Plant-based protein sources are now sold alongside meat, chicken, and fish in mainstream supermarkets, and in the poshest parts of big cities, restaurants that pay as much attention to the ambience as they do to the cuisine serve up imaginative meatless dishes to a laid-back crowd.<\/p>\n <\/a> <\/p>\n This shift has transformed the large South American country from its reputation for all-you-can-eat steakhouses and cow ranches into a global leader in plant-based food innovation. Experts claim that health concerns are driving the shift away from animal-based protein. Obesity, diabetes, and cardiovascular disease have all increased in Brazil in recent years as people have become more sedentary and junk food has become more affordable and accessible. Secondary causes pushing Brazilians to limit or eliminate animal products from their diets include rising deforestation, much of which is fueled by the meat business, and an increasingly visible animal rights movement.<\/p>\n Tati Lund, who founded Org Bistro<\/a>, one of Rio de Janeiro’s first vegan restaurants, over 10 years ago, says “We don’t put a plate of food on the table. We put a way of life.” <\/p>\n ![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.koktailmagazine.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/11\/7e1552c1435ba4339d3678a06c9b0b10.jpg\")
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