Monthly Hopium Injection #8

2023/12: World's first chicken-less "eggs" revealed!

To the 7 new people here, welcome! Here’s what this is:

Ho·pi·um

A Vegan cocktail of “hope” and “opium,” prescribed as a healthy dose of optimism, without the need for clinical trials.

Because here, the evidence speaks for itself.

This is a showcase of a VEGAN WORLD coming: hopeful Vegan news from the last month, all here, all NOW.

You ready?

Let’s hit it!

---

💄 New York Bans Cosmetics Tested on Animals:

• The law prohibits the manufacturing AND sale of cosmetics tested on non-human animals.

Countless rabbits, guinea pigs, mice, and rats are all unnecessarily used for toxicity tests. Meanwhile, non-human models provide accurate predictions of safety for humans! This new law implicitly asserts this, and is a big step in the right direction for ending animal testing in the USA. Only 40 more states to go!

🦊 New York Bans Wildlife Killing “Contests”:

Two big strides for animal rights in just one month!

“It is unlawful for individuals to organize, sponsor, conduct, promote or participate in any contest, competition, tournament or derby with the objective of taking or hunting wildlife for prizes, inducement or entertainment.”

Just three months ago, Orgeon was the 9th state to enact this ban. New York is following the right path here, and I have hope other states will too.

🇺🇳 UN Declares Kids Have a Right to be Protected from Animal Abuse:

Many children are taken by their parents to view these “contests” where thousands of innocent coyote are killed. The parents laugh at the dead bodies, and the children grow up to perpetuate the violence towards both humans and non-human animals.

• The United Nations’ Committee on the Rights of the Child has formally recognized the damage that witnessing violence to animals causes to children.

This formal recognition is a positive advancement towards maintaining the empathetic fabric of our global society :)

🏫 Oxford Union Voted in Favor of Going Vegan:

• A 200 year old prestigious debate society voted in favor of the motion, “The House would go Vegan.”

After the debate, 82 members were in opposition to the motion while 112 supported it. For the union, it’s likely cow milk coffees will be banned as a result. For the world, it’s now known that Veganism is a logically sound position. In other words, Veganism wins again!

🫀 Plant-Based Diet Improves Heart Health in Landmark Twin Study:

• In a randomized controlled trial of 22 sets of twins, each twin either ate a Vegan diet or a “healthy” omnivorous diet for 8 weeks. The “Vegans” ended up with improved markers of LDL, fasting insulin, and more.

Unsurprising, but this study design is bulletproof, so quite awesome!

🧠 Study Finds Plant-Based Diets Reduce Alzheimer’s Risk:

• Researchers noted that the most important dietary risk factors for Alzheimer’s appear to be red and processed meat and ultra processed foods whereas the most protective dietary pattern is a whole-food plant-based diet.

The review included multi-country ecological studies, prospective and cross-sectional observational studies, and laboratory studies - It was very robust! We now know that healthy Vegans likely won’t be affected by this terrible disease.

🌱 UN Openly Endorses Plant Proteins at COP28:

• Alternative proteins can significantly reduce greenhouse gas emissions, land degradation and deforestation, water and soil pollution, loss of biodiversity, as well as risks of zoonotic diseases and anti-microbial resistance.

Alternative proteins include not just plant proteins, but also cultivated meat and fermentation-derived foods. COP28, the yearly global climate conference, has been notoriously devoid of discussions about the impacts of animal agriculture on our Earth. This positive comparison to more sustainable solutions comes at a great time, indeed!

🐣 Kids Movie has a Central Animal Rights Theme:

• Creators of Wallace & Gromit released Chicken Run, Dawn of the Nugget. The film sheds light on the experience of chickens exploited for their bodies. You can watch it on Netflix by clicking this link!

While the movie is supposed to be fun and not meant to promote Veganism, the food products that come with it tell a different story. ;) Plus, more media representing the underrepresented is always better!

🆕 Vegan Food Releases (UK Edition):

• 🍗 As you watch, get some Chicken Run x Fry’s plant-based nuggets from Tesco (or Sprouts, if in USA)!

• 🍕 Or, order the limited edition BBQ “Chicken” Pizza w/ “Sheese” from Papa John’s starting January 2nd!

• 🍯 Top it with some bee-free honey cultivated by MeliBio, who is partnering with Narayan Foods to bring the revolutionary product across the EU.

• 🍫 For dessert, Lindt x ChoViva released a limited-edition vegan chocolate bar for Veganuary!

• 🍪 Or get the new birthday cake sandwich cookies (Biscos) released by CRAVE.

(I am not affiliated with any brand and get no financial compensation from these links whatsoever.)

Knowing this is made with kids (and chickens!) in mind is quite surreal. I’m all for it!

🥚 Chicken-less Egg Unveiled at Three-Michelin-Star Restaurant:

• After 9 years of development, the yeast-derived liquid “eggs” created by EVERY Co. proved themselves to be indistinguishable from Hen’s eggs in taste and texture at the prestigious Eleven Madison Park.

While they have the same taste and texture as a Hen’s egg, this “egg” boasts ZERO cholesterol and MORE protein... It’s not only a power move to release such a revolutionary product at a restaurant of this caliber, but a bold vote to reshape the future of our food.

☕️ Cultivated Coffee Recipe Released to Public:

In the words of Heiko Rischer, principal scientist and head of plant biotechnology at VTT,

“Our wish is that the publication of this scientific article, which clearly demonstrates proof of concept for lab-grown coffee, nudges forward the creation of an ecosystem or a collective that has the resources, know-how, and drive to pioneer an entirely new type of coffee.”

75 of 124 of all known coffee plants are on track for extinction by 2080 due to climate change. Ironically, Coffee is one of the largest contributors of greenhouse gasses, right behind cocoa and meat. Since there are no viable replacements, any scientist being able to now make a cuppa joe without human slavery or crop deaths is a huge win!

🩸 World’s 1st Patent for Animal-Free Heme:

• Paleo, a precision-fermentation company from Belgium, filed the 1st patent application for animal-free Myoglobin, a Heme protein found in animal muscles.

Since this bio-identical product delivers the color, smell, and taste of meat to plant-based foods, it’s sure to be a hit!

Not one Hen was exploited for this Egg on toast!

🎥 PSA on Veganism to Play Before “Wonka” Film:

• The 60 second PSA by Eat Differently encourages people to “eat plants, not animals” and will air before Wonka in 1800 theaters across the USA. You can watch it by clicking this link!

Just three months ago, Eat Differently lit up the New York sky with drones to deliver the same message. This time, they chose Wonka to do this because the film mirrors the belief that “we are all the dreamers of dreams and every one of us can make a difference.” :,)

🐱 Cat Meat Restaurant Transitions to Grocery Store:

• After a grant from the Humane Society, Pham Quoc Doanh was finally able to transform his Cat slaughterhouse and restaurant that has weighed on his heart for the last 5 years.

Desperate times call for desperate measures. Fortunately, only 21% of people in Vietnam consume Cat flesh, while 71% wish the trade was banned. This moves the needle just a bit more, and you’d be happy to know the remaining cats are now up for adoption and living in peace at a custom-made sheltering at Thai Nguyen University of Agriculture and Forestry. :)

🐷 10 Pigs Rescued from Animal Testing Lab:

• Heartwood Haven has liberated and provided sanctuary to 10 “minipigs” destined to a life of sunshine-less slavery.

“Minipigs” are used for medical research due to having astounding similarities to humans in their skin, skeletons, teeth, gastrointestinal tracts, pancreas, livers, kidneys, lungs, and immune status. These innocent Pigs even had burn marks, scars, and sharpie outlines around their bodies, but after a week of acclimating themselves, they are now healed and happy out in the sun at a sanctuary!

Seeing them happy makes me happy too. :)

---

Do you feel the Hopium now, my dear reader?

Jokes aside, what from this list are you most excited about? Skeptical of? The discussion continues in the comments below!

If you want more before next month, there are dozens of developments that didn’t make the cut but are equally interesting. I share them on Substack Notes!

As always, I am grateful for your time and attention - thank you, and HAPPY NEW YEAR!

Be Vegan,
Dani