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Text description provided by the architects. This house was in an old terrace next to an apartment built in 1965. The owner works in travel and tourism, he once rented the house and planned to renovate it into a cultural place. It is on this spot that people meet up, share and cook Vietnamese traditional food, especially vegan one. They may also stay in during their time in Vietnam.

The owner had hoarded up all the abandoned old things from his friends before brought about the project. They were every kind of furniture such as table, chair, wardrobe, window and lampshade. With a tight budget, the architect wanted to exploit these old things with available ones and new ones to create a fresher place which still keeps traditional values of the former house. The old windows were used as the main material to create a distinctive appearance. These windows have been used in Vietnam for a long time because of its ventilation. They are now rearranged into a new facade with different colors and cover the old facade, wrap it up to the rooftop and create a special attraction, as well as harmonizing with the ancientness of entire area. Some open windows on the roof provide the trees beneath with space and natural light. This symbolizes growth, hopes for the future and goodness from traditional bedrock.

These windows also turn up inside the house as light partitions, separate and decorate space. On the ground floor, there are long curved kitchen cupboards go through the house. The big kitchen at the front is where people cook, talk and enjoy their cooking together in a dining room behind. Garden and an old staircase to the first floor are among these spaces. On the first floor, there is a bedroom at the front and a place to relax or work. A new steel staircase was built beside the atrium to the second floor, which used to be an unused roof. A bedroom was additionally made of old available steel sheeting, which lies beneath the roof system a short distance to prevent the heat from affecting inside. From this room to the front, there is a garden for drinking tea and looking at night sky through lit in the window. Two toilets were also designed for these bedrooms. A small atrium was placed at the end for cross-room ventilation, it also provides beneath toilets with natural light. The material of walls and floors was preserved. Unrefined cement surfaces, jalousie windows and bamboo wattle on the ceiling create both a modern and ancient place and revive Vietnamese architecture in the 60's and 70's.

The architect aspired to create a new place for newcomers from many different cultures. On the basis of rearranging old things in a new way, both the old things and the new ones can exist together and support each other. As time goes by, people here will give new vitality and new soul to this house.

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Built by Block Architects in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam with date 2014. Images by Quang Tran. This house was in an old terrace next to an apartment built in 1965. The owner works in travel and tourism, he once r...

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If you've been paying attention to the NBA, or more specifically to the players, you may have noticed a certain trend developing among big-name favorites. According to the Bleach Report, stars in the league are slowly starting to adopt a more plant-based diet in order to boost stamina and endurance during games.

Celtics point-guard Kyrie Irving has gone on record to confirm his dietary switch after reports of his plant-based lifestyle first surfaced in October during a pre-season talk. "Been on more of a plant-based diet, getting away from the animals and all that," Irving told the NBA broadcast team. "I had to get away from that. So my energy is up; my body feels amazing."

Head coach for the Boston Celtics, Brad Stevens, also remarked on the impact of Irving's new-found diet. "He's had great energy all year," Stevens said. "The nutrition side is huge."

Irving is one of many NBA players to cut out meat from their diet. Fellow Celtics player Jaylen Brown - who has never eaten red meat or pork in his life - stated that he became a full vegetarian whilst playing basketball at the University of California, Berkley. The player also noted that he plans to go full vegan before he's 25.

Portland Trail Blazers point guard Damian Lillard also switched to a vegan diet earlier this off-season, telling The Oregonian, "I wanted to eat cleaner. I want to play lighter this year and be easier on my joints and feet." He mentioned aging reasons, adding, "I'm getting older, you know what I mean?" Wilson Chandler, Al Jefferson, Garrett Temple, Enes Kanter, JaVale McGee and Jahlil Okafor are some of the other players to adopt a vegan or vegetarian diet.

Irving, who took it upon himself to research the transition, remarked that he doesn't "plan on changing anything in [his] diet." "It's working out great so far," he added. What do you think? Is veganism the latest NBA fad or is the plant-based lifestyle here to stay? Hit the comments below.
In case you missed it, check out the drop for the UNDEFEATED x NBA Live Air Jordan IVs

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NBA's Players Are Slowly Adopting Plant-Based Diets

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If you've been paying attention to the NBA, or more specifically to the players, you may have noticed a certain trend developing among big-name favorites. According to the Bleach Report, stars in the league are slowly starting to adopt a more plant-based diet in order to boost stamina and endurance during games.

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The latest trend in cosmetics has nothing to do with makeup colors or application techniques. Instead, brands like Hourglass Cosmetics are changing the ingredients they use.

Hourglass announced Wednesday it will go completely vegan by 2020, Glossy reported. That means all products will be free of animal-derived ingredients such as beeswax, lanolin, which is made from sheepskin, and carmine, which is a dye using beetles' wings, per Glossy.

The company already sells predominantly vegan cosmetics and doesn't test on animals. Products cost $18 to $350, and prices will stay the same once the brand becomes fully vegan, CEO Carisa Janes told Glossy.

"Luxury is a combination of innovation and integrity, and our values have always been exemplified in our commitment to creating cruelty-free products," Janes said. "If we are truly committed to being 100 percent cruelty-free, we shouldn't have animal-derived ingredients in our products."

People who subscribe to veganism refrain from consuming or using animal-based foods and products and object to the exploitation of animals, per The Vegan Society.

Veganism is poised to become a major movement in cosmetics, per Glossy. Google reported online searches in the vegan skin care category have grown 83 percent year over year since 2010. A report from Market Research Future predicts the market for cruelty-free cosmetics will grow 6.1 percent by 2023.

In addition to Hourglass, other middle-market brands like It Cosmetics, Nailberry and Cover FX are leading the charge in vegan and cruelty-free makeup, per Glossy. Cosmetics icon Kat Von D also pledged this summer to take her brand fully vegan, according to Glamour.

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The latest trend in cosmetics has nothing to do with makeup colors or application techniques. Instead, brands like Hourglass Cosmetics are changing the ingredients they use. Hourglass announced Wednesday it will go completely vegan by 2020, Glossy reported.

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Login to Mintel Reports - Mintel Group Ltd.

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As a leading supplier of competitive media, product and consumer intelligence Mintel provides expert analysis on all aspects of consumers' economic activity and accurate monitoring of global fmcg activity.

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Cosmetics Business is the leading online platform for the professional beauty, personal care and toiletries industry with daily breaking news for products, manufacturing, ingredients, packaging, formulation, jobs, events and company information

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When I went vegan about five years ago, one of the side effects that spurred me through the tough transition period was the almost immediate effect it had on my skin. Within weeks, my complexion brightened and cleared, to the point that I tossed out the foundation I was used to slathering on. My hair would take a little more time, but over the months, it became visibly stronger and shinier.

Still, the most significant change for me wasn't the transformation I was seeing in the mirror, but in my approach to my routine. I found that by paying such close attention to everything that went into my body, that discerning eye began to wander elsewhere: As I learned about the benefits of certain ingredients I was eating, I wanted to learn more about their external impact, too. I began reading labels and choosing cleaner products; I started to devote as much love and care to my skin as I did to my meals. The process has been long but completely organic, and it's ongoing to this day.

Superficially speaking, the immediate effect of my new diet that I noticed on my skin and hair have only been bolstered and amplified by the special consideration I now take in my beauty routine. My skin and hair have never looked better, and more important, I truly love taking the time to care for myself in every respect. But how have my hair and skin benefited from going vegan specifically? Let me count the ways:

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What Going Vegan Did for My Skin and Hair

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When I went vegan about five years ago, one of the side effects that spurred me through the tough transition period was the almost immediate effect it had on my skin. Within weeks, my complexion brightened and cleared, to the point that I tossed out the foundation I was used to slathering on.

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Veganism is moving from what we put into our bodies to what we put on our faces. In a decade, the number of vegans in Britain has increased from 150,000 to more than 540,000, according to the Vegan Society, fuelled by younger people, aged 16-34, who account for nearly half that number. It makes sense that those avoiding all meat, dairy and animal derivatives such as wool and leather would also be keen to avoid beeswax in lipbalm, animal fat in cream blushers and eyeshadows, and crushed cochineal beetles in red lipsticks. You don't have to be vegan to be put off by this.

Tashina Combs has been writing about cruelty-free and vegan makeup for the last six years on her blog Logical Harmony and has recently noticed a surge of interest. "I think people are becoming more aware. For a long time, people didn't really realise how common animal testing still was in so many places around the world. With vegan cosmetics, they start to look at the ingredients too and are realising a lot of them are byproducts of other industries they don't necessarily want to support."

The new vegan brands, she says, have a mainstream feel. "I think for a long time there was a stigma - that everyone thought they were these earthy, crunchy brands and now they're realising you can go to department stores and buy this stuff. They are high-quality products that makeup artists are using and they perform in the same way as the conventional brands we're used to."

Justine Jenkins, a makeup artist who switched to cruelty-free products about seven years ago, now uses as many vegan products in her professional kit as she can. "I find that is what I'm asked about the most these days - people want vegan options," she says.

This year, retail research company Mintel has seen a 100% rise in the number of "vegan" claims for cosmetics. "It is definitely a growing trend," says Roshida Khanom, an associate director of beauty and personal care at Mintel. It is being driven by the parallel rise in veganism and the "free-from" trend in eating (gluten-free beauty products, for instance, have also entered the market). "Where, before, consumers were looking for products that didn't contain the perceived 'nasties' such as preservatives, they are now becoming even more demanding, driven by being more conscious of both their health and the ethical practices of the companies they are buying into."

In June, the makeup brand Nars announced it would have to test its products on animals in order to be sold in China, where this is required by law (animal testing of cosmetics is banned in the EU). Nars is not a vegan company, though many of its products are, but it did make much of its cruelty-free credentials. Judging by just some of the 15,000 comments left on the statement it made on Instagram, this angered customers who pledged never to buy the brand again. A petition against the company's new stance on animal testing has attracted nearly 250,000 signatures.

"Social media is creating a more influential consumer who is not afraid to name and shame the brands they feel don't live up to their ethical considerations," says Khanom. "We are likely to see more companies introducing either vegan brands or sub-brands to cater to this growing demand." This isn't a niche development but one that is happening on the high street. Eight weeks ago, Superdrug launched its vegan makeup range B, following the 2013 launch of its vegan skincare brand. "A couple of years ago we noticed it was becoming far more important to have vegan-friendly products," says Sarah Gardner, Superdrug's head of beauty. "More and more customers were searching our site looking for vegan products. We feel quite confident this is absolutely the route we should be going down." By the end of the year, the range will be in 500 of its stores.

The Body Shop has said it is moving away from using animal derivatives such as lanolin in its products (though it will still use the honey and beeswax it sources from its community trade partners). Kat Von D Beauty, a US company founded by the celebrity tattoo artist Kat Von D and sold in Debenhams, has said it is committed to being 100% vegan by the end of the year. Other companies such as Urban Decay, Barry M and Lush specify which of their cosmetics are vegan.

There are a huge number of smaller brands that are increasingly 100% vegan, such as e.l.f. and Inika Organic. "I think the beauty market has massively changed," says Gardner. "People are doing more research and not just taking what they see on the high street as the only offer."

Jenkins recommends British company PHB Ethical Beauty - she rates their mascara - and she also likes Arbonne, and the long-established vegan company Beauty Without Cruelty. "I love Pacifica for their BB creams, and their mascara and eyeshadow is great. Lime Crime is a really fun brand - they do fantastic brightly coloured eyeliners and gorgeous lip glosses." A lot of lipbalms have beeswax in them, she says, but a company called Hurraw makes "beautiful creamy lip balms, which I use a lot".

When people tell her they don't believe the pigments in vegan products are as punchy as non-vegan ones, she points them to the US brand Obsessive Compulsive Cosmetics. "They are one of the most brilliantly pigmented brands I know. They are great for anyone who loves colour - I love the lip tars, which are bright and beautiful - and they do fantastic glitter pots." She likes brushes - made from synthetic bristles, not animal hair - from EcoTools.

Although she only uses cruelty-free makeup, Jenkins still doesn't use entirely vegan products. "It can be a challenge to do red carpet and editorial work only using 100% vegan brands. I don't mean that those products don't deliver - quite the opposite, they work beautifully. It's just that a handful of brands isn't enough and I would love to see more vegan options available to everyone." Before long, there will be.

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Is there animal fat in your blusher? Why vegan makeup is on the rise

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Veganism is moving from what we put into our bodies to what we put on our faces. In a decade, the number of vegans in Britain has increased from 150,000 to more than 540,000, according to the Vegan Society, fuelled by younger people, aged 16-34, who account for nearly half that number.

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When I first made the decision to adopt a vegan diet, many of the more "seasoned" vegans in my life told me about all the wonderful benefits I could expect. I heard that I would likely drop unwanted weight more easily, that I would have more energy and that I wouldn't have to worry as much about things like heart disease or cancer.

Those things all sounded great, but after I went vegan, I discovered a whole world of benefits no one had ever told me about.

The first was that seemingly overnight, my skin turned from an acne-prone mess into beautiful, clear, healthy-looking skin. I had struggled with acne my entire teenage life and into my early adulthood, and to be completely honest, I had tried everything to help solve the problem. Harsh chemicals on my face, eliminating junk food, facials -- the works! Little did I know my dairy habit could have been the culprit for my constantly-irritated skin. Turns out, there is a link between ditching dairy and improving your skin's overall appearance. I wish someone had told me so I could have chucked it sooner!

The next "secret" benefit I discovered was that I slept better than ever. I have a reputation among friends and family for being able to sleep for unusually long amounts of time, but after I went vegan, I realized a lot of that was because the quality of my sleep had always been terrible. After I went vegan, I found that I was sleeping for less time each night but waking up more refreshed. Turns out, it wasn't just me: A study on the physiological benefits of a vegan diet found that subjects who switched to eating purely plant-based reported an improvement in the quality of their sleep.

I also read some anecdotal evidence from older vegans about how they felt their diet had slowed down their aging. It was certainly nice to hear that the way I was eating might help me stay young!

I wasn't alone in finding "secret" benefits to my new diet. A friend of my sister's went vegan and nearly overnight her battle with IBS stopped. The dairy, it seemed, was upsetting her stomach and going vegan eliminated her troubles. Another friend saw his bad cholesterol levels plummet. This isn't super unusual, I learned, as only animal products contain dietary cholesterol. Still another friend saw his allergies disappear.

Besides the physical benefits though, there were also some great "life" benefits. One of the first was that almost immediately, I discovered a whole community of friends I was missing out on -- not just vegans, but those interested in better health and environmental sustainability. It wasn't fun to be at work and invited to a gathering where I knew everyone would be chugging beer and eating greasy pizza, so I welcomed meeting people with similar interests. To be completely honest, the veggie potlucks I was invited to certainly helped improve my circle of friends (not to mention, they were delicious!).

Another great, non-physical benefit I discovered from going vegan was that I felt as though a whole new world of food had opened up for me. Going vegan, I imagined, would feel restrictive -- after all, I was giving up foods I had been familiar with my whole life. What I failed to realize was that because I was stuck in the meat and dairy pattern, I never ventured outside the box. Ditching the animal products allowed me a great excuse for doing so -- and in the process, I discovered foods I never would have before.

The benefits I discovered -- especially the physical ones -- were things I never would have expected before. I thought I was stuck with bad skin because it was hereditary. I thought I would always be the type of person that could only operate on 10 hours of sleep. Thankfully, I was wrong about both of these things. Many of my friends found better health after going vegan, as well.

Changing my diet opened up a whole new level of healthy for me that now, I don't think I could live without.
For more by Anjali Sareen, click here. For more on veganism, click here.

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Vegan Secrets: The Healthy Side Benefits I Didn't Expect

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When I first made the decision to adopt a vegan diet, many of the more "seasoned" vegans in my life told me about all the wonderful benefits I could expect. I heard that I would likely drop unwanted weight more easily, that I would have more energy and that I wouldn't have to worry as much about things like heart disease or cancer.

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How To Shop Vegan Clothing: Where To Head, What To Avoid & Why

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Vegan clothing is so good right now, it's impossible NOT to shop it. Gone are the days when animal-friendly shoppers were stuck with hemp tunics...

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What To Know About Pro-Vegan Netflix Film 'What the Health'

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The recent Netflix film "What the Health" is encountering criticism for pushing a vegan diet with poor nutrition science.

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The world of healthy eating has turned into a bloody battlefield.

Veganism's increasing popularity has seen its mantra founded not only on a moral basis, but also with a focus on the lifestyle's perceived health benefits, though to what extent has become a major sparking point for controversy.

A new documentary What the Health, available on Netflix, explores the links between the consumption of animal products and disease, has come under fire by health professionals for its sensational claims that one serving of processed meat a day increases the risk of developing type 2 diabetes by 51%, or that eating one egg a day is as bad as smoking five cigarettes a day.

The film's website does cite sources for each of its claims, but these have found challenge within the scientific community. Alexandra Freeman, executive director of the Winton Centre for Risk and Evidence Communication at Cambridge University, told that the claims about eggs are sourced from an "extremely controversial paper", for example.

Though eggs have been the source of much negative media attention due to their cholesterol level, scientific evidence has since provided significant basis to believe that the consumption of cholesterol isn't necessarily associated with higher levels in the blood or an increased risk of heart disease.

Mary Jane Detroyer, an NYC dietician and nutritionist, told the that the 51% claims about red meat are "distorted science"; multiple studies have concluded that eating even highly processed red meat every day poses closer to a 19% increased risk of developing diabetes.

"While it is true that diet plays an important role in diseases including cancer and diabetes, the claims in this film vastly overstate and misrepresent the scientific understanding," Alice Howarth, cancer researcher, told The Times. " What the Health overwhelms the viewer with scaremongering 'facts' which do not hold up to scientific investigation."

The project comes from filmmakers Kip Andersen and Keegan Kuhn, famous for their 2014 documentary Cowspiracy, and What the Health has seen some major celebrity support. Leonardo DiCaprio helped persuade Netflix to release the film with him acting as executive producer, with Joaquin Phoenix also on board as executive producer.

Reuse content

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A controversial new documentary on Netflix claims eating eggs is a bad as smoking

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The world of healthy eating has turned into a bloody battlefield. Veganism's increasing popularity has seen its mantra founded not only on a moral basis, but also with a focus on the lifestyle's perceived health benefits, though to what extent has become a major sparking point for controversy.

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Fashion & Beauty

You don't eat your clothes so what is vegan clothing about? Here's how and why to choose vegan clothing, shoes, and accessories.
This is the third installment in our How to be Vegan series here at Green Living Ideas. We are going through some common areas of your life and showing you how to identify and ditch animal products.
Veganism is not a crash diet or cleanse. It's a lifestyle choice that's all about protecting animals by avoiding animal products. Eating vegan food is definitely a great first step toward better animal welfare, but vegans also avoid cosmetics, clothing, and household products that contain animal products. We've got one more installment planned in this series about kicking animal products to the curb, so stay tuned!

What is vegan clothing?

Vegan clothing is any garment made without animal products. Some animal products, like leather, are pretty obvious, but others might be a little harder to spot. Here's a list of things to avoid, if you want to keep dead animals out of your closet:

Animal products can hide in unexpected places, so read your clothing's labels before you buy. If you want some help, Happy Cow has a handy guide to common alternatives to leather, fur, wool, down, and silk.

Why buy vegan clothing?

Because veganism is about protecting animals, vegans don't buy clothing made from materials that exploit animals. According to PETA, animal products used in clothing manufacture aren't just byproducts, as I've heard people argue. They point out, for example, that leather sales help support slaughterhouses by providing extra income.

Like factory farming in the food industry, raising animals for clothing and accessories is often cruel to the animals and harmful to the environment. Even "humanely raised" animals are kept in captivity and slaughtered years before they would have died naturally, so it's hard to argue that any animal-based material is truly humane.

Ditching all animal materials might feel extreme, and I think that wool is a good example of how different reality is from our vision of animal agriculture. Sheep have been bred for decades to grow more and more skin, so that farmers can shear more wool from a single sheep. That selective breeding means that modern sheep are miserable. Jill Ettinger at Feelgood Style describes what real life is like for a modern sheep, "Mulesing is the practice of removing this excess skin around a sheep's backside. To leave it there can allow feces to build up and (gross alert), maggots to literally infest and even kill the sheep. So mulesing is a practice of cutting off the wool and skin of young sheep's behinds. This is almost always done without painkillers. Raw tissue is exposed and the injury can cause a lifetime of pain.

This isn't a rare occurrence in wool production. It's the norm, just like tail-docking pigs or beak-searing young chickens in factory farming. It's part of industrial fashion."

If we want to protect animals, we need to stop exploiting them, and what we put in our closets has as much power to change that as what's on our plates.

Where can I find vegan clothing?

Shopping for vegan clothing doesn't have to be difficult. Just look for natural, plant-based fabrics like cotton, linen, and hemp. Synthetics are also animal-friendly alternatives to materials like leather, wool, and silk. Many mainstream brands have vegan clothes, shoes, and accessories - just keep an eye on the label when you're shopping.

Target and Payless actually have a great selection of accidentally vegan shoes and accessories. Look for "all manmade materials" on the label, and you're good to go. If you want to make your search even easier, I recommend checking out Mooshoes, the vegan section of Planet Shoes, or Zappos' vegan selection for vegan shoes, bags, belts, and other accessories.

Vegan clothing is very easy to find, as long as you're willing to check the tags for animal products. Farm Sanctuary has a long list of vegan and vegan-friendly clothing brands that's worth checking out. I also recommend perusing my friend Ashlee's blog, The Little Foxes, for the latest and hippest in the vegan fashion world.

What about the animal products already in your closet?

This is a controversial topic in the vegan community, and I've seen discussions about it get pretty heated. Below are your two basic options; you decide what feels like the best choice for you!

Some vegans can't bring themselves to wear the leather, silk, and wool clothing they owned in their pregan (pre-vegan) days. Others decide to stop buying new animal products but use what they have, since throwing those things away feels wasteful to them.

I can really understand either mindset. If every time you look at a pair of leather shoes, you see leather industry cruelty, I can sympathise with wanting to give them the boot. If throwing away wearable clothing and accessories doesn't fit into your personal ethics, you might want to keep your old wool sweaters and just not buy any new animal-derived clothing or accessories.

Whichever option you choose for you old clothes is up to you. Go with your gut. At the end of the day, it's about living your beliefs as best you can.

Tags: how to be vegan, how to go vegan, vegan closet, vegan clothing, vegan shoes, vegan wardrobe, veganism, what is vegan clothing, why buy vegan clothing

About the Author

Becky Striepe

Hi there! I'm Becky Striepe, a green crafter and vegan foodie living in Atlanta, Georgia with my husband and two cats. My mission is to make eco-friendly crafts and vegan food accessible to anyone who wants to give them a go. If you like my work, you can also find me on Twitter, Facebook, and Google+.

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How to Be Vegan: What is vegan clothing?

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Fashion & Beauty You don't eat your clothes so what is vegan clothing about? Here's how and why to choose vegan clothing, shoes, and accessories. This is the third installment in our How to be Vegan series here at Green Living Ideas.

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In a recent post, Commenter Brenton asked- "What's wrong with wool? How is wool cruelty to animals? All they do is shear off the hair of the animal in the summer, which then grows back, and they do it again the next year." Good questions all which we could not answer. We first heard the term Vegan Clothing from Elisa Camahort, who blogs for Hip & Zen, and she graciously agreed to write this guest post.
Veganism on, and in, your body.
Many people wonder why people go to what they consider to be the "extreme" of veganism. After all, vegans are asked, chickens aren't killed for their eggs, sheep aren't killed for their wool and do you really care about snails and silkworms?

The thing to understand about veganism, as a philosophy, is that it starts with the precept that we, as humans, do not have any right to "use" animals for anything. That our use of animals, who have no choice in the matter, is a form of exploitation. And that we should avoid, to the extent it is possible, all forms of that exploitation.

It's helpful to realize that when vegans have that philosophy as a starting point, the extent of the harm to the living creature is simply moot. Vegans do not want to participate in what they consider to be exploitation, just as many other people don't want to buy clothing made with sweat-shop labor.

Further most vegans believe that the vegan lifestyle is healthier for people, healthier for the environment, and of course healthier for animals.

For those who don't believe in this philosophy wholesale, there are still many reasons to avoid all kinds of animal products, and almost every reason comes back to the inherently cruel practice of factory-farming.

Factory-farmed chickens, sheep and dairy cows live in appalling conditions. It's not just the fact that they are packed in tightly and live in their own filth, but each of these animals is subject to routine mutilation without anaesthesia. Battery chickens have their beaks cut off to prevent them from pecking themselves and other chickens as they react to being kept in unnaturally confined spaces. Lambs born for wool production are castrated, have their ears punched through and their tails cut off, all without anaesthesia.

One might think that wool production is benign like getting a haircut, and perhaps it was that way before sheep were bred for constant wool production, rather than seasonal production linked to their natural molting schedule. Now, sheep are sheared before they naturally would shed their winter coats, then the wool grows back during the summer months. Many sheep die of exposure (heat and cold) every year.

Worst of all is a technique called mulesing. Merino sheep produce the most wool because they are bred to have the most folds of skin. Unfortunately all those folds of skin become breeding grounds for fly infestations around their tail area. The factory farm solution for this problem is to carve off folds of skin, yes, their skin hoping to create a smooth, scarred surface where the flies can't lay eggs. And no, they don't use anaesthesia for that either.

There is nothing benign about factory farmed animal conditions, and it's pretty hard to make sure you're not getting such a product.

That brings us to that qualifying phrase I used above: "to the extent possible." I am a long-time vegetarian who believes in the vegan philosophy, but have had a hell of a time adhering to it in my diet. I do my best, which isn't good enough, but is better than doing nothing.

I started out considering vegetarianism 17 years ago because I felt sympathy for the conditions of factory-farmed animals, antipathy for the violence of slaughter. But what sealed the deal for me was thinking it through: there was no reason not to be a vegetarian. I am not physiologically required to eat meat. I am not constrained in any material, important way by my vegetarianism. This goes double for what I wear. Being a vegan in my clothing and accessory choices is a piece of cake.

I'd like to close by turning the "why vegan?" question around. When you know that buying vegan products can eliminate your personal contribution to cruel practices, and when you know you can get both function and style with available vegan alternatives, then I think the pertinent question is really: "why not vegan?"

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In a recent post, Commenter Brenton asked- "What's wrong with wool? How is wool cruelty to animals? All they do is shear off the hair of the animal in the summer, which then grows back, and they do it again the next year." Good questions all which we

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Launched in 2009 Vaute Couture aimed to put the vegan into haute couture. Initially setting out to create the perfect coat for Chicago winters, the brand now also sells allsorts of other wardrobe essentials, including party-ready dresses and wonderful winter accessories.

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The shop's offerings range from cruelty-free beauty to furniture

A 100 percent vegan and eco-conscious online department store has launched in the UK.

Wearth London, which is the first store of its kind in the UK, promotes sustainable and ethical living by championing more than 25 brands from natural beauty to furniture makers.

The new online store is the brainchild of Edward Davies and Imogen Minoli, who felt there was 'a lack of retail offering for vegans and ethically minded consumers'.

The founders told PBN that their main mission is to 'create a modern platform which changes the perception around what a sustainable vegan online store looks like and sells'.

Eco-conscious shoppers can now get their hands on natural beauty products

How does it work?

Online shoppers can choose products from a range of departments, including natural beauty, homewares, furniture, lifestyle, and gifts.

On Wearth, which delivers to the whole of the UK, consumers can look up products from an array of different values, for instance reclaimed materials, plastic-free, zero-waste, or made in the UK.

Rather than having a big warehouse where all our products are sent to and then repackaged, brands featured on Wearth deliver directly to the customer, which the founders believe is a more efficient way of running our store.

Among brands featured on the website, Cork Yogis, offers cork yoga mats; Bettzy is a responsibly-produced furniture business; Olofson Skincare is a premium skincare brand; and Ara | the altar makes jewellery from recycled precious metals.

The founders added: "We're really happy with how the website has turned out, and we're proud to have partnered with such amazing brands."

Brand Ara | the altar creates beautiful jewellery from recycled precious metals

Demand

Discussing the current demand for animal-free and eco-conscious products, Davies and Imogen highlighted: "We feel the UK is at a tipping point in terms of the demand for vegan-friendly and sustainable products, as people are becoming increasingly conscious about what they are buying and the impact this has on animals, the environment, and the workers who made the products."

Davies also mentioned that the public response has been amazing so far, saying: "People really seem to get what we're doing, and have got behind our goal of promoting sustainable and ethical living in the UK.

"One particular comment from one of our Instagram followers comes to mind here, as she said that she spends so much time researching making ethical purchases and that it was good to know that this was taken care of by us."

Wearth is currently online-based due to the sustainable nature of the digital world

Online

Davies went on to say that an online shop is more sustainable than a physical one.

"If we had stores this would require all our products to be delivered, housed and then there's the actual energy use of the stores," he said.

"On our platform, our brands also deliver direct to the customer meaning we don't have big warehouse which requires lots of electricity and reduces the carbon footprint of the products.

"That said, in future if it meant that we could reach more customers, thereby promoting sustainable and ethical living, and we could create a store run by renewables, then this could definitely be possible."

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UK's First Fully Vegan And Sustainable Department Store Now Open For Business

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A 100 percent vegan and eco-conscious online department store has launched in the UK. Wearth London, which is the first store of its kind in the UK, promotes sustainable and ethical living by championing more than 25 brands from natural beauty to furniture makers.

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Compassion in fashion

In a vegan society, the fashion industry, like all other industries, would be animal-free. With gorgeous alternatives to leather, suede, fur, wool, pearls, and silk readily available at a great price, it's time for vegans to lead the way in a new trend.

Out with the old...

...and in with the new! The days of ugly vegan sandals are long gone, so you don't even need to think twice about swapping your old shoes for shiny new vegan ones. If you're a keen fashionista, veganism should be right up your street. There are plenty of options, whether you're looking for winter boots, comfortable yet smart shoes, or stilettos with heels so high they should only be worn in taxis. And you don't have to go to specialist shops: check out our article on vegan shoes for more.

Make the call

More and more vegan clothing retailers are popping up online, while existing retailers are offering up vegan alternatives to gothic leather jackets, walking boots and more. If you're wondering whether your favourite designer or retail store has a vegan range, why not call up and ask? The more we demonstrate demand, the more likely it is companies will provide us with increased vegan options. In the meantime, most mainstream high street stores offer wool-free cardigans and non-leather jackets, so you don't have to jump for the expensive option.

Get the vegan look

Look for products with the Vegan Trademark, the international symbol guaranteeing no animal products and no animal testing. You can search online for Vegan Trademarked products here. Why not buy your next pair of fashionable shoes from fashionistas Beyond Skin, Bourgeois Boheme or Noah, along with a stylish bag from Jentil?

Easy vegan fashion?

It's possible, it's affordable and completely ethical, if you know where to look. The good news is that many brands are already using alternatives to leather, fur and wool. The bad news is that it can be hard to find them. For example, Superdry 's seemingly woolly scarves and winter clothes are actually 100% acrylic, but you wouldn't know from looking. If you've ever spent hours searching among labels to find your perfect wool-free cardigan, it's time to contact the company and ask them to register their products with the Vegan Trademark. This will also work if the company currently do not offer anything vegan: let's demonstrate demand!

The starting point

Not everyone knows where to look to find great vegan fashion, so we've provided this handy list. All the brands here offer international shipping.

If you're just looking for cheap vegan-friendly clothing, remember your local high street shop will offer non-animal derived alternatives: just check the label. Our article on vegan-friendly shoes in high street shops may help.

Asos - offer an 'Eco Brands' range. While there are some animal-derived materials in this section you can still search 'vegan' to find some great fashionable pieces from the collection.

Beyond Skin - stylish vegan shoes from the UK

Bourgeois Boheme - haute couture vegan shoes and accessories from the UK

Braintree Clothing - natural sustainable fibres clothing company from Sydney, Australia, now based in London. Vegan friendly options clearly labelled.

Ethical Wares - a vegan friendly mail order company run by vegans, with a wide range of footwear and accessories as well as clothes.

Etsy - has a large vegan friendly sectionwhere you can find beauty products alongside clothing.

H&M - makes many non-animal derived, cheap and fashionable options.

Herbivore Clothing - vegan friendly US based trendy online store

People Tree - internationally based sustainable and fair trade on-trend fashion with lots of vegan friendly clothes.

Phloem - online marketplace for vegan friendly footwear, clothing and accessories sold by only 100% vegan friendly brands.

Rawganique - Canada based vegan friendly organic hemp clothing

Secret Society of Vegans - cute vegan friendly tees and accessories from the UK

The Compassionate Closet - vegan friendly clothing, accessories and shoes store from the US

The Dharma Store - vegan friendly clothing and accessories promoting a vegan message.

Truth Belts - vegan friendly belts and accessories from Canada

Unicorn Goods - US based vegan friendly online store

Vaute Couture - vegan friendly fashion from the US

Vegetarian Shoes - sturdy vegan friendly shoes from the UK

Wawwa - organic clothing from a UK social enterprise

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In a vegan society, the fashion industry, like all other industries, would be animal-free. With gorgeous alternatives to leather, suede, fur, wool, pearls, and silk readily available at a great price, it's time for vegans to lead the way in a new trend. ...and in with the new!

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The rich and famous are always coming up with new - and sometimes bizarre - ways to better their lifestyles, their looks and even their spirituality (Scientology, anyone?). And veganism is hot, hot hot. A vegan is a strict vegetarian who does not eat or wear any animal products - including milk, honey, leather or wool. We salute the celebs who have overhauled their jet-setting lifestyles to make this most eco-friendly of choices...

Are you thinking of going vegan? Here are 23 foods you need to eat...

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Celebrity vegans who make eating more veg look seriously sexy

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The rich and famous are always coming up with new - and sometimes bizarre - ways to better their lifestyles, their looks and even their spirituality (Scientology, anyone?). And veganism is hot, hot hot. A vegan is a strict vegetarian who does not eat or wear any animal products - including milk, honey, leather or wool.

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The rise of vegan teenagers: 'More people are into it because of Instagram'

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The number of vegans in the UK has risen by 350% in the past decade - a movement driven by the young. Here, teens explain why they are ditching meat and dairy

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Beyoncé and Jay-Z are partners in a vegan food company (GETTY)

Take a cursory look at the blogosphere and you might be forgiven for thinking a vegan diet can make you walk on water, so hyped has it become. One of the key pioneers of the new vegan lifestyle is Kris Carr, a model and actress turned blogger who wrote the wildly successful cookbook Crazy Sexy Kitchen.

She adopted the diet after she was diagnosed with a rare and incurable sarcoma cancer in 2003 and given 10 years to live; she believes it has helped to boost her immune system.

Angela Liddon, author of the book and hugely successful blog Oh She Glows, believes that veganism cured her irritable bowel syndrome. And Stella's own columnist Ella Woodward, of Deliciously Ella fame, who was diagnosed with postural tachycardia syndrome (an autonomic nervous system illness), suffered from chronic pain, blackouts and stomach trouble until - inspired by Kris Carr - she adopted a gluten-free, vegan diet, and her symptoms disappeared.

It's not all anecdotal. A growing body of evidence suggests veganism could improve blood pressure and lower the risk of type 2 diabetes, while a major study published in July in the Journal of General Internal Medicine reviewed 12 diet trials and found that people on a vegan diet lost the most weight.

"There's lots of well-controlled science and research to show that adopting a predominantly plant-based diet probably has the biggest impact on health [compared to other diets] for all the chronic diseases," says Rick Miller, a registered dietitian and spokesperson for the British Dietetic Association.

"Eating more plants and fibre and reducing our consumption of meat not only leads to weight loss but also to a reduced risk of heart disease, diabetes, hypothyroidism, high blood pressure and certain cancers, especially prostate, breast and bowel."

Against this backdrop of hype, I set out to conduct a two-month, one-woman trial to see what effect veganism might have on my mental and physical health. During the trial, I would have a series of blood tests measuring any changes in my key vitamin levels and cholesterol, which was high. I would also use a newfangled scale, the Tanita RD-901, which measures body fat, muscle mass, body water and "visceral fat" (the fat around your middle, which is a risk factor for heart disease and diabetes).

Powerhouse vegan Venus Williams (GETTY)

To say I was sceptical would be an understatement: I was certain my meat-free life would turn me into an anaemic, hungry mess. For years I had been mostly Paleo, following a diet close to that of our ancestors, eschewing all grains and dairy in favour of lean protein, fruit and vegetables. It had worked for me for about three years: I lost some weight and my sugar cravings stopped.

But there were signs it wasn't working any more. My weight was creeping up again, and although I like to work out, I was constantly plagued by muscle pain after even the lightest weights session, and didn't have the energy to go out more than once a week. I also had a nagging voice in my head that wondered what all that meat consumption was doing to the planet: plants, after all, can feed far more people per hectare than cows.

Deliciously Ella's baked tomato chickpeas, creamy cashew coleslaw and a sun dried tomato, bean and kale stew with sweet potato wedges (Instagram)

"I hate vegans," said my friend Simon over Sunday lunch on the first weekend. "I don't mind vegetarians but I just don't like vegans. What's wrong with milk, anyway?" His response wasn't unusual: the most startling effect of my diet during the entire 60 days was just how upset meat eaters were by my vegan existence - and how vocal they were about it.

Other friends didn't hold back - and nor did my husband, who called me "a vegan bore" and was frustrated by our tofu dinners. (His favourite joke: "How do you know if someone is a vegan? Just speak to them for 12 seconds.")

"People get defensive about their meat eating," says Jasmijn de Boo, CEO of The Vegan Society. "They'll tell you that not eating meat isn't natural and forget that talking on mobile phones and driving cars isn't natural either. I think part of it is guilt at their own meat eating." I don't know that I agree, but in the face of such opposition, I did feel compelled to continually defend my decision.

That first Sunday, my friends ate sausages, mash and various other bits of cooked beast while I had pea soup with vegetables - they were the only vegan items on the menu. Going out to restaurants became monotonous.

I would be lucky to have one choice - vegetarian options usually contain cheese, and even at London's hipster-friendly Shoreditch House there were no vegan options on the menu (although the chefs there will adapt dishes for you).

I ended up taking advice from a long-time vegan friend who resorts to ordering a series of side dishes - vegetables, olives, a legume or two, if you're lucky - while everyone else has their mains.

Writer and 'cancer thriver' Kris Carr (GETTY)

Two weeks in, despite eating lots of vegetable fats, including nuts and seeds, coconut oil on my toast, avocados every which way and truckloads of nut butters, I was surprised to find I had lost 2kg. What's more, my visceral fat had dropped by half a point (from 3 to 2.5, on a scale of 1 to 59).

"A vegan diet is obviously very low in saturated fat, which mostly comes from animal products," says Rick Miller. "But research has also shown the unsaturated fats found in plant-based foods don't seem to accumulate in visceral fat. That has huge implications for people's health because it's visceral fat that leads to things such as type 2 diabetes and heart disease."

During the first month, I lusted after the food on other people's plates. I watched as my family ate barbecue chicken one Saturday, wanting that greasy sensual pleasure so badly it made my head hurt. What I missed most was butter: I began to wonder if I could be a vegan who eats butter in the same way that some people who claim to be vegetarians still eat fish.

Beyoncé tucks into a vegan soup

But six weeks in, despite the social stigma, the boredom and psychological deprivation of living in a meat-eating world, physically I felt fantastic: all my muscle pain had gone.

"You were eating a lot of meat protein before," says Dr Chidi Ngwaba, who is on the advisory board of the European Society of Lifestyle Medicine. "That can lead to a build-up of waste products such as uric acid and lactic acid in the muscles, which can lead to soreness and slower recovery."

He explained that the healthy carbohydrates I had introduced into my diet - such as sourdough bread, quinoa and whole, unprocessed oats - were fuelling my muscles, which explained why I found myself with enough energy not only to go to the gym most days but also to go out in the evenings without exhaustion setting in.

"The whole idea of getting tired because you have become a vegan is a myth," says Dr Ngwaba. "If you have plenty of varied legumes, grains, vegetables, fruit and fats, your energy levels should be fine."

By the eighth week, I had lost a staggering 6kg, a whole point of visceral fat and maintained almost all my muscle mass. I felt lighter, more agile and people told me how great my skin looked. Miraculously, while my previously non-existent sex drive came back with a vengeance, my once-ferocious PMS disappeared.

"When you become a vegan, you eliminate all the external oestrogens you were getting from dairy products, and that can have a profound effect on reducing PMS," says Dr Ngwaba.

"Plus, you have added plenty of healthy greens such as kale, spinach and collard greens, which contain a substance called plant chlorophyll that helps cleanse the liver of excess oestrogens that hang around and contribute to PMS symptoms."

L-r: Kale to Coffee by Kevin Gianni; The Oh She Glows Cookbook by Angela Liddon

On day 60, I went back for new blood tests, and took them to the nutritional therapist Jonathan Cohen. My cholesterol had dropped from 6 to a very healthy 4.9. The triglycerides in my blood, a type of fat that can indicate an increased risk of heart disease, dropped from 90 to 77.

"This means blood lipids went down generally - it's a good result to have achieved in only 60 days," Cohen observed. He also noted that my folate and zinc levels were above average.

Zinc, he says, is essential for detoxification and skin health, which could explain why people commented on how well I looked. Folate, on the other hand, is important for helping the body break down and convert the food we eat into energy.

Still, my iron, vitamin B6 and B12 levels fell slightly; a typical result of a vegan diet, he explained, as some of their best sources are animal products. This is something that could cause problems over time, as these nutrients are essential for making energy.

Oh She Glows' rocket and spinach salad with strawberries, toasted sliced almonds and coconut flakes

As such, Cohen isn't convinced that veganism is the right diet for me. "Come back and see me in four months and I think we will be seeing deficiencies in nutrients such as iron, vitamin B6 and possibly protein because of all the exercise you are doing," Cohen said. "Veganism works for some people - there's no way to predict who - but only few do well on it long term."

Cohen's sentiments are echoed in the new book Kale and Coffee by the YouTube vlogger Kevin Gianni. After being a strict raw vegan for six years, Gianni became exhausted, irritable, was hardly able to get out of bed and had zero sex drive. Blood tests showed some of his hormones were dangerously low, including testosterone and pregnenolone, which are essential for both sex drive and energy.

His doctor advised him to urgently reintroduce animal protein into his diet, and Gianni now believes that despite the initial boost most people get when they start veganism, after a year or more many will experience deficiencies.

Ellen Degeneres (left) and her wife Portia de Rossi are both vegan (REX)

"People who go vegan will initially get a high because of what they take out of the diet - saturated fat, processed or fried foods - and the great surge in vitamins and minerals they're getting from the increased vegetables and fruit they're eating," says Gianni.

"But certain people will get deficient in certain nutrients, like I did. So by all means try veganism - it works for a lot of people. Just make sure that each year you have blood tests done to keep an eye out for deficiencies, then work with a nutritionist to correct them."

Now that my trial is over and I can eat meat, I am flummoxed by the fact that I simply don't want to. I had expected to want nothing more than a rare steak or plate of lusciously grilled octopus once the end came.

But no. I have told myself I can eat meat if I wish, but I keep being drawn to vegan cooking and vegan choices. Moreover, 60 days in, I feel so good I don't even care who hates me at dinner parties. And yes, I will tell everyone who listens that I am a vegan and loving it - usually within the first 12 seconds of the conversation.

Anna Magee is editor of Healthista.com. Anna's blood tests were done by the nutritional therapist Jonathan Cohen and Regenerus Labs

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I went vegan for 60 days - and it changed my life

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Beyoncé and Jay-Z are partners in a vegan food company (GETTY) Take a cursory look at the blogosphere and you might be forgiven for thinking a vegan diet can make you walk on water, so hyped has it become.

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"Vegan food has got so much better in recent years," according to Jeremy Corbyn.

The Labour leader says "more and more" of his friends are choosing the diet, which excludes all food that comes from animals - such as meat, dairy and eggs.

And whilst cheese may be keeping him from fully committing, he is "going through the process" of making different food choices.

But whilst some people are happy to go the whole hog - and leave the hog behind them - some vegans are making the choice to return to the meat market.

'The moral choice'

John Nicholson and his partner became vegans in 1984, at the age of 23, when living on a farm in the north of Scotland.

But 26 years later, the couple decided to return to eating meat for what they believed was the good of their health.

"We used to see the cattle being taken away to go to the slaughter house and the both of us thought we should stop," he said.

"Back then, we really did have to research what to eat.

"We started looking at Eastern and Indian food and were really expanding our cultural horizons from our bringing-up in the North East.

"And soon after, the government came out to speak about healthy eating - which it hadn't really before - so we thought, great, we are taking the moral choice and the healthy choice."

'Back to basics'

But as the years went by, the couple saw their health deteriorate and wondered what might be the cause.

"I suffered from IBS (irritable bowel syndrome) for 17 years," said John.

"Every time I ate, my stomach would get distended and it would be like a shelf you could put your glass on.

"Anything I ate would then leave me very quickly and some days it was so bad that I couldn't leave the house."

He also started to put on a lot of weight - standing at 5ft 10in (1.78m) but weighing 15st - and had the "highest cholesterol in North Yorkshire", according to his GP.

At the same time, his partner was suffering with depression and a slow thyroid, and they both wanted to make a change.

"She said to me it was not what we were eating, but what we weren't eating, and making that change might make a difference.

"I was very cynical about it, but I wanted to support her."

The impact was almost immediate. Within 48 hours, John started to feel better and his IBS all but disappeared, and, for his partner, there was a marked improvement.

"When you have been a vegan for 26 years, it becomes part of your identity," he said.

"I was worried that I must have been shallow, but me and my partner had talked long into the night about it and we just came to the decision that we wanted to put our health above that of the animals."

The pair are still against industrial farming practices and ethically source their meat from farms, choosing free range and organic produce.

"I think about what my grandma would have said to people being vegan," said John. "She would have called it self-indulgent nonsense.

"But her generation knew how to feed themselves for where they were from and how they were made. Who am I to go against these generations of wisdom?

"What we are doing here is just going back to how things used to be before we got funny about our food and before processed food."

Dairy sensitivity

Estelle Silver had been a vegan for eight years before she made the switch back to eating meat. Little did she know it would also seem to help with her health problems.

"I went vegan because I was told I had a dairy sensitivity," she said.

"I had already been a strict vegetarian for 20 years and had wanted to become vegan anyway due to my feelings about animal abuse and farming methods, so it was a convenient excuse for me to take that final step."

To start with, Estelle was pleased with the effects as it helped clear up her skin - a problem she had faced since her 20s - but as time went on, she became tired, less able to cope with stress and developed anxiety.

"I became a bag of nerves whenever I went out and could barely speak to people, just clinging to my then-boyfriend all night," she said.

"I didn't make the connection with diet and so I stuck with it because ethically I felt so much better not supporting the animal food industry, and I had convinced myself that it was a healthy diet."

Eight years on, Estelle began craving meat and fish, and she started to have "little cheat treats".

"It was like my body was really grateful and I felt better every time I ate a bit of meat," she said.

Later that year, she was diagnosed with chronic fatigue syndrome and myalgic encephalomyelitis (ME), and a support group told her eating meat and fish would help her symptoms.

"Since then my health has improved hugely and my anxiety has completely gone," said Estelle.

"From an ethical point of view, I wish I could live without animal products, but I no longer believe that a vegan diet is a healthy one - my body just can't cope with it."

'All in the planning'

According to the NHS, vegans should be able to get all the nutrients they need if they eat a varied and balanced diet, and plan ahead.

It suggests eating your five a day, basing meals on starchy carbohydrates - such as potatoes, rice and pasta - and having dairy alternatives, like soya drinks.

But without monitoring what you eat, the NHS said vegans could miss out on important dietary elements, such as calcium, iron and B12.

Heather Russell, a dietitian with the Vegan Society, said the group was working with the British Dietetic Association to get the message of planning out to people.

"As a vegan, you can enjoy delicious and nutritious food whilst making a really compassionate lifestyle choice," she said.

"It is possible to get all the nutrients your body needs from a vegan diet.

"If you need individual support regarding your vegan diet, it's a good idea to ask your doctor for a referral to a dietitian."

'Sharper and calmer'

For Carrie Eddins, she believes her change in diet has improved her life.

She has been a vegetarian since she was 10, but 18 months ago, at the age of 40, she decided to go vegan.

"I decided to make the change because the dairy industry upsets me and broke my heart," she said. "And I was feeling sluggish from milk, and eggs."

Since cutting these out of her diet, Carrie said she has "never felt better", with improved digestion and a feeling that she is "sharper" and "calmer."

Carrie now has to check menus more and carry around a pot of coconut oil to use as butter.

When first making the change, she also admitted she felt very tired and had to have B12 vitamin patches to "balance the system out".

"But it works like a charm," said Carrie, "much better than coffee."

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"Vegan food has got so much better in recent years," according to Jeremy Corbyn. The Labour leader says "more and more" of his friends are choosing the diet, which excludes all food that comes from animals - such as meat, dairy and eggs.

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The question 'can we ever live on Mars?' has been hanging over scientists since before we first landed on the moon, with the first mission launching in 1964. From David Bowie to Hollywood movies, Mars has been a hot topic across the globe. There are many questions that surround Martian travel, with one of the main being 'if we got there, how would we continue to survive?'.

Well it appears Scientists have now come up with an answer: we'd all be vegan.

Nasa botanist, Bruce Bugbee, has played a key role in helping many astronauts grow plants on board the International Space Station. Now, he's turning his expertise to the Martian mission. He states that animal products are simply too expensive, and veganism would be the only suitable method of survival for explorers.

He said: "E very day, we eat products from hundreds of plants, most dieticians recommend a diet based on at least a hundred diverse plants; NASA engineers would like to grow only about five plants. The answer is somewhere in between".

Whilst space exploration is very glamourous and exciting, what about the earthlings? Well, Lance Seefeldt, a biochemist for Nasa, has claimed that we can actually use what we learn from growing plants for food on Mars to benefit good old planet Earth.

He observed, " in areas such as drought-stricken Africa, where the infra-structure is not yet in place to take advantage of century-old technology, we still face the challenge of producing enough protein to feed hungry people. What we learn from feeding people on Mars will advance our efforts on this planet".

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Veganism is Key to Survival on Mars According to Scientists

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The question 'can we ever live on Mars?' has been hanging over scientists since before we first landed on the moon, with the first mission launching in 1964. From David Bowie to Hollywood movies, Mars has been a hot topic across the globe.

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Sarno speaks innovation with Veganuary co-founder Matthew Glover

Tesco's Executive Chef-Director of Plant-Based Innovation has predicted that 2018 will build on the success of 2017, and see veganism become 'mainstream'.

Derek Sarno, who was appointed by the retail giant earlier this year, made the comments when speaking the launch party for Veganuary 2018.

While he was tight-lipped about exactly what products we can expect to see, he spoke passionately about food, revealing that vegans can expect a lot more choice.

There will be a lot more choices in store for vegans, according to the plant-based boss (Photo: Tesco)

Another falafel wrap?

"We need a spot where we can go and get all the things we want to eat," he said.

"I come from Portland, Oregon where you can get great vegan food made by regular chefs in regular restaurants. When I first came here and went to the grocery stores - hell, I'm not going to eat another falafel wrap.

"That's not good enough for me - it should not be good enough for any of us.

"I can't believe there are guys who have been vegan for 30 years, eating just potatoes and rice all the time.

"I want to make fat vegans - that's my goal."

Mushrooms are Sarno's speciality (Photo: Tesco)

Innovation

Veganuary co-founder Matthew Glover asked the chef about veganism in the UK compared to the US, saying he believed there are more products available for American vegans.

Sarno said: "In my previous lifetime I was a global chef for Wholefoods Market and in the US the companies I worked with like Beyond Meat and Impossible Foods, a lot of the really cool stuff we're seeing is not over here.

"But there is a lot of stuff coming - it's super exciting.

"It's unavoidable, it's just going to happen - whether you're in the way and get run over, or are part of the ride.

"This next year - 2018 - is our year. It's the year we go mainstream."

READ MORE:
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Tesco Director Of Plant Based Innovation: 2018 Is Year Veganism Goes Mainstream

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Tesco's Executive Chef-Director of Plant-Based Innovation has predicted that 2018 will build on the success of 2017, and see veganism become 'mainstream'. Derek Sarno, who was appointed by the retail giant earlier this year, made the comments when speaking the launch party for Veganuary 2018.