When talking about veganism, whether it be during happy hours or at dinner, some myths have a thick skin. We might even hear some things that are hard to digest! Let us sift through five preconceived ideas that cast a shadow over the vegan way of life and finally separate facts and fiction.
Myth #1: Vegans have a poor diet
The vitamin and protein intake needed by the human body is not only found in meat. If we adopt a vegan diet and ingest a proper combination of fruits, vegetables, cereals (millet, quinoa, buckwheat, etc.) and legumes (chickpeas, lentils, beans, peanuts, etc.) every day, there should be no deficiencies in sight, nor energy reductions. Our article “What are the Best Sources of Vegetable Protein?” explores this issue in depth.
Myth #2: Veganism is incompatible with professional sports
When they engage in intense physical activity, athletes spend a ton of energy. For performance, proteins have our back. Just like the fuel of the body: the more you run full tilt, the more you have to refuel! And to keep pace with high-calibre athletes, plant-based proteins have nothing to envy animals. Not convinced? Know that ex-boxer Mike Tyson and Formula 1 driver Lewis Hamilton are both champions AND vegans.
Myth #3: A vegan groceries costs big bucks
In addition to delicious fruits and vegetables, the vegan diet is full of pasta, cereals and legumes. When compared with dairy products, meat and fish, these products are selling at low prices. You can even stockpile them since they last longer!
Myth #4: Veganism is for the granolas and gipsies of this world
Absolutely not! While the hippies were among the first to support vegan food, the typical vegan portrait has become much more diverse over the past couple of years. Athletes, actors, singers and well-known entrepreneurs are adepts of veganism and yet not granolas for two pennies! Just think of Woody Harrelson, Moby, Brad Pitt and more celebs in this other blog post of ours.
Myth #5: Vegan food is redundant and little varied
Veganism is less restrictive than we think. Between legumes, cereals, pasta, fruits and vegetables, vegans have enough to fill their belly. More and more restaurants, brands and shops now offer vegan options and menus. And if we cook these with a hint of creativity (browse through our original recipes), sceptics would be proven wrong. It’s a real delight!
When we delve into the question, it’s clear that veganism deserves more exposure. And we realize, meanwhile, that vegan food has a little something seductive… Looking for plant-based sausages, roasts, burgers and cheeses? GUSTA products, made in Canada, are here! Discover them and buy them in grocery stores.
3 facts about GUSTA’s packaging
GUSTA is vegan out of conviction, but also out of love for the planet and its inhabitants. We are a conscientious and committed Canadian company with a vision of an ecological future and a real thirst for sustainable development. Consumers often ask: “But why, then, are your sausages, roasts, vegan cheeses and other products wrapped in plastic”? Clear and well-thought answers to 3 burning questions about GUSTA packaging.
Why did you choose plastic packaging?
To give shape to GUSTA products, we opted for the sausage maker’s method. But really, what does it mean? Simply put, the delicious ingredients that make our products are prepared, blended and then inserted into a plastic membrane, commonly known as a hose. This tube acts as a minimalist container because, in addition to containing the preparations, shaping the products and allowing them to be cooked, it ensures their distribution without compulsory recourse to overpackaging or repackaging, therefore reducing waste. The GUSTA products are thus presented as-is (coated with our adorable label) on the shelves of grocery stores. In the end, it is simple and easy with a minimal ecological footprint.
Is the plastic film used recyclable?
At the factory, the GUSTA manufacturing processes are run-in and set to a quarter turn: the production line is efficient and fluid, and waste is reduced to its purest expression. Its engineering required a great deal of time, reflection and rigour of execution. The only downside is that our current manufacturing processes do not yet allow us to use 100% recyclable packaging. They do exist on the market, but none of them allows us to produce our entire production with the same packaging. So rather than unduly lengthening the production process of GUSTA products using a membrane for moulding, another for cooking preparations and yet another for distribution, we opted for a single, but non-recyclable plastic casing. That said, as a vigilant and agile company, we always keep an eye on technological advances regarding plastic packaging. We hope to soon be able to rely on innovative processes that are both efficient and even more environmentally friendly. This is our ultimate goal!
Is the GUSTA plastic membrane edible?
Some GUSTA consumers have the reflex to put our products as-is on the BBQ, in a frying pan, in the oven or a pot. It would be quite nice and straightforward to be able to do that— but when you think about it, the incomparable taste of GUSTA preparations won’t turn up… And let’s be honest: NO ONE wants to eat plastic! As our plastic hoses are also handled during the transport and merchandising of GUSTA products, we must get rid of them when cooking our favourite dishes. But good news: there is nothing simpler and faster when you know the ideal technique, which is explained here, in sound and images!
Plastic membranes that coat GUSTA products have a purpose of serving, and doing so rightly… and in more ways than one! They are used to shape and facilitate cooking, and then as a packaging film for the effective marketing of GUSTA sausages, roasts, sticks, vegan cheeses, vegan cretons and vegan pâtés. Thanks to them, we turn our back on overpackaging and safeguard the earth. One stone, two shots!
3 succulent vegan restaurants in Vancouver
When you think of beautiful British Columbia, you immediately imagine greenery, wide open spaces and clean air. So it was only natural that Vancouver’s food scene should reflect the province’s image: natural, fresh and pure… much to the delight of vegetarians and vegans! Here is a close-up of three Vancouver B.C. vegan restaurants that we all want to experience.
This vegan landmark’s name is a play on words: we go there to meet… and to eat something other than meat! The three restaurateurs who founded MeeT in 2013 wanted to make veganism attractive, accessible, affordable, and even downright decadent. Its three Vancouver locations – Gastown, Yaletown and Main Street – serve comfort food in a relaxed and friendly atmosphere. Some examples? How about poutine topped with cashew sauce. Beer-battered burgers. Coconut bacon… Untuck your shirt before eating here. You’ll need the space!
The Acorn came in number 1 on Big Seven Travel’s list of 50 Best Vegan-Friendly Restaurants in the World. This eatery celebrates – through its menu and wine list – the riches of the Earth, honouring local producers, suppliers and artisans. Its fine vegetarian and vegan cuisine varies according to seasonal arrivals. The offer is extensive, the presentation of the dishes is meticulous, the décor is refined and the homemade cocktails served are to die for. The slogan of this award-winning Vancouver restaurant speaks for itself: “Veggies for the win!” And for good reason! Under Chef Devon Latte’s guidance and inventiveness, radish, cucumber, kale and shiitake mushrooms are shown in a whole new light, both in terms of textures and flavours. An unforgettable experience.
Vancouver is home to many popular and unique Asian restaurants, and vegan or vegetarian eateries are right there among them! Shortly after it opened, Do Chay Saigon Vegetarian was already a hit with the locals. Nestled on Kingsway, this restaurant offers a totally vegetarian and almost entirely vegan menu. The dishes are inspired by the culinary traditions of Vietnam but served with a modern flare. Between papaya salad, noodle satay and garlic eggplant, our hearts are swooning… An entirely fresh and unpretentious taste experience that honours Vietnam’s legendary street food cuisine.
We love to stock up on GUSTA products in grocery stores: they’re easy to find, taste great and they’re simple to cook. But on weekends, when we venture out for a bite to eat – or order in, these three vegan restaurants in Vancouver B.C. give us a well-deserved break by literally making our mouths water. Enjoy!
Three great vegan restaurants in Toronto
Toronto’s food scene is multifaceted, open to the world and diverse. T-Dot’s restaurants have everything to please the greatest number of people: from classic to trendy, their service is spot on and their menus inspired. And because Torontonians love healthy, fresh and tasty food, there are many vegan and vegeterian options to be savoured, whether you order online or stop by. Here are three of them!
Located on trendy Queen Street West, this restaurant-bar is very welcoming and is a popular place to go for an aperitif, a drink among friends, and succulent vegan tapas. It’s also an excellent destination for brunch, which is served all day long. Bibimbaps, burgers, sandwiches and salads – all vegan and delicious! Hello 123’s cocktail menu alone is worth a detour: it’s bursting with unique healthy choices, including pure juices and kombucha. The bowls, dishes, infusions and drinks created in this vegan eatery are in themselves culinary works of art, as their aesthetics are clean, colourful and refined. It’s simple, but dashing, tasteful and appetizing.
Do you miss travelling south? No problem! Just open the door at Planta, this Yorkville vegan restaurant with its bright airy space, and you’ll be instantly transported to South Beach! Ordering in? With locations in Miami and Toronto, the eatery has made plant-based cuisine its specialty: what you taste is healthy, sensible and unparalleled. Chef David Lee sources from suppliers whose practices are ethical, environmentally friendly and geared towards sustainable development. Cauliflower tots, fried mushrooms cooked like fried chicken, vegetable pasta, veggie pizzas, Habibi salad and vegan ice cream are just a few of the tasty dishes that you can also take-out.
To date, there are six Fresh locations, scattered throughout T.O. And on the other side of the border, there is also one on Sunset Boulevard in Los Angeles. A pioneer of the vegan culinary scene, Fresh made its debut in Toronto in 1999. Its mission is to prove beyond any doubt that vegan food can be satisfying, energizing and appetizing. Made with natural, fresh, whole ingredients, their creations make mouth-watering food for longtime vegans and uninitiated ones, too. Artisan cocktails, cold-pressed organic juices, raw dishes and lavish meals (sandwiches, poutines, tacos, wraps and salads) delight the most discerning palate. And the plant walls, which brighten up the decor, are as amazing as they are lush. Enjoy!
Even though we love to cook vegan dishes and we are huge fans of GUSTA products (sold in grocery stores across Canada), from time to time we feel like hanging up our apron for lunch, brunch or dinner. These Toronto restaurants delight our taste buds and let us to savour the moment.
Montreal: The Best Vegan Restaurants
The Montreal gastronomic scene is abundant. Statistics prove it: the most significant number of restaurants per capita in Canada are located in Quebec’s metropolis! So there is something for everyone – and for all taste buds – in Montreal. And vegans are more and more spoiled for choice. Here are 6 Montreal vegan restaurants worth a visit. À table!
Located on the Plateau Mont-Royal, this intimate vegan restaurant specializes – by definition – in Japanese cuisine. Since 2014, chef Christian Manuel Ventura Alatorre has competed with imagination to surprise his clientele with creations as beautiful to look at as good to eat: sushi, poke bowls, tapas, Asian soups and salads. It is in this Montreal establishment that the menu offers customers the widest variety of vegan sushis in Montreal. Whether you have a sweet, savory or spicy tooth, you’ll find the maki or roll you need at Sushi Momo! Even gluten intolerants are treated with attention, every evening of the week except Monday. We go bananas for the tasty cuisine and warm atmosphere.
Lov currently has 5 addresses: two in the metropolitan area (downtown and Old Montreal), one in Laval, one in Brossard and one in Toronto. And the restaurant’s slogan speaks for itself: it serves well-being! Proof: as soon as you push the Lov door, the welcoming effect of the beautiful and bright space transcends! Qualifying itself as a fast fine (because it offers a gourmet AND accessible vegan menu), the restaurant makes us salivate thanks to its tasty dishes derived from collaborative know-how. Local ingredients are prepared with originality and brilliance. And the staff, doubtlessly friendly, knows how to inform and advise us at best. For meals with your loved one or with friends, it’s the milk-free cream of the crop!
All you need is a single visit to the restaurant’s Instagram page to go head over heels with Radis. Everything is tempting: the décor, the dishes, the approach and the establishment’s philosophy. The owners – Dominic St-Pierre and Ève-Marie Gobeil-Beaucage – are fond of Italian wines and dishes. Their 100% vegan cuisine gives local seasonal products star billing while carrying our taste buds to Tuscany, Calabria, Sicily or Umbria. And to pair our pizzas, pastas, calzones, arancinis and tiramisus, the menu offers natural, organic and biodynamic wines that are good until the last drop! We love the casual elegance of Radis and its unforgettable vegan creations.
Lola Rosa is both a restaurant and an online market. Its addresses on Parc Avenue, Milton Street and Place des Arts, in Montreal, invite us for on-site tastings or take away orders. And its website allows us to create our own shopping basket or shop for any of the Lola Rosa signature boxes. 100% vegan, the restaurant offers customers to eat differently and healthily, while preserving the environment. On the menu: starters, salads, burgers and a variety of dishes to share… or not! Curri, chili, quesadillas, nachos and even poutine await us at the turn. It’s comforting, friendly and ideal for a larger meal.
The institution describes itself as “a dynamic, fresh project”. Its ambition: to move towards a more sustainable way of life in the urban reality of 2020. To put it plainly, La Panthère Verte praises organic and local agriculture for cuddling the planet while filling our belly with delight! Fresh to the touch, its menu offers salads, falafels, shawarmas, burgers and bowls of all kinds (not to mention desserts to fall on the ground!), entirely vegan. To be consumed on-site or to be recovered «without contact» for an in-house tasting.
A pioneer of the vegan restaurants’ scene, Aux Vivres has been in the Montreal gastronomic landscape since 1997 and has set foot in Westmount, then on the Plateau Mont-Royal. Both restaurant and shop, we can find there very ultra-fresh vegan ingredients, preparations and dishes. Since the establishment prides itself on making the world a better place, one meal at a time. Everything on the menu is plant-based. And it’s not only healthy and good for the planet: it’s also so delicious! We love its juices, smoothies, bowls, comforting dishes, and so on! Tempeh factory, composting, reforestation program… Aux Vivres is a restaurant committed to a better world, and whose reputation is well established.
While it is easy to source GUSTA vegan products from Canada’s grocery stores and then cook them in every shape through our recipes, the fact remains that some lunches and evenings, you might just want to take a break and sit in the dining room of a restaurant. These Montreal addresses – approved by our team! – will delight the finest vegan palates. And let’s bet that new vegan restaurants will soon land in Montreal… See you next time!
5 Delicious Recipes for the Happy Hour
One of the great joys of summer? Meeting with your loved one, family or friends after a busy week to chat while sipping a glass of rosé! What if the pleasure could last longer by serving vegan tapas and appetizers on the terrace? Here are our suggestions of simple yet tasty bites for happy cocktail hours. Cheers!
Salty bites: vegan scones
Looking for a snack to munch on? Roll on the 3-4 courses served in small portions! No heavy decorum nor never-ending prep-time in the kitchen: we prepare our appetizers ahead of time and bring the plates while the wine (or the beer) is pouring. Exit the excessive cutlery, the food is at our fingertips. Either served hot or warm, we can focus on our guests and enjoy their company rather than having a date with the oven and the dishwasher. Psst: if we serve them The Edgy Vedge vegan savoury scones, they will eat it in the blink of an eye, GUSTA’s word!
Cheesy bites: vegan grilled cheese and mini omelettes
The best of the best: gratin. Whatever the form it takes, the young and not so young all want a piece. Some may squeal with delight, while others simply can’t resist the second round. So we make the most of the occasion to feature a variety of GUSTA’s vegan cheese. Served as tiny snacks, the Grilled Cheese Gugu shines a light on the Original and the Americano, while Liv B’s Chickpea Omelette Cups will make them fall under the spell of the Swisso. Gustatory love at first strike guaranteed!
Puff pastries with mushrooms and GUSTA sausages
The king of appetizers is still puff. Sweet or salty, it even pleases the picky eater who doesn’t have to get his fingers dirty! The icing on the cake? There’s a wide variety of vegan puff pastries! In this Mushroom Puff Pastries recipe, the Germaine GUSTA ground sausage is pulchritudinous. While wrapped in refrigerated vegan croissants, the GUSTA Brunch sausage has never looked so good! One might say it adds an aristocratic touch to any happy hour.
With sausages,seitan roasts and GUSTA cheeses, you can prepare delicious and varied vegan bites with a snap of the fingers. Buy from the biggest grocery stores in Canada, get inspired by the recipes section of this website and invite your guests. Let’s have a party, fuss and hassle-free. Let’s have a party!
Summer Salads: 3 Never-Dull Recipes
It’s no secret, summer implies freshness and lightness. As soon as the sun shines and the mercury soars, our appetite for hearty dishes melts like snow under the sun. The seasonal solution? Homemade summer salads to break bread with healthy, refreshing and colourful ingredients. Still not inspired? Here are some ingenious ideas to add punch to your salads.
Salads that carry you away
Taking off without passport nor luggage? Feasible! Let’s head to the garden, the fridge and the pantry of the kitchen! By pairing, for example, a few lettuces with pieces of GUSTA’s Italiana sausage, you make a stop in Napoli for lunch. For the evening, we let our taste buds sail to Santorini, Greece, by preparing the Mediterranean salad. It often only takes one or two unexpected ingredients to change the scenery at lunch or dinner quickly.
Spicy salads
Summer rhymes with caliente. So, why not give a shot of calor to our favourite salad? Especially when it is easy as pie: enhance it with herbs, aromatics or spices. A bouquet of parsley here and a pinch of spices there, just like this tasty Warm Cajun salad recipe, signed La Fraîche. It’s colourful, and it gives a plate or a move boost!
From salads to bowls
Buddha, poke. Single serving bowls are trendy. And rightly so! Nutrient-dense and varied, they are pure concentrates of freshness… and happiness! Especially since the only limit in terms of ingredients is our imagination. A sweet-savory combo? Yes! A mix of vegetables, seeds and fruits? Yes again! Warm proteins paired with raw foods, like in this korean bowl Yes, yes and yes again! Because the bowl is the 2.0 meal salad: it satiates and refreshes!
Reinventing salads is not rocket science: you just need a bit of imagination… and some good tricks! Want to share yours with the GUSTA community? Send your creative vegan recipes. No doubt, we will be bubbling with ideas and prove the sceptics wrong with forever fun salads!
What is Veganism Exactly?
The term vegan is on everyone’s lips. But do we truly know the veganism mission, scope and vocation? Here’s a brief overview of its meaning and the convictions of those who adhere to it. Because veganism is much more than a cool concept: it is a conscientious and thoughtful way of life.
Veganism – also known as integral veganism – is an extension of vegetarianism. Its leitmotiv is clear: as soon as one lives without exploiting animals, in any possible way, it is the whole planet that reaps the fruits. Therefore, as vegans, we do not swallow any products from animals and their farms (fish, meat, insects, eggs, honey, dairy products, etc.). And the content of our plate remains as tasty, colourful and nourishing!
A vegan lifestyle
But veganism is more than just a dietary practice. It is a philosophy of life rooted in ethical, health and environmental convictions. And these dictate every vegan buying behavior. In short: in addition to ingesting no animal food, vegans extend their beliefs to other areas of life (fashion, decoration, etc.). And since he or she critiques animal exploitation and cruelty, it goes without saying that he or she does not dress, treat or surround itself with any product from or tested on animals. Just think of leather bags, jackets or shoes, fur coats, sweaters, hats and wool scarves, or silk shirts, dresses, scarves and ties. Also, out goes cosmetics and medicines produced from animal by-products and tested on animals.
Celebrate life
A vegan refuses the abuse of any living being. In fact, by establishing itself on animal empathy and compassion, veganism has been celebrating life on earth in all its forms for several decades (because the Vegan Society was founded in 1944). No wonder many celebrities – listed in one of our previous articles – adhere to the vegan lifestyle.
The ethical and environmental awareness, as well as a keen desire to consume local and healthy products, leads more and more people to opt for veganism. If, like the 2.3% of Canadians who claim to be vegan, you want to indulge in tasty, healthy vegan food made in Canada, spot GUSTA sausages, vegan cheeses and seitan roasts in grocery stores across the country. And check out our recipes to prepare them in a thousand delicious ways.
What are the Best Sources of Vegetable Protein?
It’s not just athletes who can take advantage of protein! These biological macromolecules, composed of amino acid chains, allow the human body to build muscles, as well as strengthening the skin and internal organs (heart and brain first), eyes, hair, nails. Our immune system also needs proteins to generate the antibodies essential in the fight of infections. They also play a role in the regulation of the glycemic index, metabolism of fats and stimulation of energy function.
Protein is essential for everyone!
An adult needs to consume a minimum of 0.8 g of protein per kilogram of body weight. Of course, this daily intake increases in athletes and very active people. But good news: no need to eat red meat to fulfil our body properly! We can opt for a plant-based diet AND meet all our daily protein requirements.
That said, one challenge remains: most plant proteins are not considered “complete”. The human body needs nine essential amino acids to operate at full capacity. We call them so because the body can’t synthesize them. Among these, vegans need to pay particular attention to methionine and lysine and make sure to include them at all costs in their daily diet. Otherwise, expect deficiencies.
But why these two amino acids rather than others? Because no source of plant protein contains enough. Thus, wheat products and rice are full of methionine, but not lysine. On the other hand, legumes are full of lysine, but not methionine.
The key to a non-deficient vegan diet is the diversity of protein inputs. Therefore, if we make sure that we combine grains and legumes on our plate every day, we will get all the amino acids we need to run at full capacity.
The best sources of plant proteins (for 100g):
Did you know that Gusta’s seitan roasts and vegan sausages, made from wheat protein, have a good protein ratio? Enjoy them in a thousand different ways with, as a side dish, some legumes. Go to our “recipes” tab and have fun cooking good healthy meals!
Cendrine Browne: Her GUSTA ravioli recipe
GUSTA is proud to support local vegan Athletes. It was therefore natural to sponsor Cendrine Browne. Canadian Olympic cross-country skier, vegetarian for 1 year and newly vegan, she proudly wears our colors since last November.
Young, dynamic and talented, today she presents her vegan ravioli recipe featuring our sausages.
It has only been a few months since I partnered with GUSTA but I am already in love with their products and their values. I am so happy I get to represent a company with whom I share so much. On top of that, thanks to their products, being vegan has never been this easy!
I wanted to create a recipe that was easy to customize and for which you can easily use what you have on hand. This recipe is very easy to make and is also a fun project to do with the kids during the quarantine!
sauce of your choice (eg. simple tomato sauce, pesto, white sauce)
Instructions:
Making the dough:
Add the 2 ½ cups of flour to a food processor, the 4 flax eggs and the pinch of salt.
Pulse. Add a splash a cold water and continue to pulse until the dough forms a big ball. The dough must not be too sticky. If it is, add a bit of flour.
Place your dough on a clean and floured surface.
Knead the dough for a few minutes and make sure it is not too sticky.
Cut the dough into 4 equal parts. It’ll be easier to work the dough this way.
Cover the dough with a cloth so it doesn’t dry out and set it aside while you prep for Step 2.
Making the filing:
Cook the chosen vegetables (for example, sauté the mushrooms and onion). If you chose to use squash, it’s now time to take it out of the oven and to scoop out its flesh.
Add to the food processor the Gusta sausages, the cooked vegetables and the spices and/or herbs.
Pulse until wanted texture.
Making the ravioli:
Bring a big pan of water to boil.
On a floured surface, roll one of your four parts of dough
With a rolling pin (or a bottle if you don’t have one). The dough must be rolled very thin (2-3 mm in thickness)
On the rolled out dough, use a biscuit cutter (or a round glass) to cut out your ravioli. Repeat.
On half of the circles, add half a spoon of filing.
Top off the circles with filing with the other half of the dough circles.
Bring the edges of the circles together with a fork.
Repeat with the remaining dough and filing. Use the scraps of dough not to waste them.
*At this point, you can freeze the fresh pasta for further use.
Transfer the ravioli into the boiling water and cook for 12 minutes. Do not overflow the pan. Cook in small batches if you have a small pan.
When cooked, take the ravioli out of the boiling water with a slotted spoon.
To serve:
Serve the ravioli with any sauce you have on hand and with your favorite Gusta cheese. Top off with fresh parsley.
BON APPÉTIT!
These 10 celebs are vegan
You sometimes get the impressions that you’re all alone when you’re vegan… Family dinners, nights out with friends at the restaurant or happy hours after work are all moments when you can feel under scrutiny, as people ask you questions about your eating habits. Luckily, many celebrities are vegans! They can use their fame to spread the word about the diet and lifestyle they chose. Here are 10 celebrities that are vegan – who knows, you might be surprised to learn a few of them are!
Billie Eilish grew up in a vegetarian family in Highland Park, Los Angeles. In 2014, she decided to go a step further and to make the transition to veganism. The young singer even created, in collaboration with UberEats, a road trip map featuring stops at her favorite vegan restaurants across the USA. These included ATX Food Co. in Austin, Café Gratitude in Los Angeles, Love Life Café in Miami, and By Chloe. in New York.
The famous bodybuilder, actor and politician has transitioned to a 99% vegan diet. His fridge is full of almond milk and of plant-based protein sources. He has been a strong voice in the fight against the myth that high-performing athletes need to eat red meat, even taking part in the alternative-diet documentary film The Game Changers.
Miley Cyrus has been vegan since 2014. On top of eating vegan, she is an advocate for a cruelty-free lifestyle and, more particularly, cruelty-free fashion. She encourages buying vintage and clothes made from new, innovative eco-fabrics. She even collaborates with her favorite designers (Louis Vuitton, Saint Laurent, Vivienne Westwood, Stella McCartney) to dream up bespoke outfits made in accordance with her values.
Actor Peter Dinklage had been vegetarian for 15 years before he went fully vegan in 2014. The meat you see him eat in certain Game of Thrones scenes is in fact… tofu! He is also an advocate for veganism at large, and has narrated the PETA-produced short film Face Your Food.
Model and actress Pamela Anderson is probably one of the most well-known vegan activists. Throughout the years, she has made the headlines for her participation in varied PERA efforts, most memorably by posing naked for their “I’d rather be naked than wear fur” campaign.
Benedict Cumberbatch
The star of the British series Sherlock mentioned his plant-based diet in three different interviews during the press tour promoting the Avengers: Infinity War movie in 2018. There’s no doubt about it – he’s a confirmed vegan!
The famous tennis star went vegan after being diagnosed with Sjögren’s Syndrome, an autoimmune disease. Her doctor recommended a raw, vegan diet, which she enthusiastically embarked on in the hope of maintaining her performance on the court. She has since dropped the raw component of her diet, saying it was unsustainable, but is still eating plant-based.
Heartthrob Zac Efron has spoken to Teen Vogue in 2018 about his vegan diet. According to him, going vegan completely changed the way his body worked and how it metabolized food. He said he had more energy, and that he was sleeping better. This dietary change has also had a positive impact on his performance at the gym.
Natalie Portman hasn’t eaten meat since she was 9 years old. In 2011, after reading Jonathan Safran Foer’s Eating Animals, she became vegan on the spot. The proof that this book has had a lasting impact on her? She co-produced and narrated its big-screen adaptation! It’s clear she takes veganism to heart.
F1 World Champion Lewis Hamilton has chosen to adopt a vegan diet for environmental reasons. He says his health has never been better and that he has no problem maintaining his muscle mass even without eating meat. He is such an ardent supporter of veganism that he has even invested in a London-based, vegan restaurant chain serving nothing but plant-based burgers!
We applaud these celebrities that use their influence power to increase awareness of the vegan diet and lifestyle, and help promote the advantages of going vegan. They contribute to normalize a lifestyle that, ultimately, just amounts to being kind.
