You've heard the expression "Walk your talk?" Well, people want former President Bill Clinton to follow a diet in line with his talk. In recent years, the former President has proclaimed himself a vegan, attributing his renewed energy and slimmer body to his plant-based diet. Just one problem: His latest interview about his diet noted that he eats fish and eggs "once a week or so," reported the Post and Courier on September 6. And if he doesn't recant or clarify, the purists in the world of vegan politics just may be tempted to make him eat his words along with a nice serving of tofu humble pie.
The background: Former President Clinton told AARP magazine that he's lost weight by following a vegan diet. In the interview published in the August/September issue of the magazine, he chirped, "I’ve stopped eating meat, cheese, milk, even fish. No dairy at all ... I have so much more energy now! I feel great.”
Former President Clinton even recommended that the nation follow his plant-based politics, declaring that "the way we consume food and what we consume” are linked to rising health care costs. After setting himself up as a purist vegan diet role model, he then casually noted that "once a week or so" he eats salmon or an omelet, which he claims is necessary to "maintain iron, zinc and muscle mass." Oops.
Why the brouhaha in the vegan boardroom over this statement? Because of the distinction between following a vegan lifestyle and a plant-based diet. Veganism is clear-cut: No animal products of any kind - and sorry, Mr. President, but that includes those eggs that made your omelet and the fishy in your serving of salmon. Our suggestion: Do some reading about how you can get those vitamins, minerals and "muscle mass" on a plant-based diet: Check out our list of recommended vegan and plant-based cookbooks by clicking here.
