Is Zoe Kravitz Vegan?
Both Zoe Kravitz’ parents (Lenny Kravitz and Lisa Bonet) are famous for their vocal relationships with plant-based diets and veganism, but is daughter Zoe on board with it too?
This article looks at Zoe Kravitz’s complicated relationship with veganism.
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Who is Zoe Kravitz?
Zoe Isabella Kravitz was born on December 1st, 1988, in Los Angeles, California. She is the only daughter of singers/actors Lisa Bonet and Lenny Kravitz.
She has worked as a fashion model and has also crossed over into film and TV acting.
She has appeared in numerous films and shows including The Divergents, Big Little Lies, Fantastic Beasts, Mad Max: Fury Road, and is scheduled to play Catwoman/Selina Kyle in the upcoming Batman movie.
Zoe is from African-American and Jewish descent and identifies as a ‘secular jew’. She has admitted that she struggled with anorexia and bulimia during high school and up until age twenty-four.
Zoe was raised by her mother on a full vegan/plant-based diet.
Embed from Getty ImagesGrowing Up Vegan
“My mom would always make quinoa with squash and kale; hippie stuff like that.
Now I eat meat, but I try to be conscious of where it comes from. But I generally stick to vegan health food just because it’s how I grew up.”
So, it looks like Zoe hasn’t fully embraced her vegan roots. She also stated that she uses fish oil supplements for the ‘benefit of her skin’.
Zoe was born in 1988 and raised on a full plant-based diet, which was considerably rarer back then than it is now. Lisa said that her and Zoe’s diet consisted of protein enriched pasta, soy yogurt, guacamole, broccoli, split pea soup, rice, and other plant-based food.
Lisa and Lenny divorced when Zoe was five years old and Zoe lived with her mother (who maintained the plant-based diet) until the age of eleven, when she moved to Miami to live with dad Lenny, who at the time was said to have been eating either a vegetarian or pescatarian diet, which may have been her introduction to non-vegan foods.
Mom Lisa has been vocal about both the ethical side of a plant-based diet as well as the health benefits. She claims that reading John Robbins’ ‘Diet for a New America’ in 1987 was what inspired this lifestyle choice.
In 1990, she appeared on The Phil Donahue Show to discuss vegetarianism, veganism, global warming, and dietary choices. She described the agricultural industry as a “total manipulation to keep a lot of people rich.”
She also said that Amazon rainforests shouldn’t be destroyed “so you can have another cheese burger.” It’s safe to say Lisa was certainly ahead of her time.
Teenage Years
Zoe hasn’t publically stated at what age she made the move towards eating a meat-based diet (or what inspired that decision) but she did say the following in an interview:
“[I remember] waking up to find Ashton Kutcher in my kitchen when I was around 15. He was making omelets and asked if me and my friend wanted omelets too, we said yes, and we all ate omelets together.”
A key ingredient in omelets is eggs, so it is clear she was experimenting with a “flexitarian” diet by her mid-teens.
It is unclear whether her teenage struggles with anorexia and bulimia contributed to or played a role within eating animal-based products.
Embed from Getty ImagesWhat Zoe Eats Now
“Now I eat meat, but I try to be conscious about where it’s coming from.”
Thankfully, by age twenty-four Zoe had fully recovered from her struggles with eating disorders, and nowadays, she promotes the benefits of a plant-based and non-processed diet. Zoe likes to eat as clean as possible and says she is very mindful about what she puts in her body.
That said, she still eats animal products (which aren’t compatible with a full “clean” diet) and has expressed her love of eating eggs for breakfast.
She also eats a lot of oats, avocados, juice, water, dried fruits, peanut butter, and sometimes lean protein (chicken and fish) in her meals. She is also said to love red wine.
While she avoids processed foods, she believes everything is okay in moderation:
“But if you want to go to McDonald’s every once in a while, do it! But it’s about clean food that hasn’t been processed.”
McDonald’s Controversy
While McDonald’s is making an effort to cater to vegan fast-food fans, the company is known to be a huge contributor to mass deforestation in the past.
However, they have claimed to be working with their suppliers in a pledge to provide a menu that doesn’t impact the environment the way deforestation does. Time will tell whether this pledge will be honored and will help move towards a more sustainable fast-food industry.
“I Don’t Believe in Depriving Ourselves”
Since recovering from her struggles with eating disorders, Zoe has adopted a love of food and doesn’t believe we should “deprive ourselves.” Her go-to treats include chocolate, “anything with” peanut butter, and occasionally indulges in whiskey or red wine.
She is also a lover of both coffee and tea, but advocates the importance of drinking enough water, although she admits she herself sometimes struggles with this:
“Trying to drink enough water is such a huge thing. I really don’t. Sometimes I’ll realize it’s 5 p.m. and I’ve had the tiniest glass of water. I try to go to the gym or at least walk and move my body around.”
Conclusion
Zoe certainly isn’t ignorant about the realities behind food and where it comes from, so we hope she will have another stab at adopting a full vegan lifestyle again in the future. She is living proof that children can sustain and grow up healthily on a plant-based diet.
Her leanings towards fresh, non-processed foods, as well as her proclaimed ‘vegan health food’ is a good start, but the full elimination of meat, dairy products, as well as other unethical products, such as palm oil, will benefit her health and wellbeing, as well as the preservation of the environment and forsaking of animal cruelty within the food industry.
