Why are you a vegetarian?”
I’ve been asked this question again and again.
My first attempt to become a vegetarian started in high school, and to say that it was an epic failure is a total understatement. First of all, I did it solely to test my willpower. I was the biggest carnivore who despised all things green and leafy. The crackling sound of bacon and eggs frying in the morning was music to my ears, the smell of fried chicken was intoxicating, and the mere sight of a burger was enough to send me into a Pavlovian frenzy.
When I started my initial journey into a meatless diet, I found myself lamenting over the state of my sad meals. Once, I was subjected to a token side dish of carrots, corn and peas with mashed potatoes — a combination that is usually eaten alongside a thick juicy steak — which by the way, everyone else on my table was eating. And so after one week of what seemed like torture, I reverted to my carnivorous ways and quickly headed to the nearest drive-thru joint.
But then years later in college, I decided to give vegetarianism another go, but this time, I had a more meaningful motive to do so. I had embarked on a spiritual quest, thanks to my Indian best friend who taught me the ways of meditation and philosophy, and came across the concept of ahimsa, or non-violence. Being the ultimate animal lover, it was an epiphanous moment that made me realize this tenet applied to all sentient beings. And so, the very next day, I quit eating meat. And while I have to admit that it took me another year before I parted ways with seafood and eggs, that transition helped me get on the road where there was no turning back.
Becoming a vegetarian is one of the best decisions I have ever made in my life. But don’t just take my word for it. Read on to find out why these four celebrities have made the switch.
Yasmien Kurdi: Saving animals is her favorite role
Young and talented actress/ singer Yasmien Kurdi may play every character imaginable on the screen, but in real life, her favorite role is saving animals and spreading the word on vegetarianism.
Why I don’t eat meat:
When I was a little girl growing up in Kuwait, I saw my father slaughtering lambs before parties and celebrations. I could see the absolute terror in the animals’ eyes, and I always used to fight with my dad about it. I stopped eating meat when I realized that other animals who are killed for meat were just as scared and helpless as those lambs. I became a vegetarian when I was growing up in Kuwait but went vegan only two years ago.
A vegan diet is the most compassionate and healthy, that’s why I choose it. By becoming a vegetarian you are not only improving your life but also the lives of others. You’ll feel pride in knowing that you’re not supporting a cruel industry and you’re helping the environment, too! I try to be a good role model for my fans hoping that they, too, will help animals.
What I enjoy eating:
I stick to a variety, though potatoes are my favorite and french fries are my guilty pleasure. I also really enjoy leafy green vegetables like malunggay and kangkong.
My fave vegetarian restaurants:
Anything from the restaurant Greens Café, which serves the best mock meat dishes on the planet. I also love Indian food.
Most frustrating moment as a veg:
There haven’t been any because being vegetarian is so much easier than most people realize! Gone are the days when all you could eat was a salad and french fries. Meatless has gone mainstream. Almost every restaurant offers at least one vegetarian meal, and grocery and health food stores are full of specialty vegetarian products, like veggie burgers and other yummy soy-based foods. Of course, it’s also as easy (and tasty) as vegan pie to whip up a healthy meal using fresh veggies, beans, and whole grains. My friends are very supportive and I even try to introduce them to new vegetarian dishes that they love.
My biggest challenge, though, has been in helping other people to see beyond the stereotypes of a vegetarian diet. Vegetarian foods are just as (if not more) flavorful as meat-based foods, and there is such a huge variety of things to eat that I could never get bored. Unfortunately, some people have a narrow view of “vegetarian food.” I love to introduce my friends and family to exciting new vegetarian dishes and watch their faces light up when they discover how delicious they are!
Funniest thing ever said to me by meat eaters:
I can’t think of anything specific, but what I’ve told meat eaters is if they want to contract swine flu, bird flu, and all those other animal-borne diseases — or if they want to die an early death — then they should eat meat! Hahaha! I know it’s a bit harsh, but I like to be direct when talking about animal issues and I think this makes meat eaters seriously rethink their diet … though outwardly we laugh about it.
My favorite line as a veg:
This is funny, but I tell them that going vegetarian made my metabolism rate go faster, enabling me to lose weight faster, too! This is a fact!
Geneva Cruz: ‘Why go vegetarian? Why not?’
Why I don’t eat meat:
We were in this location in Palawan where all the animals were just roaming free! Free! All I had to do was feed one of them and say, “Natural!” We kept doing that, take after take … I couldn’t take it anymore, not after that. For me, being vegan is not about the diet. It’s really about my love for all creatures. I believe that I can only inspire other people, I never impose or compel them. My being vegan, it’s a personal thing. My family, my son, my in-laws, they love meat. I call them meatatarians. And that’s fine. But for me, I’ve been vegan since I was 15.
My fave veg restaurants:
Pho Hoa, Bellissimo on Tomas Morato owned by Cesar Montano (my cousin’s hubby), and Mexicali are my fave restaurants.
Most frustrating moment as a veg:
In provincial tours, it gets frustrating ’coz most of the time, they don’t have veggies or tofu served for the artists. One time, I had to eat rice with toyo and calamansi for lunch and dinner.
Funniest thing ever said to me by meat eaters:
“WHY?!!!!” My answer is “Why not?!!” There.
Pam Anderson: ‘Mock-chicken adobo is to die for’
Why I don’t eat meat:
My passion for animals first surfaced when I was a little girl. One time, I happened into the shed behind our house after my father returned from a hunting trip, and I came face to face with a beautiful deer, her dead body splattered with blood, hanging upside down. I shrieked, my dad never went hunting again, and I promised myself that from that moment on, I’d always protect animals.
Many people don’t realize that chickens, pigs, fish, and cows are interesting and intelligent animals who have individual personalities, just like dogs, cats, and people do. Eating meat supports cruelty and suffering. Go vegetarian! You’ll help save animals, the planet, and your own health.
What I enjoy eating:
Chinese veggies and tofu, the vegan Reuben sandwich at Flore in LA, the veggie burgers from Astro Burger, and KFC Canada’s faux-chicken wrap.
My fave veg restaurants:
I’ve heard that vegetarian restaurants are popping up all over the place in the Philippines, and I can hardly wait to go there and try them all out. A great Filipino restaurant near my house in Los Angeles makes a mock-chicken adobo that’s to die for, using a meat substitute made from tofu — it’s cruelty-free and is made without all the cholesterol of meat.
Funniest thing ever said to me by meat eaters:
It’s pretty funny when a meat eater tells me that he or she is an environmentalist. The meat trade is the number one cause of global warming!
Owain Yeoman: This beefcake is an animal lover
Why I don’t eat meat:
I was the biggest meat eater you could imagine, but I also am an animal lover. Christmas last year, my wife served me an amazing faux-meat dinner and didn’t tell me that it wasn’t real meat and it was so, so good. She revealed to me later that I had just eaten an entirely vegetarian meal and it became clear to me that being vegetarian would not only be easy and satisfying, but I realized then that I could no longer reconcile being a part of anything that caused so much harm to so many animals on a daily basis, so I cut out the meat and I feel physically better and my conscience is clear.
What I enjoy eating:
I am a veggie burger connoisseur! There are great veggie burgers all over LA where I live, and the bigger, the better. I really like hearty food like potatoes and good fresh vegetables. I love lasagna and tacos and a good curry. The great thing about being vegetarian is the taste of these dishes really comes alive because it is fresh and you don’t get that greasy, heavy feeling you get with meaty stuff. I feel lighter and healthier. I am a big foodie so it is fun to cook with an entirely new way of looking at food — meat doesn’t have to be the centerpiece and that’s been a liberating discovery.
My fave veg restaurants:
There are so many good ones these days all over the world, but in LA where I live, I like Flore in Silverlake on Sunset; Madeline Bistro on Ventura in Reseda, Bulan for Thai food is amazing and I really like Real Food Daily as well.
Funniest thing ever said to me by meat eaters:
Someone once asked me if I wasn’t concerned that vegetarianism will “stunt my growth” and at 6’4” and 190 pounds, the last thing I am worried about is my growth being stunted!
My favorite line as a veg:
I don’t like to preach about it, but when people ask, I simply say that I couldn’t call myself an animal lover and still eat animals. There’s no difference between the terrified pig who’s fighting for her life in a slaughterhouse and the dog I live with at home who I love so much. Their pain is the same … their fear is the same and I simply don’t want to do anything that causes harm if I can avoid it. In this day and age of evolved food preparation and the availability of vegetarian food, there’s no excuse. There’s an abundance of choice and choosing cruelty-free is both ethically and nutritionally satisfying.
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A big thanks to PETA (People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals) for helping me get the answers of the celebrities.
E-mail me at eatyourtofu@yahoo.com.