The Vegan Third Wave

It may be 2019’s biggest food trend, but what are the health and social implications of embracing a vegan lifestyle? Five women share their stories with Marisa Bate

THE VEGAN INFLUENCER

Lucy Watson, 27, is an influencer and TV personality

‘It was moving with my family to a working farm when I was six that first made me question my diet and turn vegetarian. I loved the animals and thought it was weird and cruel to eat your “pets”. Having grown up thinking of myself as someone who doesn’t contribute to animal cruelty, I was really upset when I watched the documentary Cowspiracy three years ago, which revealed the shocking truths about the dairy and egg industry (like female cows being artificially, brutally impregnated before they are separated from their calves in order to produce milk). I couldn’t keep supporting such cruelty, so I gave up dairy the next day. It was tough − I ate lots of cheese and I loved it.

‘Becoming vegan has drastically changed my life. I now have so much energy, I feel hyper and it’s dawned on me how sluggish I felt before when I consumed too much dairy produce. I’ve had to become inventive with what I eat, and include more nutritious foods in my diet. As a result, I lost weight, my skin has got better and I feel less bloated.

‘The rise of veganism has been fantastic to watch. Three years ago, I was considered strange and my family were worried about my health, telling me I’d get ill all the time. I found myself leaving restaurants because of the menus, but now almost every chain and restaurant has vegan options, which is brilliant. I know a lot of brands are jumping on the bandwagon because it’s a market they don’t want to miss out on, but I think the availability of so many options is a good thing.