Are Vegans sexier than non-Vegans?

By Monique Bellamont - December 2014

Are Vegans sexier than omnivores? According to PETA, yes they are - at least compared to the average omnivore. And having met quite a few vegans myself, I tend to agree.

Just this month PETA named Thandie Newton and David Haye the sexiest vegans in the United Kingdom. What exactly makes a vegan sexy? Well, veganism is known to cause beneficial health effects and those tend to lead to a great physique. Looking good is definitely sexy. Also, the reasons why people have chosen to become vegan can be quite sexy. If one chooses to refrain from eating animal products because they see that it is inhuman and unethical then that can be quite sexy too. Indeed, choosing to save the lives of innocent animals is definitely a sexy trait in a human being because it shows the capacity for compassion, a highly level of empathy and a keen sense of self awareness. These are all ideal traits in a possible mate. PETA evaluated celebrities in the UK on these criteria and came up with Thandie Newton and David Hyde. Let's look at what made them stand out from the crowd.

Health Benefits of Veganism

Just looking at PETA's choices and you will know that they fit the great physique categories. Thandie Newton is a beautiful actress of Zimbabwean and British descent. She can be considered petite by any standard and looks like she could go down any runway and fit right in. Ms. Newton has herself talked about the beneficial health effects that becoming vegan has provided her and her family. David Haye on the other hand is a professional boxer and became vegan while competing professionally. At first he was concerned that becoming vegan could negatively effect his ability to participate in professional boxing. Specifically, he was worried about losing muscle mass and not having access to enough protein. After doing a lot of research and trying several different vegan diet options out David discovered that he can maintain a level of muscle that would be more than adequate for professional boxing. Vegan food can provide just as much protein as a diet that contains meat. For example, Rawlicious, a Toronto raw vegan restaurant, which provides several different vegan smoothies options that can be fortified with Hemp Protein and SunWarrior Brown Rice Protein.

Ethical Implications of Eating Meat

Both Thandie Newton and David Haye have expressed why they decided to become vegans. They have both proclaimed a distaste for subjecting animals to cruelty and the potentially dangerous nature of modern industrial food production. Thandie Newton specifically sited her fear that exposing her children to the hormones and antibiotics that are given to industrial farm raised animals was too much a a risk to take. She’s stated, “I don’t want any kind of suffering of any living form .… Animals are being pumped full of growth hormones which are then getting fed to our kids. And it’s affecting the water, environment”. She fears that these hormones and antibiotics could potentially cause sickness later in life. As well she expressed her confusion with modern diary production. She found it ironic and nonsensical. She wrote on twitter that, "while expressing my milk realized that the equivalent for cows is my milk going to the mouths of people who murder and eat my family". Clearly she feels that taking a cows milk and then taking a cows life is a horrible irony that is too unethical to be part of. David Haye has expressed similar distaste for the unethical treatment of animals. He too took issue with the way modern industrial farms operate. He stated, “I watched a TV documentary about how animals are farmed, killed and prepared for us to eat”, he explained. “I saw all those cows and pigs and realized I couldn’t be a part of it any more. It was horrible. I did some research to make sure I could still obtain enough protein to fight and, once satisfied that I could, I stopped. I’ll never go back.”

Both these celebrities are definitely sexy in their own right. They have the bodies, brains and talent to be considered sexy by any measure, but when you add their stance on the ethical treatment of animals on can easily see why PETA chose them to be the sexiest vegans in the UK for 2014.

20 Foods You Should Be Eating

January 2014.

#1. Green Veggies - Eating lots of green vegetables prevents many different kinds of cancer - it is a proven fact. So whether it is lettuce, broccoli, peas or whatever green veggies are your favourites, you should be eating them more often.

#2. Green Tea - A single cup of green tea has more antioxidants in it than a large piece of broccoli, and antioxidants prevent cancer.

#3. Lean Crispy Bacon - When bacon is fried until it is crispy and lean, and near devoid of fat, it is actually quite healthy and a good source of protein. And the taste of crispy bacon is so good it feels like a treat.

#4. Apples - Chemicals inside apples lower your food cravings and also lower your addictions to other things too, including alcohol, cigarettes and even gambling addiction - it does this by reducing the hormones caused by addiction.

#5. Lake Fish - Lake fish like trout is very healthy for you because they contain lots of Vitamin D and other nutrients, but without all the pollutants that are sometimes found in oceanic fish.

#6. Skim Milk - I know it doesn't taste as good as 2% or 1% milk, but skim milk is waaaaaaay healthier for you due to its significantly lower fat content.

#7. Eggs - Lots of protein, tastes great, and the yolk has added vitamins and nutrients that are difficult to find in other foods, which means a large egg is a bit like swallowing a large multi-vitamin pill.

#8. Raspberries and Strawberries - Honestly they're high in iron, nutrients, natural sugars and they taste amazing. What is not to like?

#9. Chickpeas - High in protein, very healthy for you, and they go well in soups, stews and chilis - they're basically a bean, but taste way better.

#10. Sweet Peppers - Healthy and a little bit of spice goes a long way. Sweet peppers aren't very spicy, but they're enough to liven up your meals.

#11. Smoothies - It is like a milkshake but with fruit or berries in it. Who doesn't love that? Totally worth investing in a blender.

#12. Nuts and Peanuts - Protein and Omega-3s. Makes a great snack and goes well with chocolate!

#13. Whole Wheat Bread - White bread is really unhealthy for you and addiction to white bread is one of the primary reasons so many Americans are overweight. Whole wheat is much healthier!

#14. Dark Chocolate - Tastes better than milk chocolate (there is no milk in "milk chocolate", it is just sugar) and it is healthier.

#15. Salsa - Combined with whole wheat tostitos, this is a great healthy snack for when you have friends over.

#16. Cranberries or Cranberry Juice - High in iron and antioxidants. Cranberries are reaaaaaaaally good for you. Including cranberry sauce!

#17. Corn - Corn is very high in nutrients and minerals, but also more difficult to digest. This means that you get huge nutritional benefits from corn, while simultaneously reducing how much you eat because corn fills you up faster.

#18. Sweet Potatoes / Yams - Tasty and nutritious!!!

#19. Carrots - I love carrots! There are many ways to eat carrots (my favourite is carrot sticks), but they're very high in vitamins C and D - which are both really good for you.

#20. Water - You can never have too much water in my opinion. Water purifies your body by cleaning away toxins in your system. Aim to drink an extra 2 litres of water per day above and beyond what you are currently drinking and see all the benefits after a month of drinking healthier. The extra water removes excess sodium from your system, and reduced sodium lowers your fat storage and water retention. That is right, drinking more water actually reduces water retention.

Learn more about different healthy foods you can eat and add to your diet by visiting CardioTrek.ca.