Genelia Deshmukh reveals, ‘our son put Riteish and me on road to veganism’; know benefits of vegan diet

In recent years, there has been a lot of awareness among B-town celebrities about animal cruelty. This is the reason why many celebs now follow a completely vegetarian diet except chicken and mutton. Going vegan can be a big change in our lifestyle and it also means that you get your nutritional needs completely from plant-based products.

Recently, Bollywood power actor-couple Genelia Deshmukh and Riteish Deshmukh shared that three years ago and the idea of turning vegan was implanted by her elder son, Riaan Deshmukh. This one change has brought many positive changes in their lifestyle. 

World vegan day: Excellent health benefits of eating vegan food

“Our energy levels while working out are much higher compared to when we were non-vegetarian. It feels like the body has more oxygen,” Riteish shares.

“He came home from school and told me, ‘Aai, you love Flash (our dog) and you eat chicken. Both are animals. What’s the difference?’ That put me on the road to understanding what I was doing,” she recalls.

After this, the actor-couple took the initiative to replace all animal-based products with only plant-based products i.e. vegan food. After adopting this diet they found positive and better results when they went to the doctors and later they decided to feed the same vegan feed even to their children. The power couple is now spreading awareness about veganism in society and its benefits. 

“It is not just about veganism, but growing awareness [about it]. With every bite, it’s a conscious decision that one takes. We are trying to share something that we have experienced after becoming vegan. We did our blood work, and the doctor says it looks younger. So, there’s quantifiable proof. It’s one step for animals who cannot speak for themselves,” says Riteish.

Genelia, 35, feels she and her husband will “always be vegan”, but for their sons, following the lifestyle forever or giving it up will be their choice. “They are in school and they often go to birthday parties, where they cannot eat half the things. But they have never complained about it. They feel that it’s their cause too. As parents, we smile and feel that we are in it together,” she concludes.

Some benefits of a vegan diet: 

1. Vegan diet includes foods rich in antioxidants, which prevent chronic diseases from occurring such as blood pressure and diabetes.

2. It does not contain cholesterol at all and even it is very low in saturated fats. It reduces the risk of major problems and keeps your heart and body healthy.

3. It also helps in protecting the environment and also reduces your carbon footprint.

4. It helps to control your diet and your unhealthy food habits.

5. A vegan diet helps you lose excess weight by reducing your calorie intake and increasing your protein intake.

6. You get all the necessary and required amounts of protein and other nutrients and a vegan diet.