Mark Wahlberg Eats Vegan for His Health

(Updated July 9, 2020) Mark Wahlberg has been eating vegan food for his health.

In a recent interview with Men’s Health, the actor said he eats a plant-based diet five days a week. At the weekends he sometimes eats fish.

Before switching to a predominantly plant-based diet, Wahlberg said he felt tired, and his doctor suspected he had leaky gut syndrome. He was then put on a bone-broth cleanse, before a steamed vegetable diet. After this, he started to feel much better and decided to “lean in” to plant-based eating.

“I want to grow and evolve and be in the best possible shape for life,” he told the publication. “That’s being strong, mobile, flexible, no inflammation, feeling good.”

It’s not the first time he’s spoken about his diet. Earlier this year, in an episode of “Vs The Internet,” a Men’s Health YouTube series, the star of “The Fighter” (2010) answered reader questions. One fan asked “bro, do you fast?”

Wahlberg replied that “Normally, I never fast.” The video shows a photo of the 48-year-old’s physique. “In this particular shot, I was eating eight meals a day,” he added.

During that time, his eight meals a day consisted of “sometimes steak two times a day. Just eating like, chicken, fish, steak, pork. I found myself towards the end of the movie, six months in, having a leaky gut.” 

“I’ve been eating just plant-based for about three weeks now,” he continued. “And I gotta tell you, I feel really good. It’s been nice.”

Plant-Based Diets and Gut Health

According to Marcelo Campos, MD, a lecturer at Harvard Medical School and primary care doctor at Harvard Vanguard, the animal product-heavy Standard American Diet (SAD) may be a key driver of leaky gut syndrome.

This is because SAD is “low in fiber and high in sugar and saturated fats,” he told Harvard Health. Campos added that eating a eat “a nutritious, unprocessed diet that includes foods that help quell inflammation (and avoids foods known to trigger inflammation).”

According to Harvard Health, foods that cause inflammation include red and processed meat, French fries and other fried foods, refined carbohydrates, soda, and margarine, shortening, and lard. Anti-inflammatory foods include leafy greens, tomatoes, berries, and nuts.

Wahlburgers x Impossible Foods

The Academy and Golden Globe Award-winning actor co-owns the fast-casual burger chain Wahlburgers, which he opened with his brothers, chef Paul Wahlberg and actor Donnie Wahlberg in 2011. The Hingham, Massachusetts-based restaurant added the plant-based Impossible Burger to the menu in January 2018.

“Our customers have been asking for a delicious, meatless option and we are always looking for new ways to boost the Wahlburgers experience for our guests,” Paul said in a press release.

Wahlberg apparently started eating more plant-based food after the chain launched the Impossible Burger. In March 2018, TMZ spotted him dining with NFL Patriots tight end Rob “Gronk” Gronkowski at the newly-opened Miami-based vegan restaurant, Planta.