Cutting off meat in a daily diet is a commendable feat, especially in a local culture brimming with animal-derived dishes. But with self-discipline and the right resources, some Filipino celebrities have made the decision to become vegan or vegetarian, foregoing animal meat or animal products altogether.
Whether it’s for animal welfare or health reasons, these famous local names have turned to the leafy side of life at one point. Before making the big leap, take some inspo from them below!
LIST: Filipino Celebrities Who Have Been Vegan or Vegetarian
1. Nadine Lustre
After dipping her toes in a fish-only diet—a.k.a. pescetarianism—Nadine Lustre has delved into a purely vegan lifestyle, as she revealed back in 2021. According to a previous interview, the actress-singer had made the big switch for the sake of animal welfare, saying that they “deserved to live in this world as much as I do.”
And her philosophy isn't just limited to food. The internet’s president also puts her vegan lifestyle into practice with her fashion choices, opting not to buy leather goods. Most recently, Nadine has championed vegan brands in the streets of Paris Fashion Week.
2. Atasha Muhlach
Reasons may vary when a person chooses to live the meatless life, and Atasha Muhlach is a prime example. While studying college abroad in London, the daughter of Aga Muhlach and Charlene Gonzalez had to live an independent life, which involved some serious penny-pinching.
To save on the exorbitant cost of meat, the now-TV host opted to go vegetarian for a whole year. “[Meat is] super expensive, so I was like, okay, I'm gonna go vegetarian. Because the vegetables can last me one whole week for the worth of one chicken breast. I was like, okay, this works,” she revealed in one interview.
3. Maxene Magalona
As a yogi, Maxene Magalona applies yoga’s moral codes into her daily life—including a plant-based diet. While celebrating World Vegan Day in November 2020, the actress discussed yoga’s ideals of “ahimsa” or non-violence in Sanskrit, which states that humans must not cause harm to other living beings.
“It also helps us become kinder and more compassionate as we truly believe that what we eat becomes our energy so consuming only cruelty-free food allows us to vibrate in the same kind of frequency,” she said. Aside from vegan food, Maxene also forgoes products that are made from leather, silk, and wool.
4. Geneva Cruz
The 47-year-old singer-actress Geneva Cruz has long worn the badge of veganism. Dating back to when she was 15, Geneva had switched to a veggie diet when she spotted animals in their natural environment while filming a commercial in Palawan. Since then, the all-around performer has starred in pro-veganism ads and even bagged the title of Sexiest Vegetarian Celebrity in the Philippines by the People for Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA).
5. Yasmien Kurdi
Yasmien Kurdi isn’t a stranger to a life of vegetarianism, having promoted the lifestyle as early as 2007. During those days, the actress starred in a “go-veggie” ad for PETA, highlighting animal welfare and the benefits to human health.
*This story originally appeared on Preview.ph. Minor edits have been made by Cosmo.ph editors.
