Rediscovering Vegan Heritage: The Rise of Plant-Based Diets in the MENA Region

Plant-based cuisine is deeply rooted throughout the Middle East and North Africa, maybe more than anywhere else in the world. Health and eco-conscious businesses and bloggers in the Gulf are noticing this and helping locals reconnect with their vegan roots.

Returning to traditional roots, many popular vegan staple foods have their origins in the Middle East. The Levant region, in particular, is known for foods like hummus, falafel, za’atar, and mutabbal, which are essential to the modern vegan diet.

Promoting this message has been a primary goal for businesses and bloggers throughout the region. They focus on creating content to reach diverse audiences, emphasizing the benefits of a vegan diet and its deep roots in MENA heritage and history.

By showcasing the advantages of vegan cooking, these blogs are achieving significant success and positively impacting the region.

The National showcases the impressive work of eco-conscious bloggers. The Syrian Foodie in London, Bhibik Ya Neh Neh, and Shahiya feature vegan recipes from the region that significantly reduce environmental footprints.

Importantly, they are also reaching out to the MENA diaspora abroad, enabling them to influence their communities, families, and friends back home. This outreach could have a substantial impact in the future.

Despite the relatively small populations of many MENA countries, their consumption rates are notably high. In wealthier nations like Saudi Arabia and the UAE, annual consumption can reach 64kg per person, as reported by Images Retail Me. Brands such as Beyond Meat, VBites, Cauldron, Tofurky, Switch Foods, and Thryve have gained mainstream popularity to meet the meat demand in these and other regional countries.

Thanks to dedicated bloggers and food enthusiasts, the high rate of meat and dairy consumption is decreasing, positively affecting the carbon economy. This is particularly significant in countries like Saudi Arabia, where much of the beef is imported, adding stress to the carbon cycle.

The variety and quality of vegan products are improving, and their adoption is increasing, allowing the environment more space to recover. With the support of businesses, advocates, and bloggers, this positive trend is expected to continue growing.