superstar singer Adele echoed the same sentiments, crediting her
vegetarian diet for her recent weight loss.
10) When a Trucker Found the Road to
Good Health: What’s the best way to fuel up? Bobby Andersen, a 45-year-old Mississippi truck driver,
made the case for a plant-based diet this July, when his story became national
news. After adopting a vegan diet, Andersen lost 65 pounds and dropped all of
his medications – all while spending six days a week on the road.
11) When 340,000 Cancer Cases Could Have
Been Prevented: The American Institute for Cancer Research states that a
healthy diet and other lifestyle changes can prevent an estimated 340,000
cancer cases per year, and new research this year showed that plant-based diets
may be protective against certain types of cancer. Vegan
diets may reduce the risk of prostate cancer, be best for breast cancer survival, andprotect against colorectal cancer.
12) When Arnold Schwarzenegger
Terminated the Protein Myth: In December, Arnold
Schwarzenegger finally put the protein myth to rest, when he explained
that vegetarian diets contain all the protein that bodybuilders and other
athletes need. Throughout 2015, many athletes proved his point: Football player
David Carter made headlines as the NFL’s “300-pound vegan,” Serena Williams continued to wow crowds with her
tennis skills and became The Associated Press Female Athlete of the Year for
the fourth time, and NBA star Ben Gordon felt “lighter and faster” after making the
switch to a plant-based diet. Sports fans weren’t left out either in 2015. U.S. ballparks and stadiums are championing vegan options,
while the “world’s first vegan football team” became the first UK football club to serve an entirely plant-based
menu.
13) When the Cleveland Clinic Said Bye
Bye to Big Macs: In September, the nation’s top
hospital for heart health announced the termination of its contract with
McDonald’s, becoming one of at least four hospitals to cut ties with the
fast-food chain this year. It’s a sign that hospitals are prioritizing
nutrition for patient health. In Connecticut, New Milford Hospital spent 2015 serving fresh salads
filled with vegetables grown on the hospital’s rooftop, while Garth Davis,
M.D., wrote out prescriptions for fresh fruits and vegetables at the “Farmacy”
stand in the lobby at Houston’s Memorial Hermann Memorial City Medical Center.
14) When a Journalist’s Vegan Meals Made
Headlines: When prominent food journalist Mark Bittmanwrote his last regular column for the New
York Times in September, many wondered about his next step. In
November, he announced that he would be joining a vegan meal-kit delivery
startup. Bittman made the move because he wanted to help save lives, noting
that “helping people eat less junk and processed food and fewer animal products
will improve their health.”
15) When Vegan Options Took Off at U.S.
Airports: Seventy-one percent of restaurants at
the busiest U.S. airports now offer at least one healthful plant-based option,
according to the 2015 Airport Food Review. From Vegetarian mango stir-fry at
Baltimore/Washington International Airport to roasted beet salads with arugula
at Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport, it’s easier than ever for travelers
to find healthful optionson the fly.
