Mediaplanet spoke with Canadian guitarist Bryan Adams about living vegan and the new oat milk drink company he co-founded, bettermoo(d).
What’s the most common misconception you hear about living vegan and how do you respond to it?
Basically, there are people who are into it and people who want to continue to eat animals and I believe that’s not ever going to change. But there’s a better awareness of how to look after yourself now than ever before, and even fast-food places are jumping on the bandwagon and offering vegan options.
What inspired you to become vegan?
I had been working my butt off and I needed to be able to keep up with the schedule. I read up on different diets, but every article I read about plant-based diets made more sense to me, particularly the fact that we’re made up of a lot of water, and plant water is the best thing for us to rebuild cells and expel toxins. Plus, it made sense with my activism. I was supporting organizations that were supposedly protecting animals, but I figure you can’t support environmental organizations and carry on eating animals and fish — it doesn’t make sense. I realized that everything I was brought up eating was not only hurting me but also the planet. I didn’t want to be a part of that cycle. Those are the reasons why I quit eating animal products.
Did you have personally have any difficulties adjusting to a plant-based diet?
Not at all. If anything, it was everyone else that had problems with my change. I got ribbed in the beginning, especially from my band! A few years later, they all became veggies, and all on their own doing, I didn’t pressure them.
While touring around the world, do you see more vegan options appearing worldwide?
For sure, especially in California. There’s a huge movement toward it. Vancouver, where I’m from, has always had a good hippy community, and lots of veggie restaurants popped up in the ’70s. Now, there are companies in Canada, like LeGrand and VG Gourmet in Montreal, making incredible alternative foods — not only burgers and falafels made from beets but yogurts and cheese from cashews. There are also companies like bettermoo(d), which I’m aligned with, making oat milk drinks.
What do you believe are some advantages to living vegan that a lot of people might not be aware of?
You’re asking the right guy because I’m 30+ years into it and it has served me well. I hardly ever get sick, and when I do, I seem to recover easily. I had COVID-19 last month and luckily had no symptoms. There was a commentary published in the American Journal of Medicine, which cites a study showing that the more the diet is based on plants, the less risk of severe COVID-19. It’s written by Dr. Neal Barnard, president of The Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine and an NIH-funded researcher. That’s something to think about.
As a founding member of bettermoo(d), where is it available to purchase?
For now, the product is just being sold on their website, direct to consumers, but they are looking to get it into retail shops such as Urban Fare, Whole Foods, Costco next year. You can sign up on their website and get a free sample package.
Why is it a great dairy-alternative compared to cow’s milk?
I thought you might ask that, it’s vegan (of course), animal cruelty-free (of course), and obviously perfect for people who are lactose intolerant, or have difficulties digesting dairy. Its impact on the environment in terms of emissions, land, and water use are way lower than cow’s milk. It’s made with a blend of alpine herbs, organic gluten-free oats, plant fats, and water.
