Natalie Portman Gives Up Vegan Diet

By Sarah Crow Posted Apr 11th 2011 10:00AM

Natalie Portman's pregnancy has brought about some interesting cravings for the health-conscious mom-to-be.

The former self-proclaimed "vegan activist" realized that continuing to live free of all animal products no longer suited her, Us Weekly reports.

Portman, who adopted a vegan diet after reading Jonathan Safran Foer's book, 'Eating Animals,' told Atlanta's Q100 Bert Show, "I actually went back to being vegetarian when I became pregnant, just because I felt like I wanted that stuff. I was listening to my body to have eggs and dairy and that sort of stuff."

The actress, who recently launched a line of vegan shoes with company Te Casan, said of the switch, "If you're not eating eggs, then you can't have cookies or cake from regular bakeries, which can become a problem when that's all you want to eat."

"I actually wanted eggs at the beginning and then they grossed me out after awhile," she says of her broadened diet. "I know there are people who do stay vegan," she added, "but I think you have to just be careful, watch your iron levels and your B12 levels and supplement those if there are things you might be low in in your diet."

So is the switch permanent? It seems likely that Portman, who is due this summer, may revert to her former diet after giving birth, considering her strong convictions.

"We are capable of considering others' minds and others' pain," she told the Huffington Post of others who favor a vegan lifestyle. "Whereas those who justify eating animals say the same thing: We are not them. They do not merit the same value of being as us. They are not us."

Tags: natalie Portman

Comments

(45)

Monday 02 May

By SaroBabe

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Hey peeps..
my husband is a lacto-ovo-vegan since birth, meaning he eats only vegs, including eggs and milk and he is as fit as fiddle at almost 50 and people often mistake him at only late 30s.. Vegan/Vegetarian diets are super healthy and in fact prevents most illnesses and diseases if u eat right. And yes, humans are meant to be vegetarian, it's due to the structure of our stomach and intestines and scientifically proven. We just taught ourselves to eat meat. For me, I can't say I'm totally vegetarian cos I am still trying to beat that cravings of mine... But I'm all for encouraging vegetarianism and healthy diet living. Stay healthy, folks :)

Monday 13 June

By louise

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To all the people who say we are omnivors. We are actually herbivors: our intestines are designed for plants only. If we would be carnivors, we would have huge teeth like cats, dogs and lions and would be able to devour our prey alive, without cooking them like we do.
A vegan diet is actually very healthy as long as you eat enough seeds, nuts and beens and take the b12 supplement. Of course there are also unhealthy vegans as well as there are healthy meat eaters. It depend very much how the rest of your diet is, and if you eat organic foods.

Wednesday 15 June

By jaguar6cy

Obviously people do not understand that Ms. Portman now craves and wants to eat those kind things. As a result all is well. While what you may want and crave is of no importance, to her. She has a very interesting philosophy toward others

Thursday 16 June

By Tara

Some ppl are so ignorant! Yes a vegan diet can be perfectly healthy but you have to more concious of obtaining certain B-vitamins, protein, and iron, especially when pregnant! but vegans consume less cholesterol, sat. and trans fat, and unnatural hormones than meat eaters. They also have less incidences of certain cancers, hypertension, diabetes, and cardiovascular disorders. You can be perfectly healthy as a vegan and so can your baby as long as ensure you are getting needed nutrients, which most americans do not do, vegan or not.

I totally agree with you! I am a lacto-ovo veg. also for 5 yrs., and am healthier and feel better than I ever had. To each is own but research shows vegetarians and vegans who follow a healthy diet, which is not as hard as it seems, tend to live longer. You can just as easily follow an unhealthy vegetarian diet as you can a meat diet. Most vegetarians know more about nutrition, and what they need, than non-vegeatarians.

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