Russell Simmons Discusses the Importance of Eating Healthy Food and Criticizes the FDA

Many would not picture millionaire hip-hop mogul Russell Simmons as a vegan. Most, presumably, would assume the magnate eats lobster and filet mignon on his private jet. However, Simmons is a strong proponent of the vegan lifestyle, and believes that many Americans are being duped into eating foods that ultimately degrade their health and nutrition. Simmons recently released a book entitled The Happy Vegan: A Guide to Living a Long, Healthy, and Successful Life, and appeared on The Breakfast Club to promote his style of living.

Russell Simmon's advocacy of the vegan lifestyle has often been vocalized. He says that the "comfort foods" he ate as a child left him feelings dispeptic and unenergetic. Thus, he switched to a vegan diet, and immediately felt more virile. He also says that after 15 years of being a vegan, others in his circle have decided to adopt the lifestyle and make a conscious effort to eat healthier foods.

Simmons first discussed his perceptions of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.

"People think the FDA is looking out for you," Russell Simmons said. "They're telling you milk is a food group. You're lactose-intolerant. If you're black or if you're Jewish, especially. And if you're white, mostly. You are lactose-intolerant. There's nothing good. You're not getting calcium from milk. Milk does not do a body good. What I did is I wrote a book that's simple...I wrote a simple book that you can digest the idea. It's also a simple book that you can do it and save a lot of money being vegan. Cause the idea that being vegan's expensive is a misconception. So, I just wanted to clear that up and show people that they can have stuff that we like."

Simmons also shared his belief that humans are naturally meant to be vegans, and that meat and other food items procured from animals are not doing any positive services to our bodies.

"This idea that that's part of your diet, culturally," he said. "No matter where you're from, is not true. People are not meant to eat that kind of meat. So, we killing ourselves and I just wanted to share...I think naturally-It's in all the scriptures, not to eat [meat]. Even the Jews said be vegan...When they say it's organic and this, so many loopholes. The government is paid to allow those loopholes. And they poison us."

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Russell Simmons