From the return of Taco Bell potatoes to vegan celebs, the hottest vegan grocery store finds, eye-opening health studies, and monumental legislation, 2021 has been a headline-making year, to say the least. To celebrate the end of this incredible year, and to gear up for a promising vegan future, we’ve compiled the stories on VegNews.com that kept our readers coming back for more. We present the most talked-about stories of 2021!
1The Long-Term Consequences of a Keto Diet: Heart Disease, Diabetes, and Cancer, New Study Finds
Thanks to a new study, we now see the increased risks associated with a keto diet, including heart disease, kidney failure, Alzheimer’s disease, diabetes, and cancer.
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2 Olivia Newton-John Is Turning to Plant-Based Diet to Fight Cancer
Hollywood star Olivia Newton-John—known best for her starring role as Sandy in classic film Grease—is dabbling in a plant-based diet to help her battle cancer.
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3 Troubled Dairy Giant Fair Oaks Farms Terminates Top-Level Executives After Undercover Investigation
After the release of undercover videos documenting extreme animal abuse at its farms, dairy company Fair Oaks’ CEO resigns, and its COO and CSO positions are terminated.
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4 25 Accidentally Vegan Snacks You Can Find at Virtually Any Convenience Store
From Fruit by the Foot and Thai-inspired Doritos to old-school cult classics like Swedish Fish and Uncrustables, you can find these accidentally vegan snacks on practically any store shelf whenever a snack attack comes on.
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5 This Woman Turned Down $1 Million on Shark Tank; She’s Now Selling 1 Million Pounds of Vegan Fried Chicken
After turning down an offer of $1 million from ABC’s hit show, Deborah Torres—founder of vegan fried chicken company Atlas Monroe—maintains 100-percent ownership of her company and has even sold one million pounds of chicken this year with the opening of a new, multi-million-dollar manufacturing facility.
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6 Jay-Z Just Invested in $250 Million Plant-Based “Tesla of Chicken” Brand SIMULATE
Musician and entrepreneur Jay-Z is now an investor in plant-based chicken company SIMULATE, which recently raised $50 million to make vegan nuggets and patties.
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7 The Essential Vegan Guide to Trader Joe’s
There’s a reason vegans flock to this popular grocery store chain. Between the brand’s offerings of vegan chocolate chip cookies, cashew cheese, frozen novelties, and major finds from Impossible Foods and Miyoko’s Creamery, this handy guide lists all the must-haves for your next grocery trip.
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8 Eating One Hot Dog Shortens Healthy Life by 36 Minutes, Study Finds. Eating One Peanut-Butter and Jelly Sandwich Can Help Get It Back.
According to a new study, eating just one animal-based hot dog shaves minutes off a healthy life. However, eating plant-based foods such as peanut butter and jelly sandwiches is beneficial for health and the environment.
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9 There’s Now a Black Market for Tabitha Brown’s McCormick Sunshine Seasoning
How much is too much for seasoning? Vegan influencer Tabitha Brown released her limited-edition Sunshine All Purpose Seasoning with spice brand McCormick, which sold out in minutes. Before a restock could happen, a black market of sorts formed, selling the seasoning for as much as $120.
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10 These 18 Vegan Costco Products Will Have You Signing Up For a Membership ASAP
Beyond Burgers! Vegan cinnamon rolls! Alpha Foods Mac and Cheese! Our favorite warehouse store continues to add even more vegan goodies.
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11 Panda Express Launches Its First Vegan Orange Chicken with Beyond Meat
A Panda Express and Beyond Meat partnership meant the creation of Beyond The Original Orange Chicken, a fully plant-based chicken entrée at the fast-food hotspot.
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12 Scientists Find Compounds in Dark Chocolate May Block COVID-19
As new variants of COVID-19 emerge, could dark chocolate help provide an answer?
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13 UK Recognizes Lobsters, Octopuses, and Crabs as Sentient Beings, Will No Longer Boil Them Alive
The United Kingdom’s welfare laws surrounding lobster, octopuses, and crabs are changing after a new government report found that these beings all experience pain.
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14 Trader Joe’s Is About to Launch 10 New Vegan Products. And One of Them is Boursin Dairy-Free Cheese.
Take all our money, Trader Joe’s. The grocery retailer released a slew of vegan products this year including Boursin vegan cheese spread, pumpkin oat milk, and pumpkin cashew yogurt. What’s next?
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15 Vegan Taco Bell Lovers, Rejoice: Potatoes Are Coming Back and Beyond Meat Is on the Way
The popular fast-food chain outraged fans last year for dropping its beloved potatoes from its menu. Luckily, thanks to the national outcry from fans, potatoes are back … and even more vegan options are on the horizon.
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16 Gordon Ramsay Just Dropped a Crispy Vegan Bacon Recipe on TikTok. And It’s So Easy to Make.
World-renowned chef Gordon Ramsay used to be a huge critic of veganism, but he’s seen the light and even shared a vegan bacon recipe on his TikTok, stating that he’s “turning vegan … for lunch.”
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17 10 (Mouthwatering) Vegan Frappuccinos at Starbucks
Forget boring Espresso, Strawberry, and Caramel, we’ve got all the hacks to make Chocolate Cinnamon Dolce, Rocky Road, and Cake Batter Frappuccinos. You’re welcome.
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18 In Vogue Interview, Billie Eilish Tells Orlando Bloom Why She Has Been Vegan Since Age 12
Vegan singer Billie Eilish answered questions posed by 23 celebrities during a Vogue interview, unveiling that she learned about the atrocities of the meat and dairy industries at a young age.
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19 Scottie Pippen Won Six NBA Championships. Now, He’s Building a Vegan Popcorn Empire.
Six-time NBA champion Scottie Pippen launched his popcorn brand Husk this year, aiming to provide consumers with organic, wholesome, vegan ingredients.
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20 How to Order Vegan at Taco Bell: The Ultimate Guide
Yes, the precious potatoes are back, but what else can you eat at the iconic fast-food restaurant? We give you all the hacks.
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For more vegan news, read:
Cardi B Wants to Go Vegan. Asks 20 Million Fans for Help.
Gelatin-Free Starburst Is Coming Your Way and More Vegan Stories
After Three Decades at Tyson, Two Meat Execs Jump Ship to Work for Beyond Meat
This post was originally published on VegNews.com.