Which famous people are vegetarians? Famous vegetarians in public life among athletes and actors in Russia and the world

All over the world, every year there are more and more fans and followers of such a popular movement as vegetarianism. Each person comes to this, guided by his own beliefs. Some people simply strive to lead a healthy life, others find it unbearable to realize the suffering of animals, and others think globally, worrying about the future of our planet. Most vegetarians are like the most ordinary people, and celebrities, consider it a kind of life philosophy and take compliance with its rules very seriously.

Famous vegetarians, among whom there are many representatives of different fields of activity, are a subject to follow, because numerous fans are interested in their lives. You can often hear that famous people intentionally spread widely about their vegetarianism in order to increase interest in themselves.

It is quite clear that such “PR campaigns” also take place. But still, the list of celebrities who take vegetarianism seriously is very long. In many cases, stars claim that the transition to this system of nutrition and life helped them reassess their values ​​and philosophy of life. Moreover, some vegetarian celebrities say that after such changes they have found the real meaning of life and now look at the world and the people around them in a completely different way.

The fact that every year everything more famous people in Russia, as well as world celebrities are switching to or vegetarianism, also indicates that among their fans these trends will begin to be discovered more and more more people. The article below will discuss which of the most famous people in various fields are convinced vegetarians and how exactly each of them came to this decision.

Famous vegetarians: dietary habits are not a barrier to success

Most meat eaters are confident that without animal food a person cannot lead an active lifestyle and succeed both physically and mentally. However, the most famous scientists, athletes, actors, etc., who have adhered to the principles of vegetarianism for many years, completely cross out this belief. The wide list convinces us that when proper organization vegetarians can achieve incredible success in various fields of activity.

Scientists and writers

A lot of world-famous people of mental labor practiced just such life principles and power system. Many great scientists and brilliant writers were vegetarians.

Among the writers one can single out such, without exaggeration, brilliant people who were vegetarians:

• — outstanding writer. He began to profess the principles of vegetarianism after talking with the English vegetarian writer William Frey.
• Franz Kafka - a writer whose works are known for their special impact on readers and are recognized as a unique phenomenon in world literature.
• Mark Twain - “father” of Tom Sawyer and author of many other artistic and journalistic works.
• Richard Bach - American writer who created the work “Jonathan Livingston Seagull” and many others.
• Charlotte Bronte — English writer, who created the novel "Jane Eyre".

There were many adherents of just such a philosophy among brilliant thinkers and scientists:

• Pythagoras - a mathematician and philosopher, whose teaching was based on the ideas of justice and humanity, forbade harming animals and killing them.
• Plato - philosopher, teacher of Aristotle. I have always preferred the simplest possible plant foods and refrained from excesses.
• Leonardo da Vinci - scientist and artist, author of many most important inventions for humanity. He refused to consume meat from early childhood, believing that one day killing an animal would be equivalent to killing a person.
• Albert Einstein - scientist and humanist, outstanding physicist, Nobel Prize laureate.
• Nikola Tesla - inventor, physicist, author of revolutionary ideas in the field of electricity.
• Steve Jobs – our outstanding contemporary was also a vegetarian. In addition, he ate very extravagantly. For example, for several weeks he could only eat carrots or eat fruit smoothies. Jobs himself considered this approach a kind of philosophy of asceticism. Later, despite the recommendations of doctors and requests from loved ones, Steve Jobs continued to eat in the same way, remaining very ascetic until the end of his life.

Athletes

Despite the belief of many people that it is impossible to achieve high results in sports with a vegetarian diet, famous athletes who consume only plant foods are proof of the opposite. Here's just a small list:

• Carl Lewis – he is still considered the best athlete of all times. After all, the athlete won nine Olympic medals and became an eight-time world champion. Interestingly, the athlete is a vegan, that is, he consumes exclusively plant foods.
• Mike Tyson - a world-famous boxer, author of three records, world champion. This legendary boxer, despite the fact that he is a supporter of a plant-based diet, has many achievements and a reputation as the most recognizable athlete in the boxing world.
• Muhammad Ali – is rightfully considered the founder of modern boxing. His ease in the ring, according to the athlete himself, was achieved through a healthy diet.
• - an outstanding professional wrestler who has never been defeated in his entire career. He had phenomenal strength and endurance.
• Marina Navratilova - this tennis player won the Wimbledon tournaments nine times. Throughout her career she received 166 awards.
• Scott Yurek – an athlete-runner who “specializes” in marathons. Managed to win one of the toughest races in the world - 216 kilometers in Death Valley (California).
• Serena Williams – tennis player, Olympic champion, won the Wimbledon tournament twice. She is the most decorated American tennis player.
• Bill Pearl - famous American bodybuilder. When the athlete was approaching forty, doctors diagnosed him with high level. In view of high risk development of serious illnesses, doctors recommended the athlete switch to a vegetarian diet. The only animal foods left on his menu were eggs and dairy products. But this did not stop him from continuing to train and achieve serious results in sports.

In addition to those listed famous athletes, many more modern athletes are vegetarians or vegans, as well as those who have written their names in the history of sports. Therefore, the conclusion is clear: vegetarianism is not an obstacle to achieving sports results.

Show business stars

Many modern movie stars, singers, and musicians have already given up meat. Some famous people actively promote this lifestyle and diet. Since their army of fans is very large, the vegetarian philosophy of life is confidently increasing the number of followers.

This singer and actress is already well over forty, but she looks great. She herself often talks about how her youth and freshness are the result of a complete rejection of animal products.

The star consumes exclusively plant foods, minimizes the amount of sugar and bread in her diet and claims that every morning she feels real vigor and a desire to live.

Natalie Portman

The actress, who once won an Oscar, gave up meat products at the age of eight. Only during pregnancy did she break her vegetarian diet. However, now she adheres to it again and, moreover, actively defends the rights of animals, refusing products made of leather, fur, and suede.

Jared Leto

Although this actor and musician has long passed his fifties, he also looks great. He explains this by eating habits. At one time, Jared became a vegetarian, and then completely abandoned animal foods and turned into a real vegan, which he has been for more than twenty years. By the way, the star also practically does not drink alcohol, and also urges everyone not to use real fur.

For many years now, this famous and beloved actor has been a convinced vegan. On this issue, Pitt often clashed with Angelina Jolie, who was never able to become a vegetarian.

However, after breaking up with Angelina, Pitt did not change his habits. He does not eat meat and is an active animal rights activist. In addition, he often tells everyone around him about the dangers of meat for the body and negative impact meat-eating on the environment.

Demi Moore

At one time, the actress gave up meat to lose weight. Later, she became convinced that plant foods are an effective path to slimness, since she did not gain all three weights during the period. In addition, Moore prefers to eat foods in natural form. In her diet, only a quarter of the products are thermally processed; the actress eats all other plant products raw. She also regularly drinks fresh juices, eats herbs and sprouted grains. As a result, the star looks great.

Gwyneth Paltrow

The actress not only practices vegetarianism herself, but also tries to convince the general public that meat is not beneficial for the body. She is the author of a book about healthy eating and traditionalists macrobiotics . This philosophy involves the rejection household chemicals, fast food, food from the supermarket.

The famous musician adheres to a microbiotic diet and is actively involved in yoga . Long time he practiced vegetarianism, but recently Sting started eating meat again.

The thing is that the singer has a so-called organic farm where animals are bred. It is their meat that Sting eats. That is, the singer’s dietary habits are based not on the principles of animal protection, but on maintaining his own health.

Keanu Reeves

Although this actor is not a strict vegetarian, he still tries not to consume junk food, and sometimes he doesn’t eat meat for months. This helps him look very young, even though Reeves was born in 1964.

Alice Milano

The actress, who played a witch in the TV series “Charmed,” began practicing vegetarian principles of nutrition in 2000. However, it is not so easy for her to comply with them, because the actress lives on soybeans. In addition, Milano loves animals very much. She does not wear fur and encourages everyone to actively take action to help their little brothers.

Paul McCartney

At one time, Sir McCartney watched sheep and realized that he could not eat meat. Later he stopped eating fish too. He raised his children as vegetarians, published books about vegetarianism, and does not wear fur. The musician is convinced that if people give up meat, it will help solve many of the world's problems - hunger, cruelty, environmental problems.

The actor refused meat products, citing the fact that such food has a harmful effect on the body and, moreover, is a product of a very cruel industry.

Affleck often speaks unflatteringly about meat producers and urges his fans to give up animal products.

Tobey Maguire

For 14 years, Tobey Maguire practiced vegetarianism, and then he also gave up dairy products and eggs. It's very rare that an actor can afford a little cheese. He also eats milk chocolate and honey

Vladimir Zeldin

The famous actor, who lived to be 101 years old, did not adhere to the principles of vegetarianism too strictly, but always preferred vegetables and fruits to meat. In addition, I tried not to eat after seven in the evening. The actor's favorite dish was cabbage soup with sorrel.

Madonna

The singer is a vegetarian, but she came to this thanks to her passion for Kabbalah. Madonna gave up sweets and drinks special water. And it looks great at the same time.

In addition to the world-famous people mentioned above, vegetarianism - strict or not - was once practiced or is currently being practiced by many other stars from different fields of activity. Orlando Bloom, Jim Carrey, Tom Cruise, Anne Hathaway, Olivia Wilde, Julia Roberts and many others prefer plant-based foods, which they mentioned more than once when communicating with a wide audience.

They all claim that vegetarianism was their conscious choice, and this happened due to different reasons. IN modern world Vegetarianism is both a popular trend, and principles, and a desire for healthy life. And if you look closely at vegans and vegetarians, the conclusions arise naturally, because they look great. However, all the stars work closely with nutritionists and other specialists, so their menu is usually balanced and contains all the substances necessary for the body. Therefore, fans of stars who decide to follow the example also need to carefully plan their menu and switch to a vegetarian diet gradually.

According to PETA, the number of vegetarians in the United States has reached 5%, and vegans - 2.5%. Surely in our country the numbers are no less impressive. This rapid spread of vegetarianism is primarily due to the fact that people are more often thinking about the fate of animals, which are senselessly dying in the thousands every day. Vegan celebrities played an important role in popularizing this lifestyle.

Bill Clinton

The 42nd President of the United States, Bill Clinton, underwent coronary artery bypass surgery and stenting 4 times, after which he decided to become a vegan in 2010. Over the years, he has lost 9 kilograms and has become an ardent promoter of veganism. During an interview with CNN, he said he felt great and had more energy.

Carrie Underwood

The sexiest famous vegan in the world stopped eating animal products at age 13. It was at this age that she, living on a farm, first saw the killing of an animal. Since she suffers from lactose intolerance, switching to a new diet was not too difficult for her.

Al Gore

Former US Vice President Al Gore, known for his environmental advocacy, became a vegan himself in 2013. So he joined forces with Bill Clinton, with whom he had previously worked.

Natalie Portman

This famous actress I was a vegetarian for a long time and in 2009, after reading the book “Eating Animals,” I became a vegan. She wrote about this, that the price that humanity and the environment pays for animal husbandry is too high.

Mike Tyson

Famous boxer Mike Tyson after completing his sports career became a vegan. According to him, after that he began to feel better, lost 45 kilograms, and his blood pressure finally returned to normal.

Ellen DeGeneres

Ellen DeGeneres, comedian and TV host, read several books in 2008 and also became a vegan. According to her, she can no longer ignore the brutal genocide of living beings. Like many other famous vegans, Ellen maintains her own blog about veganism, and even plans to open a vegan restaurant in Russia.

Alicia Silverstone

According to Health magazine, Alicia Silverstone switched to veganism at age 21 after watching several documentaries about animal agriculture. According to her, before switching to a new diet, she constantly suffered from gastrointestinal problems, insomnia and asthma. Today, this celebrity vegan offers advice to beginners on his website, The Good Life.

Asher

This musician and dancer adopted veganism in 2012. This is due to the fact that in 2008 his father died of a heart attack, after which Asher decided to lead healthy image life.

Joaquin Phoenix

This famous vegan became one in early childhood, at the age of 3. At this age, his parents took him fishing, where he saw how the fish pulled ashore were suffocating. After this incident, he simply could not eat what was once a living creature.

Carl Lewis

One of the most famous vegans in the world, gold medalist olympic games Carl Lewis adopted veganism while preparing for the 1991 World Championships. During these competitions he managed to set a world record.

He decided to switch to veganism after meeting with two nutritionists who inspired him with their example. Adopting a new diet was not easy for him, but he was able to overcome the desire to eat meat.

Woody Harrelson

One of the most famous vegans in the world, Woody Harrelson, hosts correct image life for 25 years already. In his youth, he suffered from acne and a constant runny nose. It turned out that the problem was lactose intolerance. After this, he realized that animal products are harmful to human health.

Today, Woody Harrelson not only does not eat animal products, but also actively promotes careful attitude to the environment by example. He doesn't use mobile phone, lives on an organic farm and co-owns an organic beer garden.

Thom Yorke

One of The Smiths' songs called "Meat is Murder" made the Radiohead founder think about the fate of animals, after which he completely switched to a vegan diet. Now his diet contains absolutely no animal products.

Alanis Morissette

Alanis Morissette by 2009 had overweight and felt very bad. But one day she came across Dr. Fuhrman’s book “Eat to Live” and became a vegan. Giving an interview to OK magazine, she said that she wants to live to be 120 years old and at the moment develops a diet that can prevent most diseases. In a month of following a vegan diet, she managed to lose 9 kilograms.

Russell Brand

A vegan celebrity named Russell Brand gave up meat after watching the acclaimed film Forks Over Scalpels. After some time, he decided to switch from vegetarianism to veganism.

Morrissey

This vegan recently created quite a stir in the media with his harsh criticism of Thanksgiving. He considers it unacceptable to hold a holiday reception in the White House, because in this way the president condones the brutal murder of millions of turkeys: they are electrocuted and then their heads are cut off.

Many people love nature and animals so much that they cannot calmly eat what once lived. They decided that they could be fed and clothed without resorting to murder. Some of them even refused honey and milk, because according to nature’s plan, bees and cows make them not for people, but for themselves. It’s not that easy; some of us tried it, but they didn’t succeed.

There are many vegetarians and vegans among the actors. Not only have they changed their eating habits, but they often advocate for environmental protection and the humane treatment of animals. There is, of course, not everything here; it is impossible to embrace the immensity. But some of this list surprised us.

Jared Leto

Highlighthollywood.com

Vegetarian. Sometimes accepts vegan restrictions. At forty he looks twenty-five. Perhaps this is what it's all about. Or maybe he has an aging portrait somewhere in his attic.

Woody Harrelson

Frame: Lionsgate

Vegan. Passionate animal advocate and environmentalist.

Tobey Maguire

Frame: Sony/Columbia

Vegan. The actor who plays Spider-Man says that he never had a desire to eat meat: “Even when I was a child, it was hard for me. It had to be a perfect piece, without fat, cartilage, bones or anything like that. I don't judge people who eat meat - it's none of my business, but this problem really upsets me."

Samuel L. Jackson

Peter Yang/August

Vegan. I decided to change the nutrition paradigm in order to “live forever”; if he continues to act all this time, it will be great!

Christina Applegate

Andrew MacPherson

Vegetarian. Christina says she gave up meat so long ago that she literally forgot its taste. And he can’t imagine that he can eat differently.

Leonardo DiCaprio

AP

Vegetarian. And a fierce advocate for the environment and wildlife. He donates most of his fees to foundations dealing with environmental issues.

Russell Brand

pinterest.com

Vegetarian since 14 years old. But after watching the movie “Forks over Knives,” I decided to change my habits and switched to veganism. He stated that he did not change his vegetarianism, even when he had problems with drugs and struggled with his drug addiction.

Kal Penn

pinterest.com

The actor may have gone on a hamburger hunt in " Harold and Kumar break away", but in real life chooses vegetables instead of meat.

Peter Dinklage

REUTERS/LUCAS JACKSON

Vegetarian. The Game of Thrones star has not eaten meat since he was 16 and has repeatedly stated that he has always had respect for animals.

Brad Pitt

I have been a vegetarian for a very long time. He is so faithful to his way of eating that he even tried to instill it in his children. And he gets very upset when his wife eats meat.

Natalie Portman

flickr.com

She has been a vegetarian for over 20 years. According to Natalie, “each animal is an individual with its own character.” In addition, she is confident that in the future vegetarianism will become the absolute norm of life, and eating meat will become as shocking and outdated as racism or slavery.

Joaquin Phoenix

Mark Seliger

The actor says that the turning point in his choice to become a vegetarian was fishing with his father at the age of three. Seeing the caught fish fluttering on the shore, Joaquin firmly decided never to kill animals.

Emily Deschanel
pinterest.com

Vegetarian. The star of the series “Bones” changed the paradigm of her diet more than 15 years ago and actively promotes vegetarianism. She believes even the dairy industry is cruel.

Cillian Murphy

flickr.ru

Vegetarian. But he believes that the role is the most important thing, and for the sake of a small role in the film “Girl with a Pearl Earring” (2003), where Kililan was supposed to play the role of a butcher, Murphy, a convinced vegetarian, went to train in handling pigs at a slaughterhouse.

Alicia Silverstone

Don Flood/InStyle

Vegetarian. “When people have the chance to spend time around farm animals - pigs, cows, chickens or turkeys - they find that they treat these animals the same way they treat cats and dogs. Usually people just don't think about it because they see these animals on their plates. Why should these animals become food while other animals are pets? I won’t eat my dogs.”

Mayem Bielik

AP

Vegan. The actress and neuroscientist was a vegetarian for a very long time, but some time ago she decided to switch to veganism. Her husband and sons are also vegan.

Jessica Chastain

Lorenzo Agius/Telegraph

Vegan. Jessica absorbed this food system as a child; her mother is a chef in a vegan restaurant.

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11.12.2018 |

Vegetarianism as a philosophy of life has gained a huge number of followers around the world. Some make PR out of it, trying to attract attention, others are guided by personal principles and follow healthy eating habits.

The article is informational and does not force you to choose a specific nutrition system.

Madonna

Madonna has gone vegan

The queen of foreign pop music has become one of the most convinced followers of vegetarianism. I gave up meat for the first time at the age of 15. After starting to practice yoga and spiritual practices, Madonna became a strict vegan. Also, her diet does not contain flour or sweets.

Moby

Moby is a committed vegan

According to the singer himself, his strong love for animals became the main reason for his vegetarianism. As a child, Moby brought home an abandoned kitten, which he named Tucker. Reflections on the defenselessness of the four-legged animal and the awareness of love for him did their job. In the early 1980s, Moby became a committed vegan.

Tom Cruise

Tom Cruise replaced meat with protein shakes

The actor and screenwriter joined the list of famous vegetarians in the world more than ten years ago, in the first half of the 2000s. Cruz completely gave up meat. The lack of animal protein is compensated for by protein shakes, which Tom regularly uses to maintain excellent physical shape.

Jennifer Lopez

Jennifer gave up meat completely

Singer and distinguished businesswoman for a long time I thought about a vegetarian diet, but decided to become a vegan only in 2014. Lopez decided to completely give up milk, eggs and other products that come from living beings.

Brad Pitt

Brad Pitt eats a plant-based diet

The famous actor took the path of strict vegetarianism more than ten years ago. Brad treats this lifestyle without fanaticism, so he does not impose his beliefs on anyone. Or almost no one, because he strives to introduce the children he shares with Angelina Jolie to his own habits.

Leonardo DiCaprio

Leonardo DiCaprio gave up meat

The actor became a vegetarian in his youth, but Leonardo began to think about it as a child. He always loved animals very much, took care of them, and fed homeless four-legged animals. Having become famous, he opened several shelters for abandoned pets. Today Leo actively advocates for animal rights.

Sting

Sting is an “ethical vegetarian”

Sting has been practicing yoga for many years and follows a microbiotic diet. He refused animal food for a very long time, but recently returned to eating meat. The singer admits that this did not change his principles, and he remained an “ethical vegetarian.”

Natalie Portman

Natalie Portman does not eat animal food

When future actress turned 8 years old, her father took her to a medical conference, where the girl saw an experiment on a live chicken. This shocked little Natalie and led to her giving up animal products. Portman is not fanatical about veganism and prefers to listen to her body: during pregnancy, the actress included eggs and butter in her diet.

Julia Roberts

Julia Roberts eats organic food

The actress is often included in the list of celebrity vegetarians, but Julia herself says that this is not entirely true. She adheres to an “organic” nutrition system, which includes avoiding sweets and flour, fatty and fried foods. Roberts does not buy milk or juices and does not drink alcohol.

Natalia Oreiro

Natalia Oreiro loves lentils and tofu

The star from Uruguay came to vegetarianism more than 20 years ago - in 1997. The actress refused meat products, so her diet consists of lentils, Tofu cheese and black rice. He doesn’t consider himself a strict follower, so he sometimes drinks goat’s milk and eats products based on it.

Anne Hathaway

Ann loves vegetarian sweets

While still at school, the actress tried to give up meat, but to no avail. She joined the ranks of plant-based food enthusiasts only in 2010, after reading Foer’s book “Eating Animals.” Broccoli and vegetarian sweets are Hathaway's current favorites.

Mike Tyson

Mike Tyson went vegan

The life of a boxer was not easy: the use of illegal drugs, conflicts in the ring, the death of his beloved daughter. Looking for peace of mind Mike came to veganism. After giving up animal products in 2009, he regained his health and regained the joy of existence.

Demi Moore

Demi Moore gave up animal products

More than a dozen years ago, the actress gave up animal products to lose weight and maintain youthful skin. Most of her diet consists of steamed dishes, sprouted wheat grains, fresh vegetables, fruits and juices.

Pamela Anderson

Pamela does not wear clothes made of genuine leather

IN adolescence the future fashion model saw her father cutting up a carcass. The unpleasant sight led Pamela to completely give up meat. Since then, she has been an animal advocate and advocate for plant-based foods. Does not wear clothing made of leather or other materials made from animals.

Jared Leto

Jared Leto loves animals

The actor and musician has not eaten meat for more than 25 years. He claims that he came to vegetarianism in 1993. An ardent opponent of clothing made of leather, fur and other materials made from animals. Openly condemns people who hold different views.

Uma Thurman

Uma considers animals to be man's friends

Uma gave up meat at the age of 11. The actress is disgusted by the thought of destroying animals, which she considers human friends. The diet is dominated by vegetables, fruits, nuts and, of course, spring water, which Thurman considers a source of health and youth.

Kate Winslet

Kate advocates for animals

Since 2010, the actress has been known as a staunch vegetarian who has successfully passed on healthy eating habits to her children. Actively advocates for animal rights. Opponent of clothing made of fur, leather and suede. She periodically eats seafood, which she has not yet been able to give up.

Richard Gere

Richard Gere hasn't eaten meat for 30 years

The famous actor professes Buddhism, which was one of the reasons for his refusal of meat products more than 30 years ago. Richard constantly advocates for animal protection and even funds a campaign that aims to support an endangered breed of horses.

Blake Lively

Blake Lively loves animals very much

The fashion model and actress became a vegetarian almost 10 years ago and completely gave up meat. Blake loves animals very much, advocates for them and actively supports the fashion for kind treatment of our fellow humans. Her diet includes a lot of water, fruits, fresh or baked vegetables.

Tobey Maguire

Toby against fur and leather clothing

According to the actor, he has followed a vegetarian lifestyle since 1992. Toby notes that giving up meat was easy for him, since he had not liked meat since early childhood. Sometimes he eats honey and chocolate, but eggs, fish, milk and cheese are long gone from his diet. There are rumors that Maguire does not allow guests into his house wearing fur or leather.

Paul McCartney

McCartney urges people not to eat meat

Legendary participant " The Beatles"Also known as the most famous vegetarian. Paul has not eaten animal products for almost 40 years, and his wife Linda opened the way to a plant-based diet. McCartney is passionate about all living things; as part of his “Meatless Mondays” campaign, he encourages people to go without meat at least once a week.

Cillian Murphy

Killian hasn't eaten meat for 15 years

According to the actor, until 2013, he did not eat meat products for 15 years, because he was terribly afraid of getting mad cow disease. This was the reason for the refusal. But to participate in the series Peaky Blinders, Murphy urgently needed to gain weight, so he turned to a sports trainer who taught Killian to eat meat.

Orlando Bloom

Orlando eats the "five-factor diet"

The actor’s strong love for animals led him to veganism. He has not eaten meat for more than 10 years and prefers to eat according to the book “Five-factor diet” by Pasternak. Subsequently, Orlando gave up dairy products, fried and fatty foods.

Jessica Chastain

Jessica doesn't eat meat on principle.

The actress became a vegetarian almost from birth, since all members of her family respect all living beings. Jessica, on principle, does not eat meat, and also excluded fish, cheese, eggs and milk from her diet because of the chemicals used in animal husbandry.

Naomi Watts

Naomi Watts: "Beans are better than meat"

The actress has been a vegetarian since she was 15 years old and admits that she likes canned beans much more than meat. IN recent years Naomi completely abandoned animal products. Contrary to prejudices about vegans, she feels great and looks younger than her age.

Gwyneth Paltrow

Gwyneth hasn't eaten meat for 20 years

According to the actress, a little more than 20 years ago, meat completely ceased to be part of her diet. Colleague DiCaprio played a key role in this, as he was the first to “sow” thoughts about vegetarianism in Gwyneth. Paltrow prefers sprouted grains, fish and vegetables to meat products.

Alec Baldwin

Alec Baldwin went vegan

Actor Baldwin gave up meat at age 13. His father kept a calf, and the future actor fed it from a bottle and did not suspect that he was feeding the animal exclusively for slaughter. Since then he has not eaten meat. Having received a diagnosis diabetes mellitus", in 2011 Alec became a vegan.

Samuel Jackson

Samuel gave up meat and dairy products

The actor announced his transition to vegetarianism 4 years ago. According to Jackson, advanced age forced him to give up meat and dairy products. This year Samuel will celebrate his 70th birthday and main goal– stay healthy and vigorous for at least another couple of decades.

Woody Harrelson

Harrelson hasn't eaten meat for over 30 years.

In his youth, the actor ate a lot of burgers and suffered from acne, which he could not get rid of. One day on the bus, a beautiful stranger advised Woody to give up meat and dairy products. This helped fight acne. For 34 years, Harrelson has remained a strict vegetarian.

Bryan Adams

Bryan Adams prefers vegetables

The singer joined the list of vegetarian stars 30 years ago - he does not eat animal products and actively advocates for the protection of living beings. One day, Brian was poisoned by meat, which was the reason for his refusal. Subsequently, the entire Adams family joined this food system.

Kim Basinger

Kim Basinger advocates for animals

The actress is known as an ardent opponent of animal cruelty and a strict vegetarian. She stopped eating meat at age 11. He advocates for the protection of animals and encourages people to give up meat products. Sometimes he does this demonstratively, declaring in the White House that foie gras is for modern man- this is barbarism.

Olivia Wilde

Olivia follows a strict diet

The actress became a vegetarian at the age of 12 and is considered a strict vegetarian. She doesn’t hide the fact that she “lost it” several times and ate meat. Olivia admits that refusal is not easy for her, but her reverent attitude towards animals wins. Wild prefers vegetable stews and green smoothies.

Joaquin Phoenix

Joaquin Phoenix is ​​vegan

According to the actor, he decided to become a vegetarian at the age of 3 after fishing with his father. The impressionable Joaquin still remembers his childhood experiences of the sight of fluttering fish, so his diet consists exclusively of vegetables. Eats in restaurants with vegan menus. Opponent of fur and leather.

Peter Dinklage

Peter Dinklage loves animals very much

The film and theater actor became a vegetarian at the age of 16, because he loves animals very much and does not accept their destruction. Not long ago, Peter gave up all animal products and declared himself a vegan.

Nelly Furtado

Nelly Furtado eats only plant foods

A strict vegetarian from a young age. The singer is convinced that a person’s health of body and good spirit is ensured by avoiding animal products. Nellie does not tolerate cruelty to animals, so she eats only plant foods.

Bill Clinton

Bill Clinton went vegan

The former President of the United States became a vegan in 2010 after suffering complex operation on the heart. Bill states that it was the vegan diet that helped save his life and restore his health. A few years later he began to eat only plant foods.

Eric Roberts

Eric Roberts gave up meat and fish

The actor took the path of vegetarianism a little more than 10 years ago. He opposed the destruction of animals from early childhood. Today Eric's diet contains no meat, fish, butter or milk. Roberts sees the refusal of animal products as a person’s consciousness and responsibility towards his fellow humans on the planet.

Alicia Silverstone

Alicia Silverstone has gone vegan

The actress discovered vegetarian nutrition at the age of 22. The main reason became overweight, which provoked criticism from journalists and Alicia’s fans. Refusal meat food helped Silverstone in the fight against asthma and insomnia. Subsequently, she became a strict vegan.

Kristen Bell

Kristen Bell gave up meat as a child

Kristen Bell, like many foreign celebrities, came to vegetarianism very early. She stopped using meat products at the age of 11. Refusal was easy and resulted in great well-being. Kristen loves our little brothers.

Alice Milano

Alyssa Milano loves broccoli

The actress’s friend became an eyewitness to the tragedy of September 11, 2001 and shared with Alice his experiences that the smell of burnt flesh followed him literally everywhere. Afterwards, Milano realized that she could no longer enjoy barbecue and other meat dishes. Prefers broccoli and light vegetable pizza.

Singer Pink

Pink advocates for animal protection

For more than ten years, the star of the American stage has been following a vegetarian diet and openly expresses indignation at those who wear clothes made of genuine leather. Actively advocates for animal protection. She repeatedly wrote letters even to Queen Elizabeth, reporting her indignation at the fur worn by her guards.

Emily Deschanel

Deschanel is a strict vegan

The actress became a vegetarian in 1991. The reason was a documentary about agriculture“Diet For a New America,” which really impressed Emily. Today Deschanel is a strict vegan and encourages people to give up meat at least occasionally.

Christina Applegate

Christina completely gave up meat products

The film actress became a vegetarian at the age of 15. According to Christina’s recollections, in a restaurant she was served a dish with medium-cooked meat. At that moment, the realization of the dead animal came, which led Applegate to completely abandon meat products.

Casey Affleck

Affleck for humane treatment of animals

A staunch vegetarian for 23 years, he came to this in 1995, because he believes meat is the cause of cruelty and inhumane treatment of animals. He strongly condemns farming and encourages fans to follow his nutritional philosophy.

Russell Brand

Russell Brand goes vegan

Actor and comedian Russell became a vegan after watching documentary film"Forks over Knives", which was released in 2011. The study on the effect of food on the body made such a strong impression on Russell that it was not difficult for him to give up meat. The brand prefers to eat plant-based foods.

Leona Lewis

Leona Lewis protects animals

The singer became a vegetarian at the age of 12. Leona is upset ill-treatment with animals and the defenseless position of the latter. She is actively involved in charity projects to protect our fellow human beings and promotes the elimination of meat products. In 2012 I became a vegan.

Martina Navratilova

Martina Navratilova chose vegetables and cereals

More than 20 years ago, tennis player Martina Navratilova gave up animal products and began to eat vegetables, fruits and cereals. According to the athlete, a vegetarian diet allowed her to prolong her professional career.

Kal Penn

Kal Penn for plant-based eating

The famous actor and talented producer gave up meat more than 10 years ago, preferring plant-based products. According to Cal, a vegetarian diet helps maintain excellent appearance and fills the body with energy.

Linda Blair

Linda Blair advocates for animals

The actress has not consumed meat products for more than 20 years and has dedicated a significant part of her adult life to the Animal Welfare Fund. Linda is very kind to all living beings and opposes violence against animals. Her diet consists of plant foods, with no place for fish, poultry or eggs.

Adam Levine

Adam Levine gave up meat

The singer and actor came to vegetarianism through yoga in 2007; for 11 years he has been eating only plant foods. Adam is convinced that to maintain a person’s health, what nature provides is enough. Actively encourages people to give up meat.

More and more people in the modern world are switching to a vegetarian diet as a sign of humane treatment of animals. For some, giving up meat becomes a forced measure, for others it becomes a requirement of reason. However, in all cases it is important to maintain balance and listen to your own body.

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 solely for weight loss and maintaining a healthy lifestyle. 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 them.

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

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

Veganism also has a number of varieties:

1. 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.
2. 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.).
3. 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 excess weight, liver damage, 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 justification 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.

At home, Plutarch was also very respected: he with dignity bore the title of priest of the Delphic sanctuary, worked as consular and procurator of the province of Achaia. 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 brush stroke 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:

1. “Truly man is the king of beasts, for what other beast can compare with him in cruelty.”
2. “We live by killing others: we are walking graves!”
3. "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.”
4. “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 the 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:

1. “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 animal cruelty, and you can improve your health. All you have to do is become a vegetarian. So think about it, this great idea!»
2. "If slaughterhouses had glass walls, everyone would become vegetarians"

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. According to the singer himself, a healthy lifestyle and a plant-based diet help him maintain his excellent appearance: “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 suggestion 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. Firstly, the star recognizes the dangers of meat dishes and tries to take care of her 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.”

Having adopted 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 contributed to strengthening 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:

1. “How can we hope for peace and prosperity on earth if our bodies are living graves in which slaughtered animals are buried?”
2. “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.