Beyoncé’s “Given Up Meat”—With One Exception

When Beyoncé Knowles-Carter does just about anything, the world listens. Whether she’s breaking music records, expanding her business empire, or sharing intimate details about her life, her influence is undeniable. With 32 Grammy Awards—the most for any female artist—and more than 319 million Instagram followers, Beyoncé has cemented her position as a global icon. 

Beyoncé/Instagram

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Her 2023 Renaissance World Tour grossed an impressive $579 million, further solidifying her status as a dominant force in entertainment. And, it turns out, the mother-of-three has been fueling her continued success with a mostly meat-free diet.

Beyoncé moves away from meat

Beyoncé first got inspired to follow a plant-forward diet more than a decade ago. In 2013, Beyoncé and her husband Jay-Z decided to take on trainer Marco Borges’s 22 Days Nutrition plant-based challenge. The 22-day program is based on the principle that it takes 21 days to break a habit, with the 22nd day marking the start of a new lifestyle. 

Inspired by their experience, the partnership eventually led to the launch of 22 Days Nutrition, a plant-based meal delivery service designed to make plant-based eating accessible and sustainable.

Shortly thereafter, Beyoncé championed The Greenprint, a movement launched alongside Borges that promotes the environmental and health benefits of plant-based diets. In their foreword for Borges’ 2018 book The Greenprint: Plant-Based Diet, Best Body, Better World, Beyoncé and Jay-Z explained their personal journey with plant-based eating, emphasizing how having children transformed their outlook on health.

“Once we looked at health as the truth, instead of a diet, it became a mission for us to share that truth and lifestyle with as many people as possible,” the couple wrote. 

They encouraged fans to take small steps toward reducing their consumption of animal products for both personal and environmental benefits.

The “Beychella Diet”

Beyoncé’s plant-forward diet first gained significant attention during the rigorous preparation for her historic 2018 Coachella performance. She adopted a restrictive regimen that eliminated not only meat but also carbs, dairy, sugar, and alcohol. 

This diet, which she discussed in her Homecoming documentary, was designed to get her back into peak physical condition after the birth of her twins, Rumi and Sir. In the documentary, she revealed the toll it took on her, saying, “In order for me to meet my goals, I’m limiting myself to no bread, no carbs, no sugar, no dairy, no meat, no fish, no alcohol—and I’m hungry.” 

Beyoncé/Instagram

Beyoncé’s Coachella diet, sometimes referred to as the “Beychella Diet,” sparked widespread discussion—not just because of its extremity, but due to misunderstandings about plant-based eating. 

“Beyoncé used a very low-calorie crash diet to lose weight fast,” registered dietician Ginny Kisch Messina, MPH, RD, told VegNews in 2019. “It’s true that the more restrictive your diet is, the easier it is to eat fewer calories and lose weight. But if you’re hungry all the time and not enjoying [your] favorite foods, then your diet isn’t sustainable for the long run.”

Six years after her historic Coachella performance as the first Black woman to ever headline the festival, Beyoncé has evolved her diet but still chooses to avoid consuming most meat products, with one exception, she explained in a recent interview with GQ.

“I’ve given up meat, except for turkey, this summer,” Beyoncé said in the interview. “I’m trying to focus on my health, taking my supplements, and eating very clean.” 

Beyoncé gets into the whiskey business

In addition to abandoning the calorie restriction of the so-called “Beychella Diet,” it seems Beyoncé has also reincorporated alcohol back into her lifestyle.

Beyoncé’s newest venture is a whiskey brand called SirDavis, which the 43-year-old named after her great-grandfather, Davis Hogue. Produced in collaboration with Moët Hennessy, SirDavis is another example of Beyoncé breaking barriers, this time entering the white male-dominated whiskey industry. 

“Whiskey isn’t just for old men in smoky bars; it’s for anyone who appreciates depth, complexity, and a bit of mystery,” Beyoncé said in the ’GQ’ interview. 

Her great-grandfather’s legacy, combined with her passion for the craft, inspired her to create a whiskey brand that reflects both family heritage and innovation. For Beyoncé, the creation of SirDavis is not just about launching a product—it’s about honoring her Southern roots and challenging long-held industry norms. 

SirDavis

“Making liquor has been in Southern families like mine for many generations,” she said, noting that the recipe for Jack Daniels was created by its master distiller, Nathan “Nearest” Green, a former slave.

Much like her breakout country album, Cowboy Carter, SirDavis represents Beyoncé’s ability to transcend multiple boundaries while reclaiming the respect Black innovators deserve for their contributions to American history. 

“I’ve learned that true success isn’t about leaning on a name; it’s about crafting something genuine, something that can hold its own,” Beyoncé said. “It’s not about being perfect. It’s about being revolutionary.”