What do Serena Williams, Colin Kaepernick, and Taraji P. Henson have in common besides being famous? They are all vegan.
The vegan diet, which is 100 percent plant-based, has been around for centuries. However, in recent years, it has become a preferred lifestyle diet as more and more people take ownership of their health and well-being.
According to Pew Research in 2016, eight percent of Black Americans identify as strict vegan or vegetarian. In fact, Blacks account for the fastest growing vegan demographic.
Scientific evidence shows that a plant-based diet improves health and helps combat illness and disease. As is often noted, food is medicine. By studying urine, blood, and fat samples, researchers discovered that vegans had the healthiest levels of antioxidants, saturated fat, unsaturated fat, and vitamin levels.
How can Black Americans benefit from a plant-based diet?
Numerous studies have shown that Black Americans have higher rates of heart disease, high blood pressure, cancer, diabetes, stroke, sickle cell disease, and peripheral artery disease (PAD). According to the American Heart Association (AHA), choosing a vegan diet lifestyle can lower the risk of all these diseases.
After watching elders suffer from diseases, many Black Americans are being proactive and opting for healthier practices to improve their well-being. More are choosing to speak out about it too, which is fueling the movement.
Going vegan has become a big trend among celebrities
Celebrities who have gone vegan and spoken out very publicly about the impact include Will.i.am, Russell Simmons, Waka Flocka Flame, Erykah Badu, and Stevie Wonder.
Beyonce has also done vegan challenges with her husband, Jay-Z, where they follow a vegan diet for a set period of time and have encouraged fans to join them. In 2016, rapper YG told The Breakfast Club that he has gone vegan because he noticed people around him getting cancer due in part to eating processed foods.
Tennis star Venus Williams is a proud vegan who credits her diet for improving her health. In response to a diagnosis of an autoimmune disease called Sjorgren’s syndrome, Williams changed her diet. As she told Health, “I started for health reasons. Iwanted to maintain my performance on the court. Once I started, I fell in love with the concept of fueling your body in the best way possible. Not only does it help me on the court, but I feel like I’m doing the right thing for me.”
Veganism is a healthy trend that has a positive impact on the environment and on our bodies. Even if you can’t commit to going fully vegan, it is fun to challenge yourself to eat one vegan mealper week or to do a month-long vegan challenge like Beyonce. Bringing awareness to the foods you are consuming and taking even small steps to change your diet will make a difference you’ll notice and enjoy.
Williams told Health, “I started for health reasons. I was diagnosed with an autoimmune disease, and I wanted to maintain my performance on the court. Once I started I fell in love with the concept of fueling your body in the best way possible. Not only does it help me on the court, but I feel like I’m doing the right thing for me.”
Overall, going vegan seems to be a healthy trend that has a positive impact on the environment and on our bodies. Even if you can’t commit to going fully vegan, it is fun to challenge yourself to eat one vegan meal per week or to do a month-long vegan challenge like Beyonce. Even small steps can have a positive impact on your health and bring awareness to the foods you are consuming.
*Please note: soulWELL advises you to consult with your doctor concerning any treatment, dietary , supplement or exercise changes.