entirely out of plants and non-dairy products.

I think we're happiest when a lot of people come in and they don't even really

realize what they're eating is plant-based.

You know… we're not trying to trick people.

Sophia started this fast food restaurant which is fully vegan

but you'd never know it from its exterior.

Because in this surfer town on the island of Bali, Indonesia

vegan restaurants are, kind of, the norm.

While vegetarian options are often an afterthought for restaurants in most cities

Canggu is fast becoming a paradise for plant-based food.

Innovative restaurants that serve vegetarian and vegan are popping up, everywhere you look.

And as part of my journey exploring the future of food, I am attempting a vegetarian diet

for the next 21 days — a daunting prospect as I eat meat in most of my meals.

I didn't know there can be so many options in vegan cuisine.

Besides talking to restaurant owners and people choosing to become vegan,

I'm also meeting former vegans too, to find out how the trillion-dollar food industry is evolving

and if this is just a fad... or is it the future of food?

While Plant Cartel is technically a vegan restaurant, Sophia wants to change

the stigma that vegan food is just for vegans.

In fact, the word 'vegan' isn't even mentioned on the menu board.

That stigma of tofu vegan food is not here.

We wanted to normalize plant-based food and we want to encourage

both omnivores and vegans to come and eat here. You've got to nail the cheeseburger.

Many of the comfort food staples here are made in-house out of seitan

a popular meat replacement made out of wheat gluten.

Here, the cheese is made from carrot and potato.

Bacon is made out of eggplant.

And of course, they have been able to recreate their version of the hot dog.

When you're eating — a lot of the experience is the visual, smell, sight.

It's really important, so I think all those factors were something

to consider when we were doing the menu development.

Of course, it has to taste good, but it has to look like a cheeseburger,

it has to look like a hot dog.

And I have to admit the taste comes pretty close to the real thing.

Cheesy fries are hard to resist.

She hopes that by creating everyday staples out of plants, it will inspire people

to rethink the amount of meat they need to consume.

Meatless alternatives are gaining traction globally.

According to the Good Food Institute, retail sales of plant-based food

in the U.S. grew by 17% last year and is worth over $4.1 billion.

Globally, the alternative meat market may be worth $140 billion in the next 10 years,

which may threaten the $1.4 trillion global meat market.

Companies like Impossible Foods and Beyond Meat, which recently went public

and has a market capitalization of over one billion dollars are making

plant-based protein products for the masses — and it appears promising.

Fastfood chains like Carl's Jr and White Castle have introduced vegetarian burgers on their menu,

while Burger King is rolling out meatless Impossible Whoppers

at its more than 7,000 locations in the U.S.

In London, salad and sandwich chain Pret a Manger is testing vegetarian-only locations,

while co-working company WeWork said it will no longer reimburse

its 6,000 employees for meals containing meat.

Numerous celebrities such as Beyonce and Jay Z are also promoting plant-based diets.

But as meatless meat options soar, critics argue there is no conclusive evidence that

it's better for you than real meat.

We can't really market it, however, as necessarily better for you because we don't know,

because we have a lack of nutrition science in this country that's a part of our medical system.

So, some people eat it — it certainly won't hurt you — it can be very tasty

but it doesn't mean it is better for you.

Globally, there are multiple campaigns to promote the vegetarian diet

such as the Veganuary movement, which drew a record 250,000 people worldwide

pledging to be vegan in January.

And the Meatless Monday movement, which was founded in 2003.

Despite this rise of these movements though, make no mistake.

Global meat consumption is still on the rise, driven in part by countries like China,

which has a booming middle class.

Globally, the average amount of meat consumption has nearly doubled over the past 50 years.

Yet, some countries like the U.K. might have reached “Meat Peak” — one in three people

in the U.K. say they've stopped or reduced eating meat.

As part of my three-week journey as a vegetarian,

I'm discovering the popularity of local vegan cuisine in Bali.

I'll have some of the green beans, in front of you there.

William is from London and now living in Bali.

He's been a vegetarian for eight months, but this week,

he's transitioning to becoming a vegan.

At dinner parties, someone has got to cook something special for you,

so you do feel like that guy.

To aid his transition, he has come to Canggu.

For me, I think it's a really nice place to start being a vegan, develop the habits of being

a vegan, and when I do leave and go somewhere that's more challenging I'm not going to quit

or give up the "vegan-ness" because it is entrenched within me.

So, I'd actually say if you want to start being vegan, if you find it too hard in London,

wherever you live, come here.

Because obviously in Canggu, it's the easiest place in the world to become a vegan.

A week after I cut meat out of my own diet, I'm definitely feeling a bit different —

a little lighter — but I'm certainly not convinced this will be a permanent lifestyle change.

There're some really interesting things here that you wouldn't think of as vegan.

Kebab capers, shady lasagne.

But with innovative menu items like these, I don't feel deprived like I normally might

when picking a vegetarian dish at a meat-heavy restaurant.

Next, I'm heading to a vegetarian restaurant called Shady Shack — where I meet Jason,

an Australian who says that six years ago, he decided to turn vegan, basically, overnight.

Did you feel different after you switched?

Definitely, I didn't feel good — but that took some time because a lot of people will say,

"as soon as I go vegan, I felt fantastic", but that's a really bad way to lead people

into veganism because not everyone feels great when they first change diets.

But how did this surfer town Canggu become such a paradise for plant-based food?

A lot of yogis have come here and I think it's something

that vibe of people tend to agree with?

It's more so because of the vegan message and I think it needs to spread to a lot more

people which is what we are seeing here.

While Jason was inspired to change his diet when thinking about the environment,

he thinks everyone needs to do their own research.

The world's food system is responsible for about 25-percent

of planet-warming greenhouse gasses generated by humans annually.

Beef and lamb, in general, have the biggest climate footprint per gram of protein.

Jason says he became vegan mostly for environmental reasons.

But a few months after meeting him, he says he's tired of all the labels associated

with being vegan and where the movement is heading.

He's now planning to slowly reintroduce some animal products back into his diet.

He isn't alone.

During the course of my three-week vegetarian diet, I meet some people who were vegan for a while,

but ultimately said it wasn't for them.

My skin was definitely acting up when I was a hardcore vegan.

I think that's because of all the processed food or potentially like, the soy,

alternative milk, I don't know, or maybe even the faux meats that are processed?

Maria has gone through phases of being vegan, vegetarian

and even pescatarian — someone who doesn't eat meat, but does eat fish.

Ultimately though, she doesn't want to restrict her choices.

I try to be vegan most of the time, but I don't like to put a label on it.

Eli experimented with being vegan and said at first he felt lighter, mentally and physically,

but six months later, he wanted to reintegrate animal protein into his diet.

Once I started reintegrating meat into my diet, I can feel the difference in my body.

I can see the difference in my body.

I'm quite active, I gym a lot, I surf a lot.

I can feel a little more ripped, or shredded, I can see it a little more.

I'm learning that food is highly personal, and there's no one size fits all approach to take.

The first two of three weeks here in Canggu are up, and I feel good for sure,

but I still crave meat occasionally.

My experiment thus far has been easy, especially in a place like Bali.

But I'm now headed to Hong Kong.

Will I be able to continue with my meatless diet for one more week in a place that has

one of the highest meat consumption per person in the world?

Hey guys, it's Uptin. Thanks so much for watching.

Do you think meatless is the future of food?

Let us know in the comments below and while you are at it, subscribe to our channel.

And don't forget to check out part two where I continue the journey in Hong Kong.