Lewis Hamilton's Vegan Diet: What He Eats, and Why He Switched in 2017
Lewis Hamilton went vegan in 2017 and has won five Formula 1 world championships since. His diet is simpler than you'd expect: avocado on toast or a smoothie for breakfast, a big salad for lunch, plant-based curries for dinner, protein smoothies two or three times a day, and hummus every single day. He switched after a vegan friend in New York walked him through how food is produced, and he says the energy, recovery, sleep and skin improvements came after. Here's what he eats, why, and the part of his story that's most useful if you're trying it yourself.
Why he switched
Hamilton has told the story the same way for years. Around 2017 a friend in New York, who was vegan, explained the realities of food production to him, and he decided he didn't want to be part of it. The reason was the animals and the environment, not a diet plan.
Doctors warned him he'd struggle to get enough protein. He's said the opposite happened: his energy levels smoothed out, he recovered faster between sessions, slept better, his skin cleared up and his allergies eased. In a 2021 interview he described himself as in better shape than he'd ever been. Whatever you make of the cause and effect, he's raced at the top of the sport for nine years on this diet, which answers the "can you be strong without meat" question better than any study.
He's also pushed it off the plate. He asked Mercedes to offer leather-free interiors, and he's part-owner of a plant-based burger chain.
What he eats in a day
Breakfast: avocado on toast. If he's cutting carbs, avocado with fruit and a smoothie instead.
Smoothies: plant-based protein smoothies two or three times a day. He's said they're the practical answer to the protein question: quick to make, easy to carry, and they add up.
Lunch: a large salad with plenty of avocado and vegetables.
Dinner: plant-based curries are his go-to.
Snacks: nuts, vegan protein bars, and hummus. He's said he used to dismiss hummus and now eats it every day; when he was asked about his favourite food he named hummus and falafel from a Moroccan place in New York.
Nothing on that list is exotic or expensive. Avocado, chickpeas, nuts, vegetables, a protein powder. That's the point. An athlete at the top of a physically demanding sport eats like someone who shops at a normal supermarket.
The protein question
This is the thing everyone asks, and Hamilton's answer is the smoothies. Two or three plant-protein smoothies a day, on top of hummus, nuts and beans in his meals, gets him well past what most people need. He's said he doesn't struggle with protein at all and has called the worry a myth.
For a normal person who isn't driving an F1 car, the protein target is lower and easier. Our guide to protein without meat goes through the numbers and the foods. The short version: beans, lentils, tofu, nuts, seeds and a plant protein powder if you train hard. Hamilton's diet is that list with avocado on everything.
What's useful about his story
Three things, if you're thinking about cutting meat:
- His reason wasn't about himself. He switched because of what he learned about animals, and the health benefits were a bonus. Reasons like that hold up better when a craving hits, which we cover in vegan celebrities and why they switched.
- He made the protein problem boring. A smoothie, a tub of hummus, a bag of nuts. He didn't try to be clever about it.
- He's stayed with it for nine years. Plenty of celebrities have quit, and their reasons are collected in celebrities who quit being vegan. Most of them quit over energy or logistics, which Hamilton solved with the smoothies and the planning that comes with racing.
You don't need his trainer or his chef. You need a reason you believe, a few meals you can make without thinking, and a way through the ten minutes when the craving hits. That last part is what the Spared app is for: you open it instead of the fridge, ride the craving out, and the count of cravings beaten, days and animals spared goes up.
Common questions
Is Lewis Hamilton vegan?
Yes. He's been plant-based since 2017 and has talked about it consistently since, including the animal and environmental reasons.
What does Lewis Hamilton eat for breakfast?
Avocado on toast, or avocado with fruit and a smoothie when he's cutting carbs.
How does Lewis Hamilton get enough protein?
Plant-protein smoothies two or three times a day, plus hummus, nuts, beans and protein bars. He's said protein has never been a problem for him on a vegan diet.
Does Lewis Hamilton eat hummus every day?
Yes. He's said it's his go-to every day, and named hummus and falafel as his favourite food.