I CAN think of much worse things to do in life than someone choosing to follow a plant-based diet. So, what is all the hatred about towards vegans?

For this month, I have attempted to take part in Veganuary, which is a campaign to inspire individuals to go vegan for January. It was an experiment to see how well I could get on while completely cutting meat and dairy products from my diet. Coming from someone who thoroughly enjoys meat and has heaps of milk in her cups of coffee, it has been a real challenge to say the least.

In addition to the drastic lifestyle change being difficult in itself, to top it off, I have had people making negative remarks regarding my diet. Whether they were genuinely concerned for my health, or instead just wanted to slate vegans, I have had someone inform me I am going to get rickets while on a plant-based diet and it will stunt my growth. Well jokes on them, I am only 5ft so being short doesn’t really bother me.

After sharing my views in an article on veganism, one comment on the Worcester News website has stuck with me: “I’m all for people giving up meat (I don’t eat meat myself) but veganism is neither a healthy or natural diet for us omnivorous humans. You’re unlikely to get the protein you need, and is life really worth living without cheese or eggs, however smug it might make you feel?”

I have merely been taking part in an experiment, so I would not describe myself as feeling smug.

The stereotype of vegans being pale and sickly thin is being challenged, with it becoming an increasingly popular diet now more than ever. More vegan eateries are opening, and to support the community, we should back their efforts, rather than slating their beliefs.

Despite its controversies, veganism has rocketed, as according to a survey by comparethemarket.com there has been a significant spike in the number of people going vegan in the UK since 2016, with more than 3.5 million Brits now identifying as such.