Baklava, Blossom, and Boldness: Beirut Chocolate Breaks the Mold with Plant-Based Flair and Global Curiosity
Handcrafted in London and inspired by Beirut, this chocolate bar blends Lebanese nostalgia with plant-based innovation. Created by Phil Khoury—former Harrod’s pastry chef and author of A New Way to Bake—Beirut Chocolate sold out within hours of its first release, with early batches shipped internationally to test packaging and logistics.
Help End the Abuse: Tourists Must Say No to Camel Rides in Morocco
Morocco’s deserts promise enchantment—golden dunes, ancient cities, and the allure of tradition. But one experience, marketed as “authentic” and “cultural,” comes at a devastating cost: camel rides. Behind the filtered photos and travel brochures lies a brutal reality. These majestic animals are suffering in silence.
The Gulf’s Plant-Based Rise: Wellness, Innovation, and Culinary Transformation
In 2025, the Gulf’s dining landscape is undergoing a vibrant transformation. From Abu Dhabi to Muscat, consumers are embracing health-driven choices, plant-based innovation, and cutting-edge culinary technology. Plant-based offerings are no longer niche—they’re central to how the region eats, innovates, and redefines luxury.
Plant-Powered Protein: Top Vegan Sources in Middle Eastern Cuisine
Protein is essential for building muscle, repairing tissues, and keeping your immune system strong. And contrary to outdated myths, you don’t need meat, dairy, or eggs to meet your protein needs. A well-planned vegan diet offers a rich variety of plant-based proteins—many of which are already staples in Middle Eastern kitchens. Here are the best vegan sources of protein—plus one widely available Middle Eastern dish that packs complete protein into one familiar, flavorful meal.
New Archaeological Research Reveals Bronze Age Plant-Based Diets in the Middle East
New archaeological research from the UAE and Oman is reshaping our understanding of Bronze Age diets—revealing that plant-based eating was far more prevalent than previously believed. For decades, scholars assumed that Bronze Age communities in the Arabian Peninsula relied primarily on meat and dairy. But a recent study led by Dr. Akshyeta Suryanarayan of the University of Cambridge challenges that narrative. Through advanced lipid residue analysis of 179 pottery fragments from sites like Hili 8 and Hili North Tomb A, researchers uncovered chemical traces of plant-derived compounds, including markers from cereals and date palms.
Morocco’s New Animal Welfare Law vs. FIFA-Driven Practices: A Call for Humane Alignment
As Morocco prepares to co-host the 2030 FIFA World Cup, a disturbing contradiction has emerged. A newly proposed law promises fines and jail time for harming stray animals, yet videos and eyewitness accounts from August 2025 show sterilized, tagged dogs being poisoned and shot in the streets. This raises a difficult question: how can Morocco’s commitment to animal welfare be reconciled with the continued reports of cruelty on the ground?
Moon Shell: A Gentle Revolution in Saudi Arabia’s Vegan Scene
In the heart of Saudi Arabia’s fast-paced food culture, Moon Shell offers a radical alternative: a plant-based sanctuary rooted in calm, intention, and soulful nourishment. With locations in Riyadh and Jeddah, it’s not just reshaping how people eat — it’s redefining how they feel about food.
Saudi Arabia’s Protein Bar Boom: A Gateway for Plant-Based Innovation
Saudi Arabia’s wellness revolution is reshaping snack culture — and it’s packed with plant-powered potential. According to IMARC Group’s latest market report, the country’s protein bar market is projected to grow from USD 30 million in 2024 to USD 50 million by 2033, with a steady 4.2% CAGR. But beyond the numbers lies a deeper story: one of cultural evolution, ethical choices, and the rise of vegan nutrition.
Rooted in Sustainable Responsibility: How Rove Hotels Is Redefining Hospitality in the Middle East
In a region rich with tradition yet ripe for transformation, Rove Hotels is crafting a new hospitality narrative — one that blends environmental stewardship with cultural consciousness. Through its purposeful partnership with Greener Food, a non-profit spearheading plant-based and sustainable reform across the Middle East and North Africa, Rove is not simply adjusting practices — it’s challenging conventions. From composting and energy-saving systems to culturally attuned food waste initiatives, Rove is becoming a sanctuary for eco-living wrapped in warm hospitality.
A Call from Abu Dhabi: Global Alignment for Alternative Proteins
In her op-ed for The National, Fatima Al Dhaheri, head of the AgriFood Growth and Abundance cluster at the Abu Dhabi Investment Office, confronts a critical impasse in the evolution of food systems. Alternative proteins—plant-based, cultivated, and precision-fermented—offer sustainable solutions to a world choked by climate breakdown and agricultural instability. Yet, instead of accelerating their integration, global regulators have created an obstacle course of inconsistent approvals, high compliance costs, and fragmented market access.
Illuminating Hearts: An Interview with Noor Al-Nabatiya
There are moments when purpose doesn’t shout — it pulses quietly beneath the surface, waiting for someone to feel it. Noor Al-Nabatiya doesn’t push her message outward with force; she releases it gently, guided by a belief that truth, when rooted in love, will find its way. A visual artist by training and a seeker by heart, Noor’s journey toward veganism began not in theory but in visceral recognition — a moment of witnessing, of connection. Since then, she has devoted her voice to those denied one, using her Arabic-language YouTube channel as a sanctuary of awakening. Her videos speak not only of animal suffering, but of our own capacity to unlearn and remember: to live not from habit, but from reverence.
Spread Kindness, One Middle Eastern Table at a Time
In a world where cruelty is often served without question, Middle Eastern vegan spreads offer a delicious act of nourishment — rich in flavor, rooted in tradition, and infused with compassion. From the creamy comfort of hummus to the bold punch of toum, these plant-based staples aren’t just appetizers — they’re acts of resistance. They are spreads that nourish without exploitation, carrying centuries of culinary wisdom and a philosophy that values life, flavor, and kindness.
Dubai’s Viral Chocolate Bar, Reimagined Vegan—Where Plant-Based Crunch Meets Pistachio Cream
Inspired by the iconic Dubai Fix chocolate bar, this vegan interpretation keeps the drama while changing the story. Every element—moulded chocolate shell, creamy pistachio filling, and kunafa crunch—is intentionally crafted using vegan alternatives. Kunafa, long cherished for its aromatic crispness, is toasted in plant-based butter until golden and laced with pistachio-white chocolate silk. The shell, made with dairy-free dark chocolate, shatters with elegance and reveals what indulgence can look like when it's rooted in respect.
Sweet by Nature: 12 Naturally Vegan Middle Eastern Desserts That Need No Substitution
In the rich culinary tapestry of the Middle East, some desserts stand apart—not because they imitate, but because they’ve always been. Crafted from sun-dried fruit, humble roots, and floral waters, these sweets carry with them stories of faith, festivals, and forgotten wisdom. No substitutions, no compromises—just pure, time-honored plant-based delight.
Vegan Luxury Expands into Saudi Arabia: Hourglass Cosmetics Donates 5% to Animal Welfare
In a powerful blend of glamour and compassion, Hourglass Cosmetics has officially entered the Saudi Arabian market, bringing with it not just cruelty-free elegance but a bold commitment to animal welfare. As part of its global Unlocked Collection initiative, the brand donates 5% of annual net profits from these products to the Nonhuman Rights Project, an organization working to secure better legal protections for animals.
From Al Karama to Downtown Dubai: Where to Savor Falafel’s Finest Crunch
Whether you’re pacing through the bustling backstreets of Al Karama, where the scent of sizzling spices drifts through narrow alleys, taking in the old-world calm of Bur Dubai with its wind-towered courtyards and cobbled walkways, or grabbing a warm wrap between meetings amid the gleaming high-rises of Downtown Dubai, falafel offers more than nourishment. It tells a story—of migration, reinvention, and home—delivered in a crisp shell and cradled by soft saj. Each bite connects you not just to ingredients, but to heritage, to hands that have shaped this dish across generations and borders.
Out of Water, Into Agony: New Study Reveals the Hidden Torment of Fish
By now, most of us understand that animals feel pain. But when it comes to aquatic life, this understanding often dissolves like salt in water. A groundbreaking study published in Scientific Reports has exposed the harrowing reality too often ignored: the prolonged suffering fish endure when pulled from water. Led by Cynthia Schuck-Paim of the Welfare Footprint Institute, the research quantifies what was long felt intuitively by animal advocates. When fish, particularly rainbow trout, are removed from water and left to die by asphyxiation—a common commercial practice—they can experience up to 22 minutes of intense pain.
Research Reveals the Health Benefits of Daily Chickpea & Black Bean Consumption
For centuries, the Middle East has embraced nutrient-rich foods, with chickpeas standing out as a staple. Originating in the Fertile Crescent, they’ve shaped Levantine cuisine, featuring in hummus, falafel, and hearty stews. But beyond their culinary significance, chickpeas have now gained scientific recognition for their cholesterol-lowering and inflammation-reducing properties. At the NUTRITION 2025 conference, scientists from the Illinois Institute of Technology presented findings showing that daily legume consumption—including chickpeas and black beans—can provide measurable health benefits. Their 12-week study on 72 adults with prediabetes tracked the effects of eating one cup of chickpeas, black beans, or rice per day, with striking results.
Saudi Arabia’s Food Paradox: The Rise of Plant-Based Alternatives Amid Persistent Meat and Dairy Imports
Saudi Arabia is embracing plant-based agricultural innovation, yet paradoxically, its reliance on imported conventional meat and dairy remains stubbornly high. Despite the Kingdom’s push for alternative protein sources and its commitment to Vision 2030, the market for animal products is still dominated by foreign suppliers, raising concerns about true food sovereignty.