Vegananism is on the rise with around 600,000 Brits now identifying as vegans. Here to answer your queries, concerns and skepticisms, is Wild Food Cafe’s Co-Founder Joel Gazdar.

1. Do vegans need to take supplements?

On an individual basis, no more than omnivores need to take supplements. It depends on the quality of the vegan diet they are eating and if it is vegan junk food or bio diverse seasonal diet with lots of wild and fresh foods.

2. Can vegan food taste as good as a normal diet?

Vegan food can taste both infinitely better and infinitely worse than a normal diet based on a level of skill, care and attention of the chef.

3. Are honey and wine vegan?

Flower pollen, which is the active ingredient in honey, can be vegan if harvested by humans directly from flowers.This can also mixed with a variety of plant based sweeteners. Honey itself is not vegan. Instead of eliminating it completely, we tend to focus on using artisan, ethically produced honey where proper care for the bees is the central pillar of the product. These honeys do exist!  There are vegan wines, and they becoming more and more accessible. All our wines at Wild Food Cafe Islington are vegan. However, some traditional wines are still made using methods that include animal products. So it’s good to check and educate yourself.

4. Are there actually any benefits to being vegan?

Sadly, it is not as black or white as that. A junk food vegan diet based on the same staples as most omnivores eat is not beneficially nourishing, although one benefits from no longer eating (especially processed) animal foods. However, the closer one eats to wild and raw plant based eater (vegan) in alignment with nature and the season can experience unparalleled thriving and well-being.

5. What are your favourite vegan food shops for those trying Veganuary?

We personally like local farmers markets, plus Planet Organic and Earth Natural Foods in Kentish town.