The main vegetarian of Hollywood 5 letters. Famous vegetarians of the world - great people, scientists and writers

One vegetarian trend has become so popular and discussed relatively recently. Today, this position no longer causes surprise or discussion, because more and more often you can meet those who fundamentally refuse food of animal origin, and in the best restaurants and cafes it is considered bad form not to include special dishes for vegetarians on the menu. However, this does not mean that the very concept of “vegetarianism” is just as young: looking at historical chronicles, one can be convinced that in ancient times there was no fewer people following a similar diet. What is the deep meaning of such a multifaceted and deep concept? Let's figure it out.

Vegetarian educational program: basic concepts

Upon superficial examination, vegetarianism seems to be just a special diet in which animal products are excluded from the diet. However, some use a plant-based menu exclusively for weight loss and maintenance. healthy image life. This motivation also exists, but most true vegetarians are also guided by religious, ethical and moral beliefs. The choice of plant food for them is a completely logical and justified step, arising from the commandment “thou shalt not kill”, a protest against violence and cruelty in any form, a humane position towards every living creature inhabiting the world around us.

In the process of evolution, true vegetarianism began to be divided into several areas:

Strict vegetarians (vegans) were able to maintain their beliefs by completely abandoning animal products.
Lactovegetarians include milk and dairy products in their menu.
Ovo-vegetarians consume only eggs among all animal products.
Lacto-ovo vegetarians eat dairy products and eggs, but exclude meat and fish.
Pesco-vegetarians allow the consumption of seafood.

Veganism also has a number of varieties:

A raw food diet allows you to include foods in your diet plant origin without heat treatment. Adherents of this trend are convinced that when heated above 46 degrees Celsius, food loses most of its beneficial properties.
Fruitarianism implies that only fruits are used for food, but not the plants themselves. Fruitarians include in their diet only those dishes for the preparation of which it was not necessary to destroy representatives of flora and fauna. For example, they can eat berries, fruits and vegetables, but avoid lettuce and root vegetables (potatoes, carrots, beets, etc.).
The macrobiotic diet takes grains and grains as its basis, while sugar and refined vegetable oils are prohibited.

Why is vegetarianism popular among stars and their fans?

Disputes about vegetarianism have not subsided since its appearance in society. Some are strenuously agitating to preserve the lives of living beings and take care not only of gluttony, but also of environment, others consider the person a “carnivore” who needs meat. A banal example given by the famous vegan Gary Yourofsky can dot the i’s once and for all: “Put a live rabbit and an apple in the crib of a two-year-old child. If a child eats a rabbit and plays with an apple, I will admit that I was wrong and eat the steak.” But the children in to a greater extent listen to their bodies more than adults. Therefore more important issue The question is not whether the human gastrointestinal tract is able to accept food of animal origin, but whether it is necessary?

The meat menu became the main part of the diet after receiving wide application production technologies for killing animals. Such blasphemy could not go unnoticed, so thousands of people began to practice vegetarian habits. “I don’t eat anyone!” - they said, and they were absolutely right. And even those who were least concerned about the moral side of the issue, and who were not disgusted by stories about the unhealthy energy of the food they consumed, wondered whether meat dishes were so healthy. After all, in order to obtain greater profits in production, they began to inject unfortunate animals with appetite stimulants and growth hormones, sedatives and antibiotics. Therefore, eating meat has become not only unjustified, but also very dangerous.

Yes and by chemical composition a piece of meat is more like “slow poison”. Saturated fatty acids accumulate in the body, causing overweight, liver damage, approaching atherosclerosis and many other serious diseases. WHO statistics reflect the real picture: in regions where meat is considered the basis of the diet, the incidence of cardiovascular system, heart attacks and strokes with a fatal outcome, malignant neoplasms occur many times more often than in countries where vegetarian principles are respected.

A little history. Famous vegetarians of the ancient world

A plant-based diet has always been considered a healthy and correct habit. Have you ever wondered why vegetarianism is popular among celebrities? Speaking about their food preferences and beliefs, they have always tried to convey to their fans that there is no and cannot be an excuse for killing a living creature. And if the voice of reason and conscience is not enough for a person, perhaps he will listen to the sound words of scientists and philosophers who supported vegetarianism.

Despite the fact that vegetarianism only became widespread in the 60s, when hippies openly declared their beliefs, there is a lot in history outstanding personalities who adhered to a plant-based diet. Vegetarianism has been promoted by famous people at all times, and there are many examples of this.

Diogenes

The first thing that is associated with this outstanding ancient Greek philosopher, who lived before our era (404-323 BC) is his famous barrel. However, it was not only this that Diogenes of Sinope became famous in his time. He was the brightest of Antisthenes' students, a follower of the Cynic school, who, moreover, adhered to vegan beliefs. Among his many quotes, which have become aphorisms and remain relevant to this day, are words of wisdom about vegetarianism: “We can eat human flesh just as well as we do the meat of animals.”

Ovid

Central Italy was not spared the principles of animal protection. The famous Roman poet Publius Ovid Naso belonged to a noble family of horsemen, and therefore received an excellent education by those standards. It was he who introduced general public a unique verse that quickly spread around the world:

“Oh, mortals! Be afraid to defile
Their bodies with this wicked food,
Look - your fields are full of grains,
And the branches of the trees bowed under the weight of the fruit,
Vegetables and herbs that are tasty are given to you,
When prepared by a skilled hand,
The vine is rich in bunches,
And fragrant clover gives honey,
Truly, Mother Nature is generous,
Giving us an abundance of these delicacies,
She has everything for your table,
Everything to avoid murder and bloodshed.”

Plutarch

Famous people supported vegetarianism Ancient Greece, among whom was Plutarch, an encyclopedic scientist, writer and philosopher who lived at the junction of two eras in the small Greek town of Chaeronea. However, Plutarch’s fame was not limited to the walls of his native city - he received an excellent education from Ammonius in Athens, and traveled for a long time throughout Greece, Asia Minor and Italy. Once in Rome, he was honored to visit the emperors Trajan and Hadrian.

In his homeland, Plutarch was also very respected: he proudly bore the title of priest of the Delphic sanctuary, and worked as consular and procurator of the province of Achaea. Plutarch devoted an entire treatise to the problems of meat-eating, which has survived to this day in almost unchanged form:

“I, for my part, am perplexed, what must have been the feelings, state of mind or state of mind of the first man when, having killed an animal, he brought the bloody flesh of the victim to his lips? How can he, having placed treats of eerie corpses and carrion on the table in front of the guests, give names of “meat” and “edible” to something that only yesterday was walking, mooing, bleating, and looking around? How can his vision bear the sight of the shed blood of innocent victims, the flayed and mutilated bodies? How his sense of smell endures this terrible smell of death and how all these horrors do not spoil his appetite when he chews flesh filled with pain, savoring the blood of a mortal wound.

But how to explain the fact that this madness of gluttony and greed pushes you to the sin of bloodshed, when there is an abundance of resources all around to ensure our comfortable existence? What makes you slander the Earth as unable to provide us with everything we need?.. Aren’t you ashamed to put the product of agriculture on the same level as a torn victim of slaughter? Truly it is common among you.”

Seneca

Lucius Annaeus Seneca did not come to vegetarianism right away. His father, who valued practice more than his son’s passion for philosophy, moved with his family to Rome from Cordub (a small spanish city, where Seneca was born), where the young scientist learned the basics of the sciences of Sextius, Sotion, and Attalus. Thanks to this, he became not only a philosopher (yes, Seneca did not give up his hobby, but was able to combine it with a career), but also a world-famous playwright and politician. Among his speeches, many are devoted to vegetarianism as the basis of purity, kindness and humanism:

“The principles of avoidance of meat food, formulated by Pythagoras, if true, teach purity and innocence; if they are false, then at least they teach us frugality, and how great will your loss be if you lose your cruelty? I'm just trying to deprive you of the food of lions and vultures. We are able to find our common sense only by separating ourselves from the crowd - for often the very fact of being supported by the majority can serve as a sure sign of the depravity of a particular view or course of action. Ask yourself: “What is moral?”, not “What is accepted among people?” Be moderate and restrained, kind and fair, forever renounce bloodshed.”

Leonardo da Vinci

A famous Italian scientist, artist, architect, sculptor and inventor of the 15th century, whose word and brushstroke are now worth their weight in gold, the one whose biography formed the basis of the plot of a modern TV series and deserved a Golden Globe... All this is about Leonardo da Vinci. His biting statements about meat-eating still cause a storm of discussion, because Leonardo himself adhered to strict vegetarianism and called on others to save the lives of innocent animals:

“Truly man is the king of beasts, for what other beast can compare with him in cruelty.”
“We live by killing others: we are walking graves!”
"WITH early years I avoided eating meat and I believe that the time will come when people like me will look at the killing of an animal the same way they now look at the killing of a person.”
“As long as people slaughter animals, they will kill each other.”

How do famous people in the music world support vegetarianism?

Pop stars and show business, musical compositions which are heard by an audience of millions, they are trying with all their might to promote the vegetarian position to the masses. It’s hard to blame them for the fact that the fight for the environment is just a PR stunt, because most of them not only openly express their views, but also sacrifice multimillion-dollar concerts, defending the right to life for our little brothers. Vegetarianism is promoted by stars all over the world, many of whom are legends in the musical community.

Stephen Patrick Morrissey

The lead singer of the English rock band The Smiths has become a true legend among vegetarians. According to a BBC2 poll, he was recognized as a silver medalist in the Living Idols category. It was Morrissey who released the album “Meat Is Murder” (“Meat is Murder”) with a track of the same name, which is considered an unspoken anthem for vegetarians. The singer himself gave up eating meat at the age of 11 and only regrets that he did not do this earlier: “Becoming a vegetarian is an absolutely rational decision. There is not a single reasonable argument for killing animals."

The legendary Beatles singer has not eaten animal foods since the early eighties, as has his late wife Linda, who even launched a line of plant-based products. Sir Paul McCartney supports the British organization for the Ethical Treatment of Animals and has more than once been an ardent opponent of killing living creatures for food.

McCartney did not come to vegetarianism right away - he previously consumed meat products and was fond of fishing: “Many years ago I was fishing and, when I pulled it out, I realized that I was killing it - simply for the fleeting pleasure that I received. Then something inside me clicked. I realized when I looked at her struggling for air that life was just as important for this fish as it was for me.”

After this, the singer spoke out more than once in defense of animal rights. Let's listen to what world celebrities say about vegetarianism:

“There are a lot of problems on our planet today. We hear a lot of words from businessmen, from the government, but it seems they are not going to do anything about it. But you yourself can change something! You can help the environment, you can help stop ill-treatment with animals and you can improve your health. All you have to do is become a vegetarian. So think about it, this great idea!»
“If slaughterhouses had glass walls, everyone would become vegetarian.”

Jared Leto

A favorite of the female audience, the lead singer of the rock band 30 Seconds to Mars and actor Jared Leto, in his early forties, looks young and well-groomed. As the singer himself claims, to maintain excellent appearance A healthy lifestyle and a plant-based diet helps him: “I still have many vices, but alcohol is not one of them. I think it's all about getting enough sleep and diet. If you travel a lot and don’t sleep, you won’t last long, that’s for sure. I lead a pretty healthy lifestyle and I think that helps me a lot. I've been on this path for a long time: I was first a vegetarian for 20 years, then became a vegan, and in general I take care of myself. All this probably helps me maintain my youth.”

The celebrity publicly condemns meat-eaters and does not hesitate to point out that clothing made of leather and fur is essentially the same as murder. At the men's collection show at Fashion Week, Leto wore fur collar, however, despite the caustic comments of spiteful critics, the fur turned out to be artificial, and Jared himself was very annoyed by the assumption that he could wear something made from an animal. He had to deviate from his principles only twice since 1993, when the vocalist adopted vegetarianism: during the filming of the video for “A Beautiful Lie” and the film “Alexander,” where, according to his role, he had to consume animal products.

Extravagant singer Alisha Bethe Moore, better known as Pink, is not just a supporter of a vegetarian diet - she actively defends animal rights, being a member of PETA, she speaks sharply negatively about Prince William, Queen Elizabeth II and Beyoncé, who destroy animals for fun and dubious beauty clothes. The singer’s rating is off the charts: for a whole decade (from 2000 to 2010) she held the leading position in the TOP of the American Billboard magazine. However, Pink turned down a multimillion-dollar contract with the royal family: “I turned down an invitation from Prince William to sing at his birthday because he was hunting animals in Africa, and I think that’s disgusting. I also advise you to avoid fur and leather clothing. You can get dressed without killing anyone."

Ozzy Osbourne

Hard rock star Ozzy Osbourne struggled for a long time to become a true vegan. One of the founders of the “golden lineup” of Black Sabbath has released more than 100 million records, and since 2010 he also began writing a column about a healthy lifestyle and a plant-based diet in Rolling Stone magazine. Ozzy Osbourne had no doubt why vegetarianism is popular among stars and their admirers: “Anyone who ordered a steak should be given a knife and brought a cow. Kill yourself and eat!”

Nelly Furtado

The popular Canadian singer supports vegetarianism for several reasons. First, the star admits the harm meat dishes and tries to take care of his health. And secondly, she is alien to cruelty and abuse towards animals. That is why Nellie’s diet consists exclusively of plant foods: “Vegetarianism is best choice if you want to be healthy." Moreover, the singer’s entourage, knowing about her beliefs, does not risk eating meat and fish in her presence - Furtado simply cannot stand the sight of these products.

Famous actors are vegetarians

There is no doubt that acting is a public profession. Therefore, celebrities in the film industry declare their vegetarian beliefs openly and invitingly: in this way they try to convey to their fans the idea of a healthy lifestyle and the eradication of evil towards animals. Moreover, many of them note that a plant-based diet allows them to look younger and feel much better. Among them are Leonardo DiCaprio, Brad Pitt, Pamela Anderson, Richard Gere, Natalie Portman, Gwyneth Paltrow, Olivia Wilde and many other world famous stars.

American-Israeli actress Natalie Portman, known to millions of film fans for the films “Leon”, “Closer”, “V for Vendetta” and “Black Swan”, winner of an Oscar and Golden Globe, has been a vegetarian since the age of eight. Natalie’s father involuntarily pushed her to give up meat: “When I was eight years old, my father took me to a medical conference where the achievements of laser surgery were demonstrated. As visual aid We used live chicken. Since then I haven’t eaten meat.”

At a conscious age, Natalie Portman became an animal rights activist - she does not wear items made of fur, leather or natural suede, avoids clothes decorated with feathers, and even released her own line of artificial shoes. The actress explains the lacto-ovo-vegetarian diet as follows: “I listened to my body, so I ate eggs and butter. I felt like I wanted these products and I needed them.”

The famous Hollywood actor and sex symbol of the last century, Richard Gere, took the side of vegetarianism after turning to Buddhism. However, he never regretted his decision - according to the celebrity, now he feels more cheerful and stronger every year. And indeed, despite the fact that Richard is over 50, his charm and natural charm are beyond doubt, and his young and blooming appearance pleases numerous fans of his work. “The fact that animals suffer from human cruelty is beyond comprehension. Help stop this madness!” - Gere calls. “People are offended by animal rights campaigns. This is funny. It's not as bad as mass animal deaths in a factory."

Richard Gere's healthy lifestyle is not limited to vegetarianism - the actor meditates daily in the lap of nature, travels quite often around Tibet, certainly visiting the Dalai Lama: “This is my home, my family,” says the actor, “here I feel at ease.”

Olivia Wilde

The Hollywood beauty, as if straight from the pages of a glossy magazine, is convinced that her chic appearance is primarily due to her active lifestyle and plant-based diet. Olivia Wilde has been a vegetarian for years. many years and practically does not allow himself any indulgences. The only exception The actress became seriously depressed after divorcing her husband, film director Tao Ruspoli Wild. The difficult breakup became a mental trauma for Olivia, and she allowed herself some slack: “I really really like healthy food. I was a vegan for many years. But when my life got hectic, when I was going through a divorce, I thought, “I need some damn cheese.” That’s how cheese came into my life.”

Oscar winner Gwyneth Paltrow is known as an ardent advocate of the green diet. She has published several books that explain why vegetarianism is popular among celebrities - her collections of macrobiotic recipes have allowed millions of readers to immerse themselves in the world of a celebrity and understand how she manages to look so good.

Such a diet hinders the actress a little on the set, because scenes of family lunches and dinners with the presence of meat dishes should look natural, and Gwyneth literally turns away from the sight of a freshly prepared animal: “Filming scenes of dinners and lunches is bad because you are forced to eat the same thing over and over again.” many takes, sometimes all day. Many actors don’t like this and therefore don’t specifically eat on camera; this approach seems unnatural to me. True, most of what I put in my mouth after the “stop” command I spit out. Otherwise, I risk getting an upset stomach.”

True, Gwyneth Paltrow did not come to such convictions on her own - the basic principles of vegetarianism were put into the actress’s beautiful head by the famous champion of animal rights, colleague Leonardo DiCaprio: “Leo constantly talked about how bad it is to eat meat, and how cattle breeding is terrible. I haven't eaten red meat for 20 years. I can’t say that this is entirely the merit of DiCaprio, but he was definitely the first who gave me this idea and nurtured it in me. I became interested in macrobiotics when my father was diagnosed with cancer. Then it seemed to me that a special connection had been established between us and that I could help him by eating right.”

The principles of Hollywood handsome and incredible talented actor Brad Pitt is the epitome of how celebrities promote vegetarianism. He is confident that only products of plant origin can ensure the normal functioning of the body. And he has something to compare with: since childhood, little Brad ate food that was traditional by American standards, including meat, smoked meats and fast food. And only after his wedding with Angelina Jolie, the actor reconsidered his views on life - he began to lead a healthy lifestyle, play sports, eat right and help those in need. For him, vegetarianism became not a fashion statement, but a vital position: “I must be a vegetarian... I don’t want any animal put on my plate.”

By adopting a healthy lifestyle, Brad Pitt began to look and feel much better. As the actor notes, eliminating animal products helped him improve blood circulation and brain activity.

Famous vegetarians are sports stars

Many successful athletes have proven by their example that a plant-based diet is the only possible option maintain health and good spirits, keep the body in good shape and always be at the peak of your capabilities. Olympic champions and celebrities talk about vegetarianism as a “panacea” for all diseases, because such a diet contributed to their achievements. Among them are multiple gold medalists of international competitions, sports stars who do not lose their popularity even after they “left the race”: Carl Lewis, Paavo Nurmi, Edwin Moses, Bode Miller, Christopher Campbell, Mike Tyson and others.

Federick Carlton Lewis retired from professional sports a long time ago - the famous track and field athlete was well over 50. However, his popularity did not end there: the US basketball club Chicago Bulls, as a sign of respect for the athlete’s merits, reserved number 208 for him, although he did not even play basketball. In addition, Karl’s portrait adorns one of the postage stamps of Azerbaijan - isn’t this a sign of true honor?

The Olympic champion-record holder, whose biography includes 9 medals, did not immediately become a vegetarian: at the beginning of his career, Carl Lewis did not attach importance to what he ate. However, the transition to plant foods helped strengthen the athlete’s position in the athletics arena. He defended his beliefs by personal example and numerous comments about vegetarianism: “I have discovered that in order to be a successful athlete, a person does not need animal protein.”

Bruce Lee

This outstanding man is better known as a popular film actor and director, but he was also a master of martial arts. Bruce Lee was included in the Guinness Book of Records 12 times for his services. His physical characteristics were amazing: the athlete could hold a weight weighing 34 kg on an outstretched arm, punch a Coca-Cola can with his fingers, do push-ups using only 2 fingers, and do pull-ups with his little fingers. His reactions were so sharp that standard 24 frames per second filming technology could not always capture the actor's passages. Bruce Lee himself did not advertise his diet, but his daughter Shannon Lee said in an interview with Big Breakfast that the athlete was a strict vegan for 8 years.

Mike Tyson

The absolute world champion in the heavy weight category, the notorious boxer Mike Tyson also took the “path of correction” and adopted a vegetarian diet. He was pushed to take this serious step by his love for pigeons, for the sake of which he got involved in the first fight in his life. According to the boxer, these birds “have the biggest hearts,” so protecting all living things became the meaning of life for Mike. He even developed his own animal protection project on Animal Planet.

“You must be very surprised to hear that I am a vegetarian?” - Tyson says laughing. Indeed, now his opponents do not have to worry about their ears, because the boxer is no longer interested in them.

Famous vegetarians in Russia

Speaking about famous vegans, it would be biased to mention only foreign stars - domestic athletes, actors, writers and musicians support vegetarianism no less actively. Moreover, the “green diet” in Russia has been popular for many years - not only our contemporaries, but also historical figures Soviet culture promoted the idea of giving up meat and other forms of cruelty to animals.

Leo Tolstoy

The novel “War and Peace” is not the only achievement of the outstanding Russian writer Leo Tolstoy. Leading the lifestyle of a hermit, the enlightener did not forget to instruct his compatriots “on the true path” - his ideas of non-violent resistance included vegetarianism as the first step towards the spiritual and moral purification of man. Leo Tolstoy’s essays “On the unreasonableness of meat-eating” and “The Way of Life” became a real standard for many Russian humanists: “As long as there are slaughterhouses, there will be battlefields,” said Leo Tolstoy. And this is not his only statement in defense of animals:

“How can we hope for peace and prosperity on earth if our bodies are living graves in which slaughtered animals are buried?”
“If a person is serious and sincere in the search for morality, then the first thing he should turn away from is meat-eating... Vegetarianism is considered a criterion by which one can recognize how serious and true a person’s desire for moral perfection is.”

Valeria Gai Germanika

A woman who became a famous director at the age of 18. Valeria remains the most discussed personality among film critics, colleagues on the set and ordinary people.

Vegetarianism became part of the life of Valeria Gai Germanika after the birth of her daughter Octavia. Only after becoming a mother did the director realize the horror of meat-eating: “When it comes to food, I prefer something Ayurvedic. The basic principle of nutrition according to Ayurveda is that you should eat little, but very good, wholesome foods. I don't eat meat, fish or eggs. My diet is dominated by healthy foods: brown rice, lentils. I gave up meat after the birth of my daughter: I realized how living things are born. And we then kill this living thing and push it into ourselves. It’s hard for me to accept the karma of an animal that died a violent death. So I’ve been a vegetarian for two years now.”

Perky and charming - this is how everyone is used to seeing Olga Shelest on the TV screen. Her lively and ringing voice broadcasts not only from the television screen - the star is also popular on the radio waves. As a child, an event happened to her that forever changed the diva’s worldview: “When I was nine or ten years old, we were visiting my grandmother in the village. I remember the neighbors were planning a wedding. Numerous relatives arrived. And it was decided to slaughter the ram. The following pictures come to mind: they bring a ram and tie it in the yard. And the next episode - he is already hanging dead upside down in a barn, and they are skinning him. Catastrophe! This event made a tremendous impression on me. And I refused to eat the pilaf that was prepared from the meat of this sheep. Moreover, she persuaded all her brothers and sisters to do the same. We then boycotted the grand dinner. And my grandmother later complained to my mother when she came to pick us up: they say, Olenka made such a fuss - she refused to eat. And it’s her fault that the kids are completely thin.”

Parents did not take their daughter’s passion for vegetarianism seriously, considering it a whim and a whim. And, as it turned out, it was in vain - the girl retained her beliefs into adulthood: “I am not a meat eater by nature. Even as a child I didn’t eat that much meat. Sweets are a different matter. I am very biased towards meat, and by the age of twenty I gave it up altogether.”

Conclusion

Vegetarianism causes a lot of controversy and disagreement. Despite the fact that the need to eat meat and fish is highly questionable, and the cruelty and heartlessness of such views makes one involuntarily shudder, one has only to think about what killing an animal looks like, not everyone has been able to recognize the rationality and humanity of a vegetarian diet. Even WHO classified a plant-based diet as a mental disorder - right next to love, which is also one of them. Well, if opposition to cruelty is not considered the norm, then so be it: it is better to be considered abnormal than to eat living beings for the sake of the public.

Before you order a steak in a restaurant, remember Yesenin’s lines, and perhaps you will have time to save at least one living soul!

Decrepit, teeth have fallen out,
Scroll of years on horns.
The rude driver beat her
On distilling fields.
The heart is not kind to noise,
The mice are scratching in the corner.
Thinks a sad thought
About the white-footed heifer.
They didn't give the mother a son,
The first joy is no good.
And on a stake under the aspen
The breeze ruffled the skin.
Soon on the buckwheat road,
With the same filial fate,
They'll tie a noose around her neck
And they will lead you to slaughter.
Pathetic, sad and skinny
Horns will dig into the ground...
She dreams of a white grove
And grassy meadows.

Many popular actors have long given up eating meat, each for their own reasons. Some people think it is unethical to kill innocent animals, others had to give up meat for medical reasons. Today we bring you a list of the most famous vegetarian and vegan actors.

In one of his last interviews in 2013 with GQ magazine, Jared claims that good sleep and special nutrition, consisting of 20 years of experience first as a vegetarian and then a vegan diet, help him be healthy and forever young.

Woody Harrelson became a vegan at age 24 on the advice of a friend. He suffered from acne and a constant cough, but after just 3 days of changing his diet, the mucus in his lungs and pimples were gone for good. Now Woody is a raw foodist.

Tobey Maguire became a vegetarian in 1992, and in 2009 the actor gave up all animal products. The actor who plays Spider-Man admits that he never had a desire to eat meat: “Even when I was a child, it was hard for me.”

Samuel L. Jackson switched to a vegan diet to improve his health and “live forever.” Jackson announced that he had decided to give up meat completely. meat products and milk. According to the actor, he was forced to do this primarily by his age, as well as the desire to stay healthy for as long as possible.

Leonardo DiCaprio
Not just a vegetarian, but an ardent environmentalist. The popular actor organizes events and creates films in support of animals.

American actor Peter Dinklage, star of the series “Game of Thrones,” said: “I decided to become a vegetarian when I was a teenager. Of course, firstly, it was a decision made out of love for animals. However, secondly, everything happened because of the girl.” Dinklage did not specify which girl inspired him to give up meat.

Brad Pitt has long been a vegetarian and gets very angry when his wife eats meat.

Natalie Portman. She has been a vegetarian for over 20 years. According to Natalie, “each animal is an individual with its own character.” In addition, the actress is convinced that the time will come when vegetarianism will become the norm, and eating meat will be shocking and outdated.

Actor Joaquin Phoenix spoke about the reasons for switching to veganism: “I was three years old. I remember that day very well. Together with my family we were fishing on a boat. One fish began to struggle desperately when it was caught and thrown forcefully onto the side of the boat. The truth horrified me: we treat animals horribly. A living, pulsating creature that tried to survive died a brutal death at the hands of man. I realized this clearly.”

Cillian Murphy is a vegetarian due to the unhealthy practices and drugs used in animal agriculture.

Jessica Chastain has been vegan since birth. She grew up in a family where plant-based foods and respect for all living things were a priority. Moreover, everything is very strict, the Chastain family does not eat not only meat and fish, but also honey, eggs, and dairy products.

People who consciously refused to eat animal meat and fish have always existed. For example, it is believed that the ancient Greek philosophers Plato and Plutarch were famous vegetarians. Over the years, there is no absolute certainty, but indirect evidence suggests that this was the case.

The most famous vegetarians are cultural figures and politicians, athletes and musicians, show business representatives and other public figures. In our country, vegetarianism has not yet become a significant trend. Although there are famous vegetarians in Russia too.

The Spread of Vegetarianism

Vegetarianism requires year-round access to relatively cheap plant-based foods. This requires certain climatic conditions. Therefore, vegetarian practice has developed where almost or all year round warm, humid and plenty of vegetables and fruits. This is, first of all, southeast Asia. To be more precise - India.

Beginning in the 1960s, the modern boom in vegetarianism began to spread throughout the world. Famous vegetarians began to appear.

For many well-known vegetarians, the ideological basis for the transition to food of exclusively plant origin was the Hindu or Buddhist worldview, which assumed the presence of a particle of God in every living creature and the concept of energetic rebirth into other bodies.

One way or another, millions of people have given up eating meat from other living beings. Some of the first famous vegetarians were members of the Beatles: John Lennon, Paul McCartney, George Harrison and Ringo Star. Lennon's widow, Yoko Ono, is still a vegetarian at 82 years old.

Another famous vegetarian of the 20th century, Albert Einstein, believed that “nothing improves a person’s health and increases his life expectancy as much as switching to a vegetarian diet.”

Subsequently, hundreds of studies conducted, confirming the Buddhist concept, proved that eating meat provokes cardiovascular diseases and shortens life.

Vegetarian celebrities past and present

Giving up meat is a modern trend. We have selected the most famous people vegetarians and allowed them to describe their vegetarianism in a few words.

Public and political figures

Buddha

"No one should kill another living creature, cause murder or incite another to murder. Do not hurt any living creature on earth, weak or strong."

Mahatma Gandhi, political and spiritual leader of India

“We should all be vegetarians. Why not, if the British physician Henry Thomson called the statement that meat is indispensable for our existence a “vulgar mistake,” and the most eminent physiologists believe that fruits are the most natural food for humans. People who eat a plant-based diet have strong, muscular bodies, proving the superiority of a vegetarian athlete's diet. The most powerful and useful animal, the horse, is a herbivore. The most ferocious and useless thing is the lion, a carnivore.”

Bill Clinton, 42nd President of the United States

“I realized that I had been playing Russian roulette because even though I had changed my diet a little by reducing my calorie intake and limiting cholesterol-laden foods, I was still—without any scientific basis for what I was doing—consuming too much cholesterol. , not knowing if my body is able to cope with it. It turned out that he was not capable” (after suffering a heart attack at the age of 58).

Christine Lagarde, head of the IMF

Among famous vegetarians, Lagarde is an absolute vegetarian; goes to the gym every day, rides a bike from 20 to 30 km once a week and... She told a French newspaper:

“Success is not something completed. It's an endless battle. Every morning you must test your capabilities again.”

Musicians, show business, scientific and cultural figures

Bryan Adams, singer

“Since I began to understand the attitude of people towards animals, I slowly but surely moved towards the lifestyle that I lead now - complete veganism.”

Pamela Anderson, actress.

Pamela is one of the most famous vegetarians, an active participant social movement in defense of animal rights - raises her children in the right spirit:

“Every time we drive past a KFC, my kids ask me to honk the horn and they shout “ugh” out the window.”

Charles Darwin, scientist, founder of the theory of evolution

“There is no fundamental difference between man and animal in their capacity to feel pleasure and pain, happiness or suffering.”

Moby, singer

"Can you look an animal in the eye and say, 'My appetite is more important than your life'?"

Leo Tolstoy, writer

“A person can live and be healthy without killing animals. If he eats meat, he sacrifices the animal for the sake of his appetite. This behavior is immoral."

Chuck Palahniuk, writer

“Do you know why most Holocaust survivors are vegans? Because they know from their own experience what it’s like to be treated like an animal.”

Olga Shelest, TV presenter

Among the famous vegetarians in Russia is Shelest - he looks great and is an example that a vegetarian can be cheerful, healthy and positive. She notes that one of the results of changing her diet is the absence of colds and good health.

Athletes are vegetarians

Mike Tyson, boxer

“Chocolate and nuts are the best nutrition for a vegetarian athlete, I love them very much. Once I ate the most delicious pieces of meat, but woke up feeling nauseous. It was terrible. I realized that meat had become poison for me."

Martina Navratilova, tennis player

The diet of a vegetarian athlete includes a little rice, pasta,...

“I noticed that I began to wake up better in the morning and recover faster after training. Muscle spasms have decreased. I almost gave up ibuprofen, although most tennis players eat it like candy.”

“For me, vegetarianism has never been a tribute to political correctness or concern for health. I don't eat meat for the sake of animals. How can you take care of your pet and have another animal for dinner?”

Carl Lewis, track and field athlete, winner of Olympic gold medals

“Can a vegetarian athlete's diet provide enough protein for a world-class athlete? I have discovered that a person does not require animal protein to be a successful athlete. In fact, my best year professionally it was when I switched to a vegan diet. My weight is always normal, I like the way I look, I don’t have to think about how much I eat. I’ve been feeling great for 11 years now.”

When asked about the vegetarian athlete's diet, Lewis replied: "I ate tons of lentils and my favorite beans to replace the astronomical amount of meat that most people eat."

Watch the following video in which famous athletes vegetarians talk about themselves and show the results of their achievements.

Almost 1 billion people, that is, one sixth of the world's population, choose vegetarianism. People refuse animal foods for various reasons. According to the results of opinion polls, every third person is a fauna lover, 10% are experiencing financial difficulties, 5% are worried about the environment, because livestock farming is a source greenhouse gases. Among them there are many famous people actors, scientists, athletes. I wonder what prompted them to give up meat?

Natalie Portman admitted in one of her interviews that the experiment on the chicken was a shock for her. The actress witnessed it at the age of 8, when she was at one of the medical conferences with her father.

Pamela Anderson, the daughter of a hunter, when she saw how killed animals were butchered, gave up meat and became an ardent defender of nature.

Tobey Maguire, known for his role in the film Spider-Man, is very fond of all representatives of fauna, because of this he switched to a plant-based diet at the age of 14.

Amitabh Bachchan, a Bollywood star, survived cirrhosis of the liver, he had only ¼ of the organ left, doctors advised him to follow a plant-based diet. Since then, he has become an ardent promoter of vegetarianism, for which he has been awarded several times.

Jim Carrey changed his worldview after filming the movie Ace Ventura.

Paul McCartney became a vegetarian in partnership with his wife Linda, and together they founded the Foundation for the Defense of All Living Things.” He believes that if there were glass walls in the slaughterhouse, there would be more vegetarians born into the world.

Richard Gere gave up meat after visiting Tibet. He became a supporter of Buddhism, which rejects violence of any kind, although at first he was surprised that all the monks and lamas were vegetarians.

Great geniuses

Isaac Newton shared the ideas of Pythagoras, his philosophical teaching about the benefits of plant foods and the harmfulness of slaughter.

Thomas Edison believed that only plant products are needed for mental activity. He worked productively until his old age, and has hundreds of inventions to his credit.

The great physicist Nikola Tesla compared meat-eaters to cannibals. In his article “The Problem of Increasing Human Energy,” he called vegetarianism the food of the future. In his opinion, only vegetarianism helps maintain health: plant foods do not overload the gastrointestinal tract and enlighten the mind. He considered the killing of animals medieval barbarism. He actively promoted his worldview, relying on the works of Pythagoras and ancient Greek philosophers.

More than 5 million Italians became vegetarians by studying the works of Leonardo Da Vinci. The artist, the philosopher did not recognize meat food- this did not prevent him from becoming the author of many paintings, incredible inventions that have become firmly established in our lives. He came up with the prototype of a car, an airplane, a steam turbine, a bicycle and much more. His works still inspire many inventors. Leonardo was convinced that any murder is disrespect for life, for the creator. I was sure that over time the whole world would return to vegetarianism, as it was originally, because in Paradise Adam and Eve ate only fruits.

Henry Ford for many years was a vegetarian, he studied the effect of soy on the body, promoted the idea of its industrial processing. At his factories, he encouraged adherents of a healthy lifestyle and vegetarianism monetary reward- so propagated own philosophy. His son, Alfred, is also a vegetarian.

Alfred Einstein, a vegetarian for ethical reasons, managed to bring them under physical basis. He argued that eating the meat of killed animals is unethical and destructive; it causes the accumulation of negative energy in people. Plant foods have a beneficial energy effect on temperament.

Famous athletes

Bruce Lee began following vegetarianism at the peak of his career, as his diaries confirm. When he switched from animal proteins to plant proteins, he didn’t think the experiment would last. Giving up animal foods had a beneficial effect on health. Bruce Lee was a staunch supporter of a plant-based diet for the 8 most fruitful years of his career.

Mike Tyson has not eaten meat or other animal foods since 2009, this has helped him normalize his weight and regain his former athletic shape.

Jean-Claude Van Damme switched to a plant-based diet during preparation for the film “The Monk”, since then he believes that such nutrition helps him live in harmony with himself and the world.

Ilya Ilyin, a weightlifter from Kazakhstan, was repeatedly world champion and winner Olympic Games, despite the persuasion of trainers, adheres to a plant-based diet.

Ivan Poddubny, weighing 100 kg, did not eat meat his entire adult life, this did not prevent him from remaining the strongest wrestler in the world until he was 70 years old.

Bill Pearl, the world-famous bodybuilder, the idol of millions, allows himself only milk and eggs from animal food.

Athlete Carl Lewis is confident that vegetarianism is the key to his long life. physical activity. Live food helps you stay in good athletic shape without gaining weight.

Famous writers

Leo Tolstoy came to understand the harmfulness of meat at the age of 50 after studying the works of vegetarian Mahatma Gandhi. The writer agreed with Luther King's worldview on the ethical side of killing animals and promoted his position in life.

Kafka was a vegetarian and an ideological supporter of a plant-based diet; he said that only this allows him to look at animals calmly, because he does not eat them.

Mark Twain repeatedly raised the topic of vegetarianism in his works; he did not really eat meat, allowing himself eggs and milk only in medicinal purposes when I was sick with colds.

Bernard Shaw, in his autobiography, written at the age of 69, admitted that a vegetarian does not eat anything living. He spoke negatively about hunting, zoos and circuses. He was critical of experiments on animals, considered it murder - this is far from full list writers.

Russian vegetarians

Alexey Voevoda, the famous bobsledder, Olympic champion, switched to a raw food diet and became a vegetarian five years ago in order to get into the national team. He urgently needed to lose a few kilograms. He felt that his joints became more elastic, his body was full of energy, and his fatigue decreased.

Reading the aphorisms of the great Faina Ranevskaya, you understand that she was also a vegetarian: she bought meat only for her dog, servants and guests. She felt sorry for the animals; she couldn’t eat them herself.

For many years, Anastasia Volochkova has not kept meat products at home, even for guests.

Singer Sati Casanova switched to a plant-based menu when she began doing yoga with her vegetarian husband. After a year and a half, I realized that I didn’t want meat at all. The body has completely rebuilt itself.

Following the instructions of the spouses, Irena Ponaroshku and Valeria became vegetarians. Irena said that she loved her husband too much, and Shulgin forced Valeria to become a vegetarian by force. It turned out for good.

Pavel Durov is known not only for the creation of the social networks VKontakte and Telegram, but also for his life position. When developing the logo, when he was asked to depict bacon, he said that it would not be vegetarian. He sticks to it himself the right image life and loves Italian Lenten dishes.

Andrey Makarevich is also a pasta lover. He became a vegetarian under the influence of his mother, when she openly told him where meat comes from. Since then he hasn't put it in his mouth.

Presenter Seva Novgorodtsev has been a convinced vegetarian for over 35 years. He admits that he has long disliked the smell and taste of meat.

Film director Alexander Revzin has been following a plant-based menu for almost 20 years because he is confident that animal foods are harmful. He became a vegetarian for practical reasons.

Nadezhda Babkina was convinced of the benefits of a plant-based menu from her own experience. Only healthy, live food helps her stay in shape for many years and look many years younger.

Humanist Olga Shelest admitted that she does not consider hunger a reason to kill anyone, so she became a vegetarian. The presenter “grew up” to this worldview 10 years ago. Now he actively opposes any form of animal exploitation.

The famous defender of all living things, Nikolai Drozdov, has been a vegetarian for many years. For a long time studied the treatises of Indian philosophers and came to the conclusion that meat is harmful in three ways: spiritually, morally, ethically and physiologically. By the way, according to official data, India has the largest number of vegetarians.

Under the influence of Nikolai Drozdov after communication in the project “ The Last Hero", presenter Larisa Verbitskaya switched to a plant-based menu.

A very interesting hypothesis was formulated by vegetarian Mikhail Zadornov, studying the etymology of the word “meat”: It consists of two parts: “to eat” and “to eat”, which means “to eat one’s own kind.” In defense of his opinion, he cited data on the coincidence of pig and human DNA.

Valeria Gai Germanika, known for her excesses in many ways, gave up animal food after the birth of her child. Her daughter was very difficult for her, and Valeria realized the value of all living things.

Vegetarianism has become very fashionable these days. People switch to a vegetarian diet out of curiosity, for health benefits, as a result of adopting new religious beliefs or simply out of compassion for animals. Historical facts show that many communities around the world were built on the basis of vegetarianism or veganism. A vegetarian lifestyle is followed in India. It is from this country that most of the world's vegan celebrities brought their commitment to following a natural green diet. Here are some famous names. All these people adhered and adhere to strict vegetarianism.

Famous vegetarians:

Leonardo da Vinci. The world-famous artist from Italy is famous not only for his paintings, but also for his vegetarian lifestyle. His love for animals was so deep that he bought animals from meat markets. It was he who said: “As long as people slaughter animals, they will kill each other.”

Paul McCartney. One of the participants in the popular music group"Beatles". He decided to follow a vegetarian diet with his wife Linda McCartney, an animal rights activist. In one of his interviews, he expressed the following thought: “If slaughterhouses were built with glass walls, everyone would be vegetarian."

Thiruvalluvar. A saint whose worship is common in the southern part of India. His statement became famous: “How can a person who eats the meat and flesh of living beings show compassion.”

Pamela Anderson. Popular Canadian actress and dancer. Adheres to vegetarianism adolescence. He defends animal rights and is the founder of many charity campaigns.

Tobey Maguire. Hollywood's Spider-Man is a committed vegetarian. He has changed his diet significantly and even abstains from eating eggs and dairy products. In addition, you will not find a single animal leather product in his home.

Mike Tyson. American-born former boxer. He is the undisputed heavyweight champion. He won his first title at the age of 20 and successfully defended it nine times in subsequent years. Follows a completely vegetarian diet.

Amitabh Bachchan. A Bollywood star, his popularity rating is higher than that of Marlon Brando and Robert De Niro. He has been strictly vegetarian for a significant part of his life.

World famous vegetarian actors:

Pamela Anderson (Canada);
Jim Carrey (USA);
Amitabh Bachchan (India);
John Abraham (India);
Casey Affleck (USA);
Gillian Andersen (USA);
Alec Baldwin (USA);
James Cromwell (USA);
Tobey Maguire (USA);
Lisa Edelstein (USA);
Joaquin Phoenix (USA);
Brad Pitt (USA);
Alicia Silverstone (USA);
Billy West (USA);
Christian Bale (Great Britain);
Julie Christie (UK);
Sadie Frost (UK);
Anne Hathaway (USA);
Natalie Portman (USA).

World famous vegetarian athletes:

Adam Myerson (cycling, USA);
Greg Chapel (cricket, Australia);
Martina Navratilova (tennis, Czech Republic);
Sachin Tendulkar (cricket, India);
Mike Tyson (Boxing, USA).

Other famous personalities past and present:

Leonardo da Vinci, artist
Amos Bronson Alcott, transcendentalist
Confucius, Chinese philosopher
Dalai Lama 14th, spiritual leader
Albert Einstein, physicist
Adolf Hitler, Nazi leader
Aristotle, philosopher and thinker
Plato, philosopher and thinker
Pythagoras, mathematician
Socrates, philosopher and thinker
Mahatma Gandhi, Indian leader
Swami Vivekananda, philosopher
George Bernard Shaw, playwright
Isaac Newton, scientist
Leo Tolstoy, writer
Mark Twain, writer
Michael Jackson, singer
Benjamin Franklin, American politician
Henry Ford, entrepreneur
Louisa May Alcott, writer
H.G. Wells, writer
Ringo Starr, singer
George Harrison, singer
Charlotte Brontë, writer
Charles Darwin, naturalist
Bryan Adams, singer
Gulu Lalwani, entrepreneur
Heather Mills, community activist
Mac Danzig, martial arts champion
Prince, singer
Dr. Abdul Kalam, scientist
Rabindranath Tagore, poet and artist
Paul McCartney, singer
Chelsea Clinton.

Of course, this list is not complete and is erroneous in some places. But it is precisely thanks to many of these individuals that the more people become adherents of vegetarianism.