No, I’m not on a vegan diet—at least not this summer.

I’m currently traveling in Europe, the bread and cheese capital of the universe. I already know that some of my kitchen requests will get lost in translation and that my veggie soup will at some point include a bone broth, so I keep it real and do the best that I can. I’m sure I’ll do better than last summer’s “accidental diet“—I hope.

Anyway, on to Beyonce. I like her a lot. I even made this wacky Kale tribute video to her 7/11 clip:

She’s a phenomenal musical entertainer and will go down as a legend. Although her acting chops and even her fashion sense are questionable to some, Bey hit the bullseye with her vegan food venture.

And everyone needs to stop hating on her for it.

So Beyoncé passes her Popeye’s Chicken lifetime membership to Kylie Jenner and picks up a healthier diet and the Internet implodes? And so what if she made it an “Important announcement.” Health is important. Looking at all the backlash, she probably figured she had to pull a bait and switch to get people’s attention. Some argue that they don’t want health advice from a celebrity, but why not? We all know that this isn’t the first time a celebrity has endorsed a diet plan, and it won’t be the last.

A friend on Facebook joked a while back that: “Beyoncé is somewhere eating bacon counting vegan money,” and he may be right. As a fellow vegan food business owner, I feel her hustle. In a way, selling health products seems immoral as helping others should be something that we do for free. But the paradox is that we gotta eat too. What’s wrong with her starting another business?

Regardless of her past, present or private dietary preferences (and the true definition of vegan) 22 Days is a step in the right direction that’s sure to inspire some (and not others). Studies show a vegan diet is an excellent way to maintain health, but global society shows it may not the only way.

As always, there are exceptions to the rule, but the majority of us could use way more fruits and veggies. Yes, there are 100+-year-old Cuban women who smoke cigars, eat Cuban sandwiches and drink more Coca Cola than water, but best believe that they counter balance that with other lifestyle choices. Vegan or not, most people (who can afford it) could stand to benefit from Bey’s 22 Days biz.

When I give advice about adopting a vegan diet, I always say the same thing,: stay humble, because the truth is, 84 percent of vegans return to eating meat. New vegans are notorious for showboating their new-found lifestyle, so I can understand why some see her announcement as annoying. The difference between us and Beyoncé though is that she can instantly influence millions—so why should we try to stop her?

Vegan haters are everywhere, from the confused waitress, to a combative co-worker. The world can be hard on people who want their holiday veggies cooked in a separate pot. When over a third of the US population is obese, diet can be a touchy subject. Not only is food our source of nourishment, it is also rich with tradition and personal preferences, so having the seemingly Flawless Queen Bey judging our kitchens may be a bit much. Especially because she’s right, we need more plants on our plate.

Call me, Mrs. Carter. Let’s cook.

 

Author: Lynnette Astaire

Editor: Evan Yerburgh

Image: Wikicommons Media