VEGAN NEWS

Ben & Jerry’s Release ‘Climate Conscious’ Vegan Ice Cream Urging Political Action

Ben & Jerry’s has released a new vegan ice cream flavour with the climate in mind across the UK. To combine with the release, the company is urging customers to sign a declaration calling the government to step up its response to the climate crisis. The dairy-free flavour is a combination of coconut ice cream with chunks of chocolate and a cookie swirl. In coalition with the new flavour, Ben & Jerry’s teamed up with lobby group, The Climate Coalition. The 130-year-old company also sells vegan sausage rolls and steak bakes. The company urges customers to sign the declaration calling on British prime minister Boris Johnson to ‘lead the UK towards a healthier, greener, fairer future’.

The call focuses on protecting green spaces and boosting clean energy. If successful, it is hoped the call will help the UK reach net-zero emission goals. Via its website, the company stated: “We need a resilient recovery, we need a clean energy revolution. We need jobs, housing, and transport which are fit for the future. “We need to ensure those most vulnerable to the impact of climate change are supported, we need to ensure this recovery keeps global warming in check.”

Vegan Doctors Launch UK’s First-Ever Online Plant-Based Healthcare Service Two vegan doctors have created an online plant-based healthcare service. Dr. Laura Freeman and Dr. Shireen Kassam launched Plant Based Health Online (PBHO) earlier this year. They describe it as the ‘UK’s first CQC registered online multidisciplinary lifestyle medicine service’. PBHO aims to ‘improve the health of the nation and reduce the impact of COVID-19’. It offers access to doctors, dietitians, nutritionists, personal trainers, and health coaches. Moreover, the duo says a lifestyle medicine approach has the potential to ‘prevent and treat the majority of chronic conditions affecting people in the UK’. These include health issues such as high blood pressure and cholesterol, heart disease, type 2 diabetes, obesity, and certain cancers. Dr. Shireen Kassam is the founder of Plant Based Health Professionals UK and a Consultant Haematologist said “PBHO will be using plant-based nutrition as one of the tools to help patients regain their health. Because, we recognise that unhealthy diets are one of the top causes of ill health in the UK – and adopting a plant-based diet is one of the healthiest choices there is. “However, this service is not just for vegans. It’s a service for everyone who wants to improve their personal health, the health of their family members and of course the health of the planet.“ Patients can book an appointment here

Oatly Launches ‘Whippable’ Vegan Cream And Range Of ‘Creamy’ Spreads The Swedish version of Oatly's vegan double cream has a climate footprint that is 88% lower than its dairy counterpart. The Swedish brand’s oat-based spreads are available from Tesco in three different flavours: Tomato & Basil, Cucumber & Garlic, and Plain. Two of the variants (Plain and Garlic & Cucumber) are also available in select Sainsbury’s stores, retailing at £1.80. Moreover, Oatly’s ‘whippable’ creamy oat product retails for £1.20 and will be exclusively sold at Tesco. General Manager at Oatly UK Ishen Paran said “This opens up the potential for a variety of new plant-based recipes and meals for our consumers. We’re increasingly looking for ways to give people a great tasting alternative to use throughout the cooking process. “We want to make it as easy as possible for people to make the plant-based switch without having to sacrifice on taste, or miss out on their favourite meals.”