This week, news was published that Zac Efron was no longer vegan. Just add him to the long list of famous people half-heartedly giving the lifestyle a go, realising it’s not for them, and very publicly announcing their return to omnivore status. Or more often than not, an even more carnivorous diet than they had before.
But does any of it really matter? When trends and fads come and go in the often seemingly vacuous world of celebrity, does anyone really care that yet another star has given up on veganism? Well, yes they do, actually. I care. I think that other vegans care. But why? If I consider the world of celebrity to be faddy and superficial, why should I or anybody care about what diet a celebrity follows?
Well, despite it being treated as so by many, veganism is not a diet. It is, as defined by The Vegan Society, “a philosophy and way of living which seeks to exclude—as far as is possible and practicable—all forms of exploitation of, and cruelty to, animals for food, clothing or any other purpose”. It is so much more than a diet to many of us. Following this philosophy means that what we consume shouldn’t come from, or involve cruelty to animals, but this also includes all of the household products we use, our beauty items, and our clothing. All of it must, where possible, have been produced without any harm to other beings. Most vegans are passionate about animal rights, believing that other animals have an equal right to a peaceful, cruelty and exploitation-free life. And this is why the word vegan means so much to us – it’s almost sacred.
But those who are anti-vegan use every tool in the box to invalidate vegan arguments. Whether it’s the fact that vitamin B12 needs to be supplemented, or the misinformation that some vegan staples, like soya, are more harmful to the planet and wildlife than livestock farming, anti-vegans don’t need much reason to throw an argument back at us vegans, as to why our lifestyle is wrong.
In recent years, there has been a trend towards lifestyle and wellbeing. I’m not complaining, because as an NHS GP, anything which makes being more healthy fashionable gets a thumbs up from me. And as this trend in wellbeing has continued, the benefits of a plant based diet have been getting more recognition. A plant based diet is usually rooted in veganism, so this is good news, right? Yes! Vegans rejoice at the movement of more people towards a cruelty-free lifestyle; it doesn’t matter how they get there, it’s just important that they do. But if your main motivation is your own health and wellbeing, it’s easy to let the new habits and lifestyle slide when you feel you’re not achieving this.
Zac Efron explained that his “body wasn’t processing the vegetables in the right way”. {Cue big eye roll from me} Humans are omnivores. This means we can digest any food group. We’re not obligate carnivores, nor are we herbivores. Unless we’re suffering from a small number of usually rare diseases, we can eat, pretty much, anything. So in 2022, when many of us have access to almost any food, what we put in our bodies really is down to choice. So what was Efron describing when he told his interviewer that he couldn’t process vegetables?
Fruits and veggies are chock-a-block full of fibre. If your bowel isn’t used to this, it can take a while to acclimatise to the effects of a fibre-rich diet. You can experience bloating, wind, cramps and more regular bowel movements. But this is all normal, and is due to the good bacteria in your gut – the microbiome.
Our gut is full of bacteria, viruses and other tiny organisms, known collectively as the gut microbiome. We are only just learning the full extent to which the balance of these organisms impacts our health – from our hearts to our immune systems, and our risk of diseases like cancer. The gut microbiome is different in everyone, and very much influenced by what we eat. But generally, that of meat eaters will be very different from that of plant-munchers, and if you aren’t really consuming much fibre, then a sudden change to a diet rich in fruit and vegetables can come as quite the shock. The symptoms that can ensue, of bloating and gassiness, soon resolve if you keep going with lots of fibre, as the microbiome will start to adjust.
For somebody who has become vegan after learning about the atrocities committed in the meat, dairy and egg industries, these side effects seem minimal and acceptable. And once you’ve opened your eyes to the cruelty committed in the name of taste, it’s really hard to go back. But if you’re newly plant based, purely or mostly for your health, it’s going to be really hard to convince yourself to carry on if you feel worse than when you started. But why not ‘each to their own?’ I hear you ask! To a certain extent I agree. Those who aren’t ready for veganism yet will get there in their own time, and every step in that direction is a wonderful thing. But please don’t call your healthy, plant based diet veganism. It’s not. Veganism is so much more than this, and so much more important than a fad diet. And every celebrity who announces their veganism, then tells the world that it was bad for them, is harming the journey to a cruelty free world.
Thanks for reading,
The Vegan Doctor