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In the last few years, a number of high-profile celebrities and influencers have publicly abandoned their “vegan” diets.
One of the most well-known of these was Miley Cyrus. The musician confirmed in a 2020 interview that she had introduced fish into her diet, claiming that eating plant-based had “affected her brain.” Toward the end of last year, actor Jenna Ortega confirmed she’d abandoned her veganism while filming for Netflix show Wednesday. She stated that she wasn’t meeting her “nutritional requirements” while on set in Bulgaria.
But it’s not just celebrities who have publicly moved away from plant-based eating. Some high profile figures in the vegan movement have also gone on to reintroduce animal products.
Former ‘vegans’
In February 2023, Alex O’Connor (known for his YouTube channel Cosmic Skeptic) released a statement confirming he was no longer vegan. He said he was “re-evaluating his ethical position on eating animals.” O’Connor had previously been a well-known vegan figure, and was even slated to speak at Vegan Camp Out this year.
So-called “ex-vegans” cite a range of reasons for renewed consumption of animal products. These often focusing on perceived health shortcomings of plant-based eating. The apparent trend of quitting veganism was the subject of a recent video called “Vegan Diets Don’t Work,” posted by popular YouTube channel “What I’ve Learned.”
In response to the arguments put forward, Plant Based News founder Klaus Mitchell has presented a new YouTube video.
In it, he examines popular vegan figures – including Cyrus, O’Conner, John Venus, Alyse Parker, and Bonny Rebecca – all of whom have moved away from plant-based eating.
With the help of plant-based doctor Dr Matthew Nagra, he debunks some of the ethical and health claims made by ex-vegans. These include the notions that fish and eggs (popular foods among ex-vegans) can be ethical. And, that diets high in meat are good for health.
Mitchell, who personally knows some of the subjects of the video, explains that their arguments often don’t add up. Perhaps most importantly, he points out that their credentials as true vegans were often in question in the first place.
Many “ex-vegans,” therefore, were far more likely to have been people on plant-based diets, rather than those truly following the lifestyle.
The video premieres at 7pm BST on April 7. Set a reminder here:
Check out Plant Based News’ YouTube channel for more videos like this.
