What Is Veganuary?

Veganuary, a global movement combining the words "vegan" and "January," has been promoting plant-based and vegan diets throughout January since 2014, encouraging people to continue this eating pattern year-round.

Sodexo Integrated Facilities Management Health and Wellness Manager and Dietitian Sibel Mumcu provided the following comments on the topic:

"Plant-based nutrition is important not only for health but also for the environment. As Sodexo, we support sustainable plant-based nutrition with this awareness. New products are being tested and new recipes developed so that 33 percent of all food content and menus worldwide by Sodexo in 2025 will consist of plant-based foods." Sodexo Integrated Facilities Management Health and Wellness Manager and Dietitian Sibel Mumcu, explaining that the Veganuary movement encourages both consumers and businesses to transition to a plant-based diet to improve health, ensure animal welfare, and protect the environment, continued as follows: "Plant-based nutrition is an eating pattern that minimizes animal-based foods such as meat, eggs, and dairy products, replacing them with a focus on consuming fruits, vegetables, legumes, whole grains, seeds, mushrooms, and spices." [caption id="attachment_148959" align="aligncenter"] Sibel Mumcu[/caption]

Vegetarianism and veganism are often confused

Pointing out that vegetarianism and veganism are frequently confused in discussions of plant-based nutrition, Sibel Mumcu stated: "Vegetarians do not approve of animals being killed to be served as food, but they can consume foods that do not result in animal death, such as dairy products and eggs. Vegans, on the other hand, oppose the exploitation of animals for human needs. Therefore, they refuse to use foods derived from animals and used in their production, as well as all by-products, avoid cosmetic products tested on animals and household cleaning products, do not participate in forms of entertainment involving animals such as circuses, bullfighting, zoo visits, or horse racing, and organize their entire lives according to this philosophy," she stated.

Sodexo supports the Veganuary movement

Noting that Sodexo, which values social initiatives to raise awareness about the health and environmental benefits of balanced plant-based food options, is also a strong supporter of the Veganuary movement, Sibel Mumcu concluded with the following remarks: "Sodexo aims to reduce carbon emissions by 34 percent worldwide by 2025. One of the sub-targets set by Sodexo to achieve this sustainability goal is to support sustainable plant-based nutrition. In this regard, Sodexo aims to make 33 percent of all food content and menus worldwide consist of plant-based foods by 2025. To do this, expert dietitians and chefs are testing new products and developing recipes, which they then present for consumer approval. With the delicious and nutritious vegan and vegetarian dishes it has developed, it also enables more consumers to experience plant-based meals."