NBA Hall of Famer Shaquille O’Neal’s shocking revelation on May 1 caught everyone by surprise: he’s going vegan.
The 50-year-old, who stands at 7’1 and weighs 320 pounds, shared the news on Rip Michael’s “Urban Eats and Treats.”
“Urban Eats and Treats,” a food and travel series, is a part of Kevin Hart’s Laugh Out Loud Productions and began airing last month. Featured guests included DJ Envy, Bill Bellamy, Nick Cannon, Russell Peters, Deon Cole, Tamar Braxton, etc.
During a promotional clip, the pair, who were seen at Atlanta’s Slutty Vegan restaurant, talked about O’Neal’s transition to veganism. Although the father of six didn’t disclose why he decided to take the plunge, he did, however, reveal his favorite meals.
He said, “I’m switching over to vegan. My friend introduced me to this place [Slutty Vegan], and it’s healthy. For example, I like cheeseburgers, right. But the way she cooks it, I can eat healthy but still feel like I’m eating bad.”
Despite O’Neal not providing information behind the change, countless people become vegan for numerous reasons, including health benefits, environmental concerns, and animal welfare.
According to a study found on Harvard Health Publishing, those who maintain a plant based diet will lower their chances in getting heart disease, type 2 diabetes, and some cancers compared to those whose diets consist of meat and other animal products.
O’Neal wraps up the clip by shutting down the claims that he eats at the restaurants where he is part owner. The list included Papa John’s, Auntie Anne’s, and Krispy Kreme, just to name a few.
No additional details about O’Neal’s lifestyle change have been released to the general public.
