Black Vegans – Sheryl Underwood Takes the Vegan Challenge
The latest celebrity to take on a month-long vegan challenge is Sheryl Underwood, co-host of the television show, “The Talk.” Underwood was inspired by her colleague, Sara Gilbert, who is vegan. The two recently sat down with TV Guide for an interview to explain why the self-proclaimed bacon-lover is considering veganism.
“I do love bacon. [Laughs] Bacon, bacon, bacon!” said Underwood. “I’m not trying to be trendy and my goal is not to give up meat forever, but I want a lifestyle change. I want to lower my blood pressure and jump-start my metabolism — and do it all naturally. People think I picked February to go vegan because it’s the shortest month. No! I’m doing it as a Valentine to me! I read Sara’s book and I see the way she eats.”
While Underwood may be coming off as not taking it seriously, she seems to be pretty dedicated to giving this a try.
“Steve Harvey told me, ‘If you’re gonna do it, do it in public — because the public will hold you to it!’”
Gilbert said she was shocked when she first heard about Underwood’s plant-based challenge, but is happy to help out her friend.
“I think it’s awesome Sheryl is being so open about this because it can be scary to make big changes, especially with the audience watching,” said Gilbert.
Underwood certainly appreciates the help. She said, “I like that [Gilbert] trusts me enough to know I am not joking around with something she believes in so strongly. By helping me and teaching me, maybe the two of us can help other people try it, too. I have a lot of Twitter followers who want to give it a shot right along with me.”
Gilbert is both realistic and optimistic about Underwood’s vegan trial run. “…That’s what it’s really about — giving it a try. I don’t know that Sheryl will be vegan the rest of her life. She may need to find a middle ground. But I do know this trial period is going to change her life for the best in ways she doesn’t yet realize.”
Underwood said that she’s been slowing leaning into a healthier diet since the new year by eating less meat, replacing butter with olive oil, and eating more whole foods in place of processed foods. And while this seems like more of a plant-based goal than vegan, Underwood did say that animals fit into the equation for her.
TV Guide Magazine: So this has nothing to do with kindness to animals?
Underwood: Oh, that, too. I’m going through “the change” right now — menopause, baby! — and everything makes me cry. Violent movies. Any commercial with a dog in it. I have this whole new sensitivity going on. [Laughs] I’d rather kiss a cow than eat it.
Read the interview in its entirety over on TVGuide.Com
Category: Veganism and African Americans
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