(Updated June 16, 2019.) Comedian, actor, and producer Kevin Hart is the latest celebrity to say he’s adopting a vegan diet.
In a video posted to his Instagram Story, Hart told his fans that while he already eats healthy, he’s “taking it up a notch,” and will be going vegan “for a while.”
The fitness enthusiast told his followers “I’m going to start eating better,” he said. “I already eat good but now I’m going to get on this plant-based food kick.”
The comedian followed up with another Instagram story with a Carl’s Jr. Beyond Star Beyond Burger in his lap that he said he was about to “devour.” The comedian told his fans in Los Angeles to head over to the fast food restaurant to try the burger. “This plant-based movement is real,” he said.
Celebrities Go Vegan
Last month former “American Idol” judge Simon Cowell said he had adopted a vegan diet as he approaches his 60th birthday later this year. The television star said he’d been dealing with recurring health issues that ditching meat and dairy quickly fixed.
“A friend of mine, who is a doctor, recommended speaking to an expert, and I did it on a whim. I was allergic to melon, so I didn’t eat it for six months, but I saw this man and he explained it and it made sense,” Cowell said in a recent interview with the Sun. “Within 24 hours I changed my diet and I’ve not looked back since. You feel better, you look better. I cut out a lot of the stuff I shouldn’t have been eating and that was primarily meat, dairy, wheat, sugar – those were the four main things.”
Filmmaker Kevin Smith went vegan in 2018 after suffering a massive heart attack. The shift helped him to lose weight and reduce his cholesterol medication. Rapper Will.i.am also saw significant health improvements after his recent shift to a vegan diet. While both stars went vegan for their health initially, they’ve shown an increasing awareness of the ethical issues with meat-eating as well. Smith has appeared in several campaigns urging people to ditch animal products. Will.i.am worked some lyrics into a recent Black Eyed Peas song as well.
Cowell too may be motivated in part by animal suffering. The star highlighted rescue dogs on his Instagram feed and joined a list of celebrities calling for an end to the dog meat trade.
Beyond Meat
Hart’s announcement comes as Beyond Meat became the first vegan meat company to go public last week. It listed on Nasdaq last Thursday in the biggest IPO in the U.S. in nearly 20 years. The company’s stock prices climbed 163 percent on opening day and the California startup was valued at nearly $4 billion.
The company gave away thousands of burgers on Friday, which it dubbed “Beyond Day” after the IPO. Musician Snoop Dogg filmed a promo inside the Beyond Meat truck where he was giving out vegan burgers to former baseball player Nick Swisher.
Hart’s video shows his chef preparing Beyond Burgers in his kitchen as he discusses all of the products the company currently offers. “I’m on it,” he said, “I’m jumping in feet first.”
