Jennifer has often been vocal about animal rights, and she is an animal lover as well, but is the Friends star vegan?
No, Jennifer Aniston, is not actually vegan. She believes in eating healthy and prefers whole foods to pre-packaged foods, but her diet comes from both animal and plant-based sources. However, Jennifer does not believe in restrictive or ‘fad’ diets.
Jennifer Loves Animals
Jennifer has often spoken about how much she loves animals. Speaking to People about her love for animals, she said, “If I could have a llama, a pig, an alpaca, sheep, goats, I would.” Jennifer loves dogs in particular and has had four pet dogs to date.
Her first dog was Norman. Later, she adopted Dolly, Sophie, and Clyde when she was still with her ex-husband Justin Theroux. Clyde and Sophie still live with her. Jennifer has also talked about how she feels close to her dogs; she says, “Men come and go but there really is no relationship like the one you have with a dog – and then they don’t live as long as they should. You have to say goodbye way too soon. It’s just so sad. It makes me so sad. But their love is unconditional and I love that.”
When Norman, Jennifer’s first dog, died, she got a tattoo of his name to remember him. ‘When he went at the age of 15, I was heartbroken and I had his name tattooed on my right foot so he still comes for walks with me,’ she told Dogs Monthly.
Jennifer’s Diet is A Part of Her Wellness Routine
Jennifer lives following a philosophy of wellness; which comprises many aspects. Her diet is simply one of them. She has said to Yahoo, ‘We have a choice. We can be really good all the time and be around for a really long time. But it also feels good when you give yourself some breaks and self-tending.’
For spiritual wellness, she takes part in ‘goddess circles’ before major events. She told The New York Times, “I’m entering into what I feel is one of the most creatively fulfilling periods of my life. I’ve been doing this for 30 years and I feel like it’s just about to really bloom.” Jennifer also practices Transcendental Meditation, or TM, which she started in 2015. She says ‘I started doing TM and that’s really changed everything. Starting your day off with that and ending with that is pretty powerful.’
Jennifer Aniston also uses intermittent fasting for health benefits. This is a regime that involves fasting for upwards of 16 hours a day, although you must stay hydrated even when fasting. Her workouts include yoga, boxing, and running; five days a week.
Jennifer likes to eat healthy and only consumes whole foods. However, that does include meat, as well as other animal products like eggs. She says, ‘I always have cut raw vegetables in a Tupperware container. Hard-boiled eggs are always great to have in the fridge, as well as a big head of butter lettuce. I also include protein, such as pulled chicken.’
Jennifer Has Spoken Out Against Animal Abuse in The Past
All four of Jennifer’s dogs were rescues; she is a part of the Adopt, Don’t Shop movement, which aims to support shelters over shops and breeders because the latter two are often seen to be mistreating parent dogs, and also because, as many activists point out, you can’t justify bringing more dogs into this world when there are already so many of them who need homes. Jennifer supports at least three charities that support this movement and often promotes others.
Jennifer appeared in the 2009 documentary The Cove, which speaks out against the abuse and slaughter of dolphins in Japan. She was among the many celebrities who narrated the story of Ric O’Barry, who, in the 1960s, made many efforts to expose the dolphin drive hunting in a cove in Japan. The documentary spread a lot of awareness and helped garner more support for the cause.
Jennifer Has Faced Some Backlash from Animal Right Activists for Consuming Meat
Some animal activists have critiqued Jennifer as being a hypocrite because of her diet; for instance, she seems to feel sorry for dolphins being slaughtered but does not speak out about the terrible conditions that animals live in, inside slaughterhouses. She pays for and consumes their meat, and some believe that her ‘selective compassion’ is problematic. Jennifer has not publicly addressed these concerns.