We all love a bit of romance in our lives, but what if the secret to the best Valentine’s lies in one of society’s fastest growing lifestyle changes – Veganism?

Award-winning plant-based bar and restaurant chain Stem & Glory are challenging Valentine’s Day norms – this Valentines make the planet your partner too. The list of fruit and veg that have romantic traditions and are traditional aphrodisiacs is immense. From artichokes and beetroot to chillies and avocado. The combination of vitamins can make a big difference to not only how we feel but also the effect our choices are making to the planet. A single steak meal can contain up to 50 times the CO2 emissions compared to a plant-based meal!

Beyond the scientific benefits, a plant-based meal can be full of the symbolism that has come to define the Valentine season. Dating back to many ancient cultures, lovers would exchange fruit as a means of romance. Some say that strawberries stem from Aphrodite’s heart-shaped tears! Traditional deep reds of romance and being loaded with vitamin C crucial for the production of sex hormones and libido increasing chemical neurotransmitters, it is clear why strawberries have become the lovers’ fruit – all without a single animal product.

“These ingredients are on the high side of nutritionally effective in romance and sex drive” so says Food and Drinks Heroes’ finalist, SME Cambridge Businesswoman of the Year, and Steam & Glory founder Louise Palmer-Masterton. Head of Food Development Ed Al Subaei follows “These fruits contain nutrition that develops effectively in humans to quickly give them blush, sex drive, calmness, and power all at the same time.”.

With a reported 40% increase in vegans across the UK over 2021 (source: Finder.com), it is clear that eco-conscious living is becoming ever more popular which begs the question – why not spread the love to our planet this Valentine’s Day?

This Valentine’s Day, Stem & Glory invites lovers to try a new approach to this most romantic of seasons. After all, with studies showing a meat-free diet sees people appear more attractive, and improving body aroma and post-date performance (source: New Zealand Centre for Human-Animal Studies), why not cut out the animal products and fully indulge in the passion of the holiday?