We caught up with Derulo (in an exchange over email) to ask him for his secrets to his fitness and healthy diet success and were surprised to learn that one of the things he relies on is a secret weapon drink that is now widely available.

Along with daily workouts, DeRulo has become a major fan of drinking the natural substance from tree bark called Birch water, which is the active ingredient in a beverage called TREO.

What are the benefits of birch water?

Birch water is derived from the sap of birch trees and provides natural minerals and antioxidants such as manganese and magnesium. Birch water is low in calories and it may even improve skin and hair health, though more research is needed.

Birch sap is naturally sweet, contains minerals, electrolytes, and micronutrients, and is an alternative to coconut water in sports drinks.

Here’s what Derulo had to share about this new-found natural hydration choice and why he has come to enjoy more plant-based protein choices in the mix of his healthy diet.

The Beet: Does eating dairy-free make you feel healthier? Have you seen any differences in performance when you eat this way?

Jason Derulo: Since transitioning to eating more plant-based foods, I have noticed that I have a lot more energy. I have noticed that I am able to work out for longer periods of time without breaks.

The Beet: Why do you like plant-based protein?

Jason Derulo: Limiting the amount of dairy in my diet and eating cleaner with the addition of plant–based beverages such as TREO has definitely helped me increase my stamina.

The Beet: What makes you stay fit and build muscle?

Jason Derulo: Before and after a workout, I think it’s super important to hydrate. That’s why I like TREO so much because Birch water, TREO’s star ingredient, is packed with vitamins and minerals to hit hydration goals quicker. In terms of working out and staying fit.

The Beet: How often do you work out?

Jason Derulo: I like to work out twice a day, five to six times a week. I do a mix of cardio and weight training and core exercises.

Read More: 7 Rappers Who Dropped the Mic on Meat

Read More: 6 Country Stars You Didn’t Know Were Plant-Based

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Chipotle launched the Veggie Full Bowl and Plant-Powered Bowl on January 3 as digital exclusives in the United States and Canada. The Veggie Full Bowl features a bed of white rice topped with fajita veggies, fresh tomato salsa, roasted chili-corn salsa, guacamole, and black beans. The Plant-Powered Bowl features a bed of super greens and white rice topped with Sofritas (the chain’s tofu protein), fresh tomato salsa, roasted chili-corn salsa, guacamole, and fajita veggies.

To accompany the menu items, Chipotle announced an augmented reality experience slated to launch on January 13. The program will be hosted on “Quitter’s Day,” which is known as the day that most people stop following their New Year’s resolutions. The Snapchat event will encourage fans to meditate and exercise in an effort to maintain healthy resolutions. Chipotle also noted that the first 100,000 US consumers to participate in the augmented reality event will win a free small side or a free guacamole appetizer.

Chipotle’s Tenure as a Plant-Based Leader

For hungry vegans everywhere, Chipotle has established itself as a safe haven for customers looking to eat healthier at affordable prices. The chain always served plant-based beans and rice bases for burritos and bowls but added Sofritas to the menu in 2014. The tofu-based protein is flavored with chipotle chiles, cumin, and poblano pepper. In 2018, Chipotle sold 7.5 million pounds of the popular protein choice.

Last January, Chipotle added another vegan protein to its menu, showcasing its pea protein-based Chorizo. The chain decided to add this item to menus nationwide following positive trials in Colorado, Indiana, and California. The vegan chorizo is flavored with chipotle peppers, ancho chilies, tomato paste, Spanish smoked paprika, crushed garlic, and extra virgin olive oil.

“Creating a delicious plant-based protein that sizzles on the grill with the robust flavor and texture profile chorizo-lovers expect was a real challenge,” Nevielle Panthaky, Vice President of Culinary at Chipotle, said in a statement at the time. “Our culinary team has worked relentlessly for years to develop this breakthrough Plant-Based Chorizo recipe that is uniquely Chipotle and aligns with the brand’s industry-leading Food with Integrity standards.”

Read More: Everything That’s Vegan at Chipotle 

Eating to Lower Heart Disease Risk

Keeping a healthier diet into the New Year can help curb the risk of several chronic or deadly diseases, including heart disease. Heart disease is currently the leading cause of death in the United States, according to the CDC, killing over 650,000 Americans every year. And eating meat is the problem. Research shows that regularly eating red meat can increase heart disease risks by 18 percent.

With better access to plant-based foods, more Americans can choose to avoid red meat to protect their heart for longer. One study shows that a plant-centered diet adopted earlier in life can reduce the risk of heart disease nearly 30 years later. 

Read More: The Best Fast Casual Chains for Plant-Based Customers

For more plant-based happenings, check out The Beet’s News articles. 

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Starbucks will debut the five new menu items across the United Kingdom to celebrate Veganuary 2023, beginning with a new signature beverage: the Carmelized Macadamia Oat Latte. To accompany this espresso drink, the coffee shop will also launch the Plant-Based Breakfast Wrap filled with tofu scramble, spinach, barbecue pinto bean sauce, and Lincolnshire-style sausage.

For lunch, Starbucks unveiled the No’Beef and Red Onion Focaccia sandwich with the help of The Vegetarian Butcher. The coffee chain also debuted two new desserts to give customers a sweet treat straight from the bakery case. The two deserts include the Banana Caramel Muffin and the Raspberry & Almond Mini Loaf.

Within the United Kingdom, Starbucks dropped the surcharge for vegan milk –– a policy that remains to this day across the United States. Customers can order any drink on the menu with oat, soy, coconut, or almond milk without an extra charge.

Starbucks Tests Vegan Food in the United States

Starbucks’ Veganuary celebration is exclusive to UK customers, but the slow-to-act coffee chain began testing 18 new menu items in the United States last October –– and six are fully plant-based. Starbucks teamed up with Daring and JUST Egg to debut three signature plant-based food items including:

• Plant-Based Chicken Sausage and Pepper Sous-Vide Bite: Special plant-based breakfast featuring a never-before-seen Daring jalapeño chicken sausage paired with JUST Egg’s signature egg replacer.
• Plant-Based Smoky Poblano & Black Bean Sous-Vide Bite: A small bite with a base of high-protein JUST Egg mixed with black beans, lime zest, sweet corn kernels, roasted poblano peppers, and smoky chipotle chili.
• Plant-Based Chicken Sausage & Pepper Sandwich Mini: Starbucks’ first-ever vegan chicken sandwich in the U.S., featuring the Daring chicken and JUST Egg’s mung-bean plant-based egg.

The restaurant also tested out three vegan pastry items including a Warm Oatmeal Bite with Granola Crunch, a Golden Ginger Coconut Boba Bite, and a Mocha Coconut Boba Bite.

Starbucks debuted several plant-based or plant-forward food items in the past, including the Impossible Breakfast Sandwich. However, this sandwich cannot be ordered vegan due to its eggs and cheese. Last year, Starbucks introduced a vegan lunch option with the Chickpea Bites and Avocado Protein Box.

Despite commitments to reduce its carbon, water, and waste footprints by 2030, the international coffee chain is moving slowly to permanently add plant-based menu items to its food menu. However, Starbucks’ signature drink menu continues to expand, debuting the Apple Crisp Oatmilk Macchiato last Fall.

Starbucks Vegan Food Available Outside the U.S.

Starbucks is expanding its vegan menu at a much higher rate outside of the United States. Within the UK, Starbucks has debuted several food items including a Tu’NAH Sandwich and a Chick’n & BBQ Bean Hot Wrap. The UK bakery case has featured Pecan & Caramel Brownies, Carro Cake, and Chocolate & Caramel Muffins made with exclusively plant-based ingredients.

In Hong Kong, Starbucks has partnered with OmniFoods to offer several plant-based menu items featuring vegan fish. The menu items have included a Thai Style Crab Cake Salad and Omni Golden Fillet Ciabatte –– showcasing OmniFoods’ OmniSeafood Golden Fillet.

READ MORE: 7 Coffee Chains with the Best Plant-Based Options

For more plant-based happenings, visit The Beet’s News articles. 

Fast-food restaurants have finally got the memo that their customer base isn’t just coming through for a burger, fried chicken, or a beef taco. Many now have plant-based foods and are coming up with creative, delicious ways to get more greens on the menu. Here are the 6 best fast-food chains with plant-based options on the menu.

1. Burger King

Turns out there’s a lot more to rely on than a salad if you’re eating plant-based. Burger King has the Impossible Whopper featuring a meatless patty as well as a few secretly vegan options such as the French Toast Sticks and Hashbrowns.

2. White Castle

Known for its mini square-shaped sliders, this hamburger chain jumped on the plant-based bandwagon at some participating locations. You can find an Impossible Slider on some White Castle menus.

3. Del Taco

This was the first national Mexican fast-food chain to offer Beyond Meat at the company’s 580 restaurants across the country. Del Taco has the Beyond Avocado Taco on the menu along with the Epic Beyond Original Mex Burrito and Avocado Veggie Bowl.

4. Carl’s Jr.

Another brand synonymous with beef burgers, Carl’s Jr. offers several plant-based options for veggie and plant lover such as Beyond Famous Star Burger and Guacamole Thickburger.

5. Taco Bell

This fast-food restaurant may have been one of the first you frequented while transitioning to plant-based eating. That’s because Taco Bell has eight million vegetarian combinations and sells 350 million vegetarian items a year through menu substitutions or ordering off their vegetarian menu. In fact, they were the first quick-service restaurant to offer American Vegetarian Association (AVA) certified food options.

6. Starbucks

From the time it started offering breakfast sandwiches in 2006, the coffee conglomerate became a competitor in the fast-food space. You can get your favorite hot and cold beverages made with almond, coconut or oat milk but there are also plant-based food options available such as the Baja Black Bean Veggie Wrap, bagel with vegan cream cheese and Impossible Breakfast Sandwich.

The post Starbucks Just Added 5 New Vegan Items to Its Menu. Here’s Where appeared first on The Beet.

With the help of YouGov, Veganuary found that committing to a New Year’s resolution makes people happier and more hopeful on average at the start of the new year. The poll found that those adopting a vegan or vegetarian diet at the beginning of the year feel better about the year than those who opted out of a resolution (78 percent versus 59 percent).

“The fact that I learned about Veganuary on the radio just driving down the road makes me hopeful that plant-based living is becoming more and more thought about, normalized, and easy to achieve,” Veganuary 2022 participant Anne, age 52, of Watkinsville, Georgia, said in a statement “Learning the numbers Veganuary shares with us about the impact it makes on the environment and the people it reaches and how many people participate makes me feel very hopeful as well!”

Veganuary intends to encourage people worldwide to try eating healthier and more sustainably at the start of the year. Now, the global movement has enlisted over 2.5 million since its founding in 2014. Nearly every country in the world has been involved in Veganuary. The poll also noted that 85 percent of non-vegan past participants have reduced their animal-based consumption since their first Veganuary.

Participants receive 31 days worth of coaching emails including nutrition guides, a meal plan, discounts, and plant-based recipes. The movement also compiled a celebrity e-cookbook with recipes from Dr. Jane Goodall, Venus Williams, Alicia Silverstone, and more.

Vegan New Year’s Resolutions

Veganuary’s recent poll also reveals the most common resolution for 2023. The YouGov survey found that 34 percent of resolution-makers hope to eat healthier overall; 28 percent intend to budget better; 28 percent wish to reduce stress; and 39 percent aim to exercise more. Veganuary primarily intends to instill hope in consumers everywhere, helping encourage people worldwide to fulfill their resolutions.

“Many of us could use a little hope right now,” Wendy Matthews, Veganuary’s US Director, said in a statement “But hope isn’t just wishful thinking –– it’s taking steps that lead to the changes we want to see. Participating in Veganuary is a powerful way to start the year off with positive action, no matter what your resolution.”

Following last year’s Veganuary challenges, 49 percent and 48 percent of participants recorded having improved energy and enhanced mood, respectively.

Plant-Based Debuts For Veganuary 2023

Similar to last year’s campaign, several major brands including Wicked Kitchen, Beyond Meat, Aveda, Violife, and more are debuting vegan items to celebrate the movement. In the United Kingdom, pub chain Hungry Horse unveiled a menu with Meatless Farm burgers, OmniFoods fish and chips, and Impossible Nuggets.

Across the UK and Ireland, McDonald’s is doubling down on its McPlant with the newly imagined Double McPlant, complete with two Beyond patties. Burger King joins in with a collaboration with La Vie and Violife, debuting the Bakon range –– vegan iterations of its classic bacon burgers.

New York City is celebrating Veganuary with its first-ever vegan dining month. Several restaurants will participate in the event hosted by the food and travel website Vegans, Baby. Restaurants featuring plant-based deals and spotlight include Lady Bird, Avant Garden, PLNT Burger, and more.

“I am so excited to launch Vegan Dining Month in NYC after running it for six years in Las Vegas,” Diana Edelman, Vegans, Baby’s founder told Forbes. “The city has such a dynamic vegan dining scene and I am thrilled to create an event here that encourages people to dine out during the month and give restaurants –– both vegan and vegan-friendly –– a try for a good cause.”

Read More: Make 2023 your year of health with The Beet‘s Healthy Plant-Based Diet Cooking Course. 

For more plant-based happenings, check out The Beet’s News articles. 

31 Delicious, Plant-Based Recipes to Make on Repeat

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“You asked. We listened,” McDonald’s wrote on the company website announcing the new menu item. The Double McPlant is the second iteration of McDonald’s’ partnership with Beyond Meat. The original McPlant features a Beyond Meat burger with ketchup, mustard, vegan special sauce, onions, lettuce, tomato, pickles, and dairy-free cheese on a toasted sesame bun. The Double McPlant will feature an additional Beyond patty.

“It’s no secret that people went wild for the taste, with many taking to Twitter to express their desire for a doubled-up version,” McDonald’s said.

Within the United Kingdom and Ireland, McDonald’s guarantees that the plant-based burger is prepared on a separate grill from the traditional beef burgers. This vegan burger is developed under the three-year partnership deal between McDonald’s and Beyond Meat.

One enthusiastic customer tweeted: “I know it’s 7 am, but when [is] @McDonaldsUK going to allow a Double McPlant?? All I want is the option to have two patties. This is the important stuff I need addressed.”

McDonald’s Meatless Fast Food

McDonald’s sells more burgers than any other fast-food chain, and now, its plant-based burger provides customers everywhere with an affordable and appealing sustainable option. The original McPlant is offered in Sweden, Denmark, Portugal, Ireland, Australia, and the U.K. Most recently, the signature vegan burger became a permanent menu item in the Netherlands.

“We’re so pleased that our McPlant is now officially ‘everywhere’ and available for more of our customers to taste and enjoy,” Michelle Graham-Clare, chief marketing officer at McDonald’s U.K. and Ireland said in a statement last year. “We saw a remarkable response to the trial period back in October. And, now McPlant is on the high street, in retail parks and service stations all over the U.K. and Ireland.”

Although the burger has had several trial runs in the United States, the company has yet to release information about a national launch stateside. Last February, McDonald’s rolled out the McPlant at about 600 locations across the Dallas-Fort Worth and San Francisco Bay areas. Before that, the burger was tested at eight select locations across the entire U.S.

McDonald’s aims to achieve net-zero emissions by 2050, and the McPlant is a central component in reducing methane emissions related to beef. The meat and dairy industries are responsible for about two times the greenhouse gas emissions caused by plant-based diets.

Hungry for Plant-Based Burgers

Before McDonald’s debuted its McPlant, Burger King broke into the plant-based market with the Impossible Whopper, featuring an Impossible Foods patty topped with the signature tomatoes, lettuce, mayonnaise, ketchup, pickles, and onions from its animal-based counterpart. This burger is fully vegan without mayo. Now, Burger King offers the plant-based classic at over 7,000 locations in America.

An estimated 1.6 million Americans have purchased vegan products in the last few years, which can be partially attributed to fast-food burger chains. Local chains including Plant Power Fast Food and Noomo join fast-food giants such as Carl’s Jr. and Fatburger in the plant-based shift. One report shows that plant-based is showing up on menus nearly 3,000 percent more than four years ago. 

READ MORE: The Best Fast Food Chains for Plant-Based Customers 

For more plant-based happenings, check out The Beet’s News articles. 

Fast-food restaurants have finally got the memo that their customer base isn’t just coming through for a burger, fried chicken, or a beef taco. Many now have plant-based foods and are coming up with creative, delicious ways to get more greens on the menu. Here are the 6 best fast-food chains with plant-based options on the menu.

1. Burger King

Turns out there’s a lot more to rely on than a salad if you’re eating plant-based. Burger King has the Impossible Whopper featuring a meatless patty as well as a few secretly vegan options such as the French Toast Sticks and Hashbrowns.

2. White Castle

Known for its mini square-shaped sliders, this hamburger chain jumped on the plant-based bandwagon at some participating locations. You can find an Impossible Slider on some White Castle menus.

3. Del Taco

This was the first national Mexican fast-food chain to offer Beyond Meat at the company’s 580 restaurants across the country. Del Taco has the Beyond Avocado Taco on the menu along with the Epic Beyond Original Mex Burrito and Avocado Veggie Bowl.

4. Carl’s Jr.

Another brand synonymous with beef burgers, Carl’s Jr. offers several plant-based options for veggie and plant lover such as Beyond Famous Star Burger and Guacamole Thickburger.

5. Taco Bell

This fast-food restaurant may have been one of the first you frequented while transitioning to plant-based eating. That’s because Taco Bell has eight million vegetarian combinations and sells 350 million vegetarian items a year through menu substitutions or ordering off their vegetarian menu. In fact, they were the first quick-service restaurant to offer American Vegetarian Association (AVA) certified food options.

6. Starbucks

From the time it started offering breakfast sandwiches in 2006, the coffee conglomerate became a competitor in the fast-food space. You can get your favorite hot and cold beverages made with almond, coconut or oat milk but there are also plant-based food options available such as the Baja Black Bean Veggie Wrap, bagel with vegan cream cheese and Impossible Breakfast Sandwich.

The post McDonald’s Serves Up Double McPlants at 1,400 Locations appeared first on The Beet.

Artificial Intelligence is used by food manufacturers through several methods, helping improve the efficiency of farming, test flavor combinations, offer contactless eating experiences, and more. Dataessential’s annual report reveals that Gen Alpha –– born between 2010 and 2024 –– will likely lead the acceptance of AI-created food. By 2025, this new generation will reach 2 billion people worldwide, motivated by their climate-conscious Millennial parents.

“In the long term, AI will revolutionize many aspects of the food industry, from agriculture to food safety, concept development to production, marketing to personalization, and beyond,” the report states.

“We love the process of selecting the latest foods and flavors we think consumers will want to experience in the coming year and beyond, but these ingredients aren’t presented in a vacuum,” Mike Kostyo, Dataessential Trendologist and Associate Director, said in a statement. “We’re proud to pair our predictions for growth of items like salsa macha and pickled strawberries with a discussion on important trends in the broader restaurant industry, including the influences of Gen Alpha, AI, and improving working conditions across the industry.”

Artificial Intelligence Is Already in the Food Space

The Not Company [NotCo] developed its entire plant-based food selection with the help of an artificial intelligence affectionately named “Giuseppe.” The platform allows the company to match the flavor profiles of plant-based ingredients to animal-based counterparts. This process allows the culinary teams to create better-tasting and more accurate recipes using only plant-based ingredients for its NotMilk, NotBurger, and more.

“Since day one, our mission has been to create a more sustainable world, transforming the food industry by creating delicious plant-based food available for all tables, kitchens, and pantries,” Matias Muchnick, NotCo co-founder and CEO, said in a recent statement.

Recently, NotCo teamed up with Kraft Heinz to reinvent several signature food products including the beloved Kraft Singles. The collaboration started with the NotCheese American Style Plant-Based Slices at 30 Giant supermarkets in Cleveland, Ohio before a national expansion later in 2023. NotCo also recently announced a partnership with Dunkin, debuting three new vegan doughnuts at 106 locations in Chile.

The Future of Plant-Based Foods

More than ever, consumers are looking for better ways to purchase food, searching for tasty yet affordable sustainable options. The term “plant-based” appears on restaurant menus about 2,800 percent more than in 2018, according to another report from Dataessential from December.

However, the 2023 FoodBytes report shows that 1 in 5 consumers do not plan to continue buying plant-based meats due to concerns regarding taste and price. Despite the pressure from inflation or the increase in dissatisfied customers, Dataessential found that 66 percent of consumers feel optimistic about 2023.

This year’s report also found that several plant-based foods including yuzu, salsa macha, pickled strawberries, and mushroom-based snacks will become increasingly popular among consumers.

“With new plant-based products, categories, and menu items on the horizon, the plant-based meat industry is still growing, but a clear and compelling message and products that are priced competitively and taste just as good — if not better — than traditional meat will be key,” the report states.

Currently, about 55 percent of shoppers actively think about the environment at the grocery store, and 61 percent percent of consumers consider plant-based foods as a preferred source of protein. With the help of artificial intelligence, several plant-based companies intend to reach price parity with healthier, tastier formulas.

For more plant-based happenings, check out The Beet’s News articles. 

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This new research details how potatoes themselves do not increase the risk of diabetes, but added butter or accompanying meat is potentially driving up the previously associated health issues. The researchers at Edith Cowan University followed 54,000 people to understand how food related to diabetes. Overall, the study found that individuals who consume more vegetables are 21 percent less likely to develop type 2 diabetes than those eating fewer vegetables and more animal products.

Specifically, this study found that potato consumption showed no direct association with increased diabetes risk. However, potato consumption did not show any positive effects on diabetes prevention either. The researcher noted that preparation with animal products could have led to previous assumptions about potatoes.

“In previous studies, potatoes have been positively linked to the incidence of diabetes, regardless of how they’re prepared — but we found that’s not true,” EDU researcher Pratik Pokharel said in a statement. “In Denmark, people consume potatoes prepared in many different ways; in our study, we could distinguish between the different preparation methods. When we separated boiled potatoes from mashed potatoes, fries, or crisps, boiled potatoes were no longer associated with a higher risk of diabetes: they had a null effect”

Are Potatoes Healthy?

The research team highlighted the potatoes in contrast to preexisting notions of their negative implication. However, the team highlighted that french fries and mashed potatoes served as the biggest risk factors because often these dishes are served with dairy-based condiments or butter. Previous research has claimed that dairy consumption is a leading cause of increased diabetes risk.

“In our study, people who ate the most potatoes also consumed more butter, red meat, and soft drinks — foods known to increase your risk of type 2 diabetes,” Pokharel said.

On the other hand, this research found that eating vegetables and leafy greens such as spinach lettuce, broccoli, and cauliflower helped reduce the chances of developing diabetes.

“The finding that vegetables lower diabetes risk is crucial for public health recommendations, and we shouldn’t ignore it,” Pokarel said. “Regarding potatoes, we can’t say they have a benefit in terms of type 2 diabetes, but they also aren’t bad if prepared in a healthy way. But just take care of how you prepare them: don’t eat fries or mash with extras in it all the time. Just boil them and eat them like other greens or other foods — and you don’t need to have it with red meat all the time.”

Another study found that potatoes can be a good addition to a healthy diet. Adding to the understanding that potatoes do not increase diabetes risk, the study also found that potatoes paired with beans and higher-calorie meat promote weight loss.

“Each participant’s meal was tailored to their personalized caloric needs, yet by replacing some meat content with potato, participants found themselves fuller, quicker, and often did not even finish their meal. In effect, you can lose weight with little effort,” Candida Rebello, Ph.D., an assistant professor at Pennington Biomedical and co-investigator of the study, said in a statement.

Potato Protein and Muscle Mass

For those cutting out meat and worried about protein consumption, several studies have found that potato protein builds muscle mass as well as meat and dairy protein. This June, one study found that protein synthesis is nearly identical between potato-based proteins and typical dairy proteins. This research is joined by a growing body of information that indicates how plant protein helps maintain muscle mass into old age.

Eating Plants To Reduce Diabetes Risk

A whole-food, plant-based diet helps prevent and even reverse early symptoms of diabetes, according to a growing body of research. This is attributed to increased fiber consumption, helping regulate blood sugar. This October, research revealed that the best solution to curbing the increasing diabetes cases in the United States is to adopt a plant-based diet.

“Simply swapping fatty meat and dairy products for a low-fat, plant-based diet led to a significant decrease in advanced glycation end-products — inflammatory compounds found to a greater degree in animal products than plants,” Hana Kahleova, MD, Ph.D., director of clinical research at the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine (PCRM) and lead study author, said in a statement.

Read More: Your Guide to Preventing Type 2 Diabetes on a Plant-Based Diet

For more plant-based happenings, visit The Beet’s News articles. 

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This September, Dataessential launched its new program called MenuTrends to detect how popular plant-based items have become at restaurants. The company noted that it is typically difficult to estimate the growth of plant-based foods in the food service sector, motivating the firm to develop an algorithm that tracks the prevalence of plant-based on menus.

The algorithm tracks and records plant-based items such as “tofu scramble” or “cauliflower steak” to properly understand how many restaurants are introducing new menu items. On the other hand, the new program ignores menu items such as “side of broccoli.”

“Building an automated and intelligent approach was critical to decoding the complex universe of plant-based trends,” Alex Langowski, Datassential Chief Data Scientist, said in a statement about the new algorithm. “With the rapid evolution of plant-based items, our customers need insight into current trends as well as the ability to look back into historical data to fully understand the trend.”

Consumers Want More Plant-Based Foods

Dataessential’s algorithm shows that popular plant-based food items have become more accessible at restaurants than ever. Impossible Burgers alone can be found on 6.4 percent of burger menus nationwide –– and this figure is predicted to double by 2026. The program also found that oat milk has spiked 1020 percent since 2018.

Other popular menu items include cauliflower wings and cauliflower tacos, which have increased on menus by 432 percent and 171 percent, respectively.

“This is a game-changer for our customers,” Alison Watson, Associate Director of MenuTrends, said “While companies can still create a bespoke definition for plant-based, they can now easily analyze the full breadth of the category from alternative milks to plant-based sausages. As flexitarian and climatarian diets grow, we will see plant-based items playing a more varied role on menus.”

Dataessential recorded that 22 percent of Americans refer to themselves as flexitarians, but among Gen-Z consumers, the percentage is as high as 36 percent. About 57 percent of consumers aim to increase their fruit and vegetable consumption, rising far above any other food category. The data also revealed that 32 percent of consumers aim to increase their consumption of plant-based meat substitutes and 24 percent hope to introduce more dairy-free products.

Consumers are searching for sustainable, healthy options with approximately 55 percent of shoppers actively thinking about the environment in the grocery store. Another study revealed that 61 percent of consumers actively mark plant-based foods as a preferred source of protein.

About 40 percent of consumers clearly understand that plant-based or plant-forward diets improve digestive health, according to Dataessential. The company also revealed that 32 percent believe that plant-based foods will help protect from chronic disease.

Most Popular Labels for Plant-Based Foods

Dataessential’s new MenuTrends algorithm is designed to observe how food trends have directly impacted the food service sector. This is especially important because terms including “plant-based” only become popularly used within the last decade. Now, more labels have deviated from vegan or vegetarian to include plant-based, sustainable, and even James Cameron’s “futurevore.”

About 88 percent of consumers actively care about their food’s “authenticity,” so when it comes to menus and food labels, terminology matters. According to a recent ProVeg International study, consumers prefer the term “100 percent plant-based” over terms such as “vegan” or “vegetarian,” which contributes to the massive spike in “plant-based” in the last four years.

For more plant-based happenings, visit The Beet’s News articles. 

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The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) just proposed that additional vegan dairy products should be included in the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC). This program aims to support the health and general well-being of women and children nationwide that suffer from nutritional deficiencies or food insecurity.

The proposed measures will increase the level of dairy and eggs provided to WIC users, but the USDA included plant-based alternatives to give users a choice to eat plant-based. The USDA will include product substitutes such as soy yogurt and vegan cheese as well as tofu to supplement the eggs.

“USDA is committed to advancing maternal and child health through WIC, helping mothers, babies, and young kids thrive,” Tom Vilsack, US Agriculture Secretary said in a statement. “These proposed changes will strengthen WIC — already an incredibly powerful program — by ensuring it provides foods that reflect the latest nutrition science to support healthy eating and bright futures.”

Treating Nutrient Deficiency With Plant-Based Food

About 94 percent of Americans suffer from at least one nutrient deficiency, and the WIC program intends to provide proper foods to support the diverse and varied needs of its users. By introducing vegan foods to nearly 6 million participants nationwide, the USDA is effectively working to fill nutritional gaps with plant-based foods.

“It is great to see USDA’s new proposed rule increase WIC’s fruit and vegetable benefit,” Senator Cory Booker (D-NJ) said. The new WIC package will strengthen a program that is proven to help mothers and babies flourish.”

The program also intends to expand its general food offerings. For example, the USDA will expand the whole wheat grains category to include whole wheat bagels, blue cornmeal, quinoa, and teff. WIC will also provide three to four times more vegetable and fruit supplements as well as access to beans as a protein source rather than solely meat.

“For the more than 6 million moms, babies, and young children who participate in WIC — and the millions more eligible to participate — these proposed revisions have the potential to make positive, life-long impacts on health and well-being,” Stacy Dean, USDA Deputy Undersecretary for Food, Nutrition, and Consumer Services, said.

The USDA is taking comments on its new proposed updates until February 21, 2023.

Plant-Based Solutions to Food Insecurity

Over 13 million American households currently face food insecurity, made worse by food deserts and rising food prices. This September, President Joe Biden discussed a plan to fix the broken food system with an emphasis on increasing access to nutritious, sustainable foods. The plan ending hunger, making food labels clearer, adding nutrition to medical training for doctors, and fighting climate change by re-engineering the way food is produced.

The U.S. government launched several initiatives that will undercut America’s dependency on the meat and dairy industries, unveiling nutrition-centric initiatives that will help guide consumers toward more sustainable options in the next decade. Kindercare pledged to double vegetable servings to over 40,000 school-age children by 2025 by improving the affordability and accessibility of healthier foods in school systems nationwide.

When addressing the White House Conference on Hunger, Nutrition, and Health, President Biden declared: “In every country in the world, in every state in this country, no matter what else divides us, if a parent cannot feed a child, there’s nothing else that matters to that parent.”

For more plant-based happenings, visit The Beet’s News articles. 

The Top 10 Plant-Based Sources of Calcium

1. Pinto Beans

Pinto beans have 78.7 milligrams in one cup so add these to any salad, dip or burrito.

2. Molasses

Molasses has 82 milligrams in 2 tablespoons. Use it in baking instead of sugar. Look for Blackstrap molasses, and keep in mind that these have been used in recipes for 100s of years, especially in the South. Molasses is also believed to help relieve stress and anxiety.

3. Tempeh

Tempeh has 96 milligrams of calcium in 100 grams when cooked. You can make chicken substitute from it.

4. Tofu

Tofu has about 104mg in one ounce when prepared pan-fried. Throw it in your stir fry, or order it at your next Chinese meal with veggies. It’s the perfect non-meat protein. (Note look for the calcium quotient on the Nutrition Facts on the label.)

5. Bok Choy

Bok choy has 158 milligrams of calcium in one cup. Add it to your soup, stir fry or salad.

6. Soybeans

Soybeans have 175 milligrams of calcium per cup. Sprinkle them on a salad.

7. Kale

Kale has 177 milligrams in one cup. The heroic green makes a great salad, goes in smoothies and delivers a healthy dose of fiber as well.

8. Turnip Greens

Turnip greens have 197 milligrams in one cup. Add them to your favorite soup or smoothie.

10. Collard Greens

Collard greens have 268 milligrams of calcium in one cup. Substitute it for string beans.

10. Milk Alternatives

Alternate milks like almond, soy or rice milk have 300-500 milligrams of calcium in 8 ounces so use any of these on your cereal or in your morning smoothie.

The post This USDA Program is Looking to Make Vegan Dairy More Accessible appeared first on The Beet.

PLNT’s innovative vegan salmon features a proprietary blend of pea proteins, providing consumers with an allergen-free option packed with proteins and essential vitamins including B12 and iron. The new salmon product became available through food service and retail channels on December 15.

“We source our ingredients as close to home as possible, with wheat from Denmark and the Netherlands and soy from Austria, which are just two examples,” Marleen Kolijn, senior brand manager at PLNT, said. “We enter a new phase. Consumers in many countries agree that we need to eat less meat and fish because of the environment and personal health, and demand meat and fish successors to adhere to those standards.”

PLNT debuted the new vegan salmon filet along with two plant-based chicken products: Chicken Nuggets and Chicken Tenders. The chicken products use wheat protein. The company also highlights an innovative manufacturing process, which relies exclusively on hydropower instead of fossil fuels.

Vegan Seafood Hits the Mainstream

Now that the vegan meat industry is well-established, several plant-based brands have introduced seafood alternatives to their line-ups. The plant-based fish market is expected to reach a top valuation of $1.3 billion by 2031 as consumers look for options that benefit their health and the environment.

Recent studies revealed that commercial fishing is contributing to an increase in toxins and microplastics in the ocean. This increased level of toxins is associated with a higher risk of skin cancer for individuals regularly consuming seafood.

PLNT’s vegan salmon joins a growing portfolio of plant-based alternatives to the popular fish. This January, Israeli food-tech company Plantish unveiled its first whole-cut salmon filet. The company’s vegan fillets will feature the same nutritional value as conventional salmon, complete with a high protein count and filled with omega-3s, omega-6, and B vitamins. Plantish also guarantees that it is free from mercury, antibiotics, toxins, and microplastics that are commonplace in conventional seafood.

Shortly after, Revo Foods debuted an “ultra-realistic” 3-D printed salmon filet. The company expects to launch the whole-cut salmon in early 2023, providing a near-identical vegan salmon packed with protein and omega-3s sourced from pea protein and algae.

Overfishing is Destroying the Environment

Although consumers are increasingly concerned about the environment, shoppers are slow to give up their beloved seafood dishes. But last March, Netflix premiered Seaspiracy, a documentary exposing the planetary dangers stemming from commercial fishing. The documentary showed that fishing nets account for 46 percent of the Great Pacific Garbage Patch. The exposé warned that continued commercial fishing will mean that oceans could be entirely empty by 2048.

This October, research revealed that introducing protein-packed, nutrient-rich microalgae could help increase food production by 50 percent by 2050. Reducing reliance on meat and seafood in favor of algae-based protein could help feed 10 billion people worldwide as the planet faces unprecedented environmental issues. This could potentially alleviate consumer reliance on seafood for certain nutrients while also helping protect the environment.

For the best plant-based seafood available, check out our Beet Meter for the top vegan seafood. 

You may think iron is synonymous with meat, and while animal protein certainly has it, that doesn’t mean you can’t get enough iron if you eat a mainly plant-based diet. In fact, you can, if you know the right foods to choose and how to pair them. The daily recommendation from the National Institutes of Health (NIH) for iron intake is 18 milligrams (mg), but not all iron sources are created equal. Here’s what plant-based eaters need to know about iron and which iron-rich foods are best to help reap the benefits.

1. White Mushrooms

1 cup cooked = 3 mg iron (17% daily value (DV))\There are many reasons to eat mushrooms on the regular, but their meaty texture (try a Portobello cap as a meat replacement for a burger!) and ample protein are two of the highlights. Add them to your stir-fry, tacos, or even instead of meat in a faux Bolognese sauce.

2. Lentils

1/2 cup = 3 mg iron (17% DV)You don’t need to eat a huge serving of lentils to get a hearty dose of iron. Just a half-cup provides close to 20% of the iron you need in a day. Just like mushrooms, lentils have a meaty texture that works well in burgers, tacos, or grain bowls.

3. Potatoes

1 medium potato = 2 mg iron (11% DV)The poor potato has gotten such a bad rap. Fear of this carb-rich spud is unwarranted because it’s actually an affordable and delicious source of iron and potassium. So go ahead and have that hash, baked potato, or potato soup and leave the skin on for some added fiber.

4. Cashews

1 ounce = 2 mg iron (11% DV)Most nuts contain iron, but cashews are a standout because they have less fat than some of the other nuts. One ounce of cashews (about 16 to 18 nuts) has 160 calories, 5 grams of protein, and 13 grams of fat. Add a handful of cashews to smoothies, soups, or sauces for some extra creaminess.

5. Tofu

½ cup = 3 mg (15% DV)Not only does tofu have plenty of protein and calcium, but it’s also a good source of iron. It’s very versatile and takes on the flavor of any sauce or marinade, making it a great meat substitute.Keep in mind that you can easily get the iron you need from a plant-based diet.

The post Vegan Salmon Is Coming to Stores This Month. Find Out More appeared first on The Beet.