Jaden Smith has been in the limelight his entire life, both from his famous father, Will Smith, and his own roles in films from a young age. As he has a big fanbase, many are curious about his life. More specifically, many of his fans have been wondering if Jaden Smith is vegan.
Jaden Smith was previously a vegan, but is now vegetarian. Jaden Smith decided to become vegan but says he was not getting enough protein. This started to make him sick, so he changed to a vegetarian diet instead.
Continue reading to find out what it means to be vegan and vegetarian and how it affected Jaden Smith’s life.
What Does it Mean to be Vegan?
As Jaden Smith is no longer vegan, but is instead vegetarian, some people have been wondering what the difference is.
A vegetarian is a person who does not eat meat or seafood. But being vegan goes one step further.
A vegan is a person who eats no animal products. So, in addition to no meat and no seafood, vegans also do not eat animal by-products. This means no eggs, dairy, or products made from animals like leather.
Why Jaden Smith is No Longer Vegan
Jaden Smith has said that when he was vegan, he was only eating two meals a day, sometimes only one. This may be because he did not know enough about veganism and what he could eat.
Due to Jaden missing meals continuously, he started to become sick. He says, “I wasn’t looking good, I wasn’t feeling good, I wasn’t sleeping.”
His health took a turn for the worst when he was in Australia. He was so nauseous and dizzy that he had to be taken to the hospital.
His parents, Will Smith and Jada Pinkett-Smith became very concerned about his health. So concerned in fact, that they had an intervention with him.
His mother said, “Will and I had a bit of an intervention with Jaden because he’s a vegan now, but we realized he wasn’t getting enough protein. So he was wasting away. He just looked drained, he was just depleted. He wasn’t getting the nutrients.”
It is clear that Jaden and his parents all believed that he was sick from his vegan diet. It is likely, however, that Jaden was just not eating enough to get the nutrients he needed.
It is a common misconception that vegetarians and vegans do not get enough protein because they don’t eat meat. This is false because most plant foods are packed with protein.
Things like tofu, nuts, beans, spinach and even vegan/vegetarian meat replacements all have a lot of protein.
So, although Jaden could have found vegan alternatives for protein, he instead became vegetarian. He says he does still try to eat vegan meals when he can though.
Vegan Celebrities
Though Jaden Smith may not be vegan anymore, there are plenty of celebrities who were or still are.
Ellen DeGeneres is the host of The Ellen DeGeneres Show which Jaden Smith has appeared on before. Like Jaden, Ellen used to be vegan. She was actually a vegan for eight years.
Unlike Jaden, however, Ellen says that when she was vegan, it was the healthiest she has ever been. She still tries to upkeep a vegan diet, but does eat fish and eggs.
One of Jaden Smith’s celebrity friends, Miley Cyrus, is a vegan. Jaden has been the third wheel on a date with ex-couple Liam Hemsworth and Miley Cyrus before.
Both Miley and Liam are vegan. Liam became vegan by being inspired by another actor friend, Woody Harrelson who has been vegan for over 30 years.
Miley has been called a “super vegan” before by PETA as she is very vocal about being vegan.
So, even though Jaden Smith is no longer strictly vegan, he is still trying to uphold a vegan and vegetarian lifestyle like some of his celebrity friends.