How long has Mya been vegan? Unpacking the R&B star's plant-based journey

December 28, 2025 •

3 min read

In 2014, singer and actress Mya officially transitioned to a permanent vegan lifestyle, marking nearly a decade since she adopted the diet. For those wondering how long has Mya been vegan, her journey began earlier with a vegetarian phase before a relationship-induced health setback motivated her to make a decisive, long-term change.

Quick Summary

Mya transitioned to a vegan lifestyle in 2014 after a health scare motivated a shift away from meat and dairy. Previously vegetarian since 2008, she embraced a fully plant-based diet for its health benefits and ethical considerations.

Key Points

Vegan Since 2014: Mya adopted a full vegan diet in 2014, transitioning from vegetarianism.
Health Scare Triggered Change: A period of health issues, including anemia and weight gain, motivated her to go plant-based.
Reversed Health Conditions: Her vegan diet helped resolve her anemia and osteopenia, demonstrating significant health benefits.
Ethical Advocacy: Mya's commitment evolved from health-focused to ethically driven, leading her to become a vocal animal rights advocate and ambassador.
Lifestyle and Education: Beyond diet, Mya promotes a comprehensive vegan lifestyle through her own guides, social media, and challenges.
Inspiration to Others: She uses her platform to educate and encourage fans, sharing tips and recipes for transitioning to a plant-based diet.

Mya's Vegan Journey: A Timeline

Mya's path to veganism was not a linear one, with her first foray into a plant-based diet occurring years before her final transition in 2014. Her journey reveals a gradual process driven by personal health and a growing ethical awareness.

2008: The R&B star first adopts a vegetarian diet. This initial change was part of a series of willpower challenges she set for herself after becoming an independent artist.
2012-2013: Mya returns to eating meat during a relationship. This period led to significant health issues, including a 35-pound weight gain, anemia, and osteopenia (the early stages of osteoporosis).
Early 2014: After ending the relationship and suffering from her resulting health complications, she decides to return to vegetarianism.
Later 2014: Feeling the health benefits of removing meat, she pushes further by eliminating dairy and officially becoming vegan. She initially viewed it as another challenge, but it quickly became a permanent lifestyle change.
Post-2014: Through further research, Mya develops a deeper understanding of the animal agriculture industry, solidifying her commitment to veganism for ethical reasons beyond just personal health.

Health and Wellness Motivations

For Mya, the switch to veganism was largely motivated by a significant health scare. The benefits she experienced were so profound that they helped cement her new dietary and ethical path.

Documented Health Improvements

Anemia Reversal: By increasing her intake of iron-rich plant foods like vegetables, nuts, and seeds, Mya was able to completely reverse her anemia.
Osteopenia Reversal: Simply by cutting dairy from her diet, she reversed her osteopenia, a condition characterized by low bone density.
Weight Loss: She credits her vegan diet with helping her lose the weight she gained during her previous relationship.
Improved Skin and Vocal Health: Mya reports having clearer skin and not getting sick as often, noting that cutting dairy reduced mucus buildup, which is beneficial for a singer.

Ethical and Activist Efforts

What started as a health challenge grew into a full-fledged ethical commitment. Mya has since become a vocal advocate for animal rights and compassionate living, extending her influence beyond her music career.

She has partnered with organizations like PETA and World Animal Protection to raise awareness about animal cruelty.
As World Animal Protection’s first U.S. Celebrity Ambassador, she advocates against factory farming and the commodification of wildlife.
Mya has created her own vegan transition guide to help others adopt a plant-based diet.
She has also promoted a vegan lifestyle through food truck events and participated in documentaries like They’re Trying to Kill Us.

Mya's Vegan Diet vs. Her Pre-Vegan Diet


Aspect	Pre-Vegan (during setback)	Vegan (since 2014)
Dietary Focus	Unrestricted, including meat and dairy	Entirely plant-based, removing meat, dairy, and eggs
Health Conditions	Weight gain, anemia, osteopenia	Anemia and osteopenia reversed, significant weight loss
Key Food Groups	Included processed foods, fast food, and dairy	Emphasizes fresh produce, nuts, seeds, and legumes
Motivation	Convenience and emotional eating within a relationship	Health optimization and ethical consideration for animals

A Lasting Lifestyle Choice

For Mya, veganism is more than just a diet—it is a comprehensive lifestyle change encompassing food, fashion, and home décor. She has publicly embraced her role as a wellness advocate, encouraging her fans to explore plant-based eating and its many benefits. Despite initial challenges, including finding replacements for comfort foods, she has stayed committed, showing others that a vegan lifestyle can be both rewarding and delicious. Her sustained advocacy and impressive health improvements serve as powerful testimonials to her dedication to plant-based living. Learn more about Mya's transition and vegan tips from her official website.

Conclusion

Mya has been a committed vegan since 2014, a journey that began with her returning to vegetarianism to address severe health issues. After learning more about the realities of animal agriculture, her commitment deepened from a personal wellness pursuit to a compassionate, ethical lifestyle. Her transformation is a testament to the profound impact a plant-based diet can have, both personally and on the wider world through her powerful advocacy and educational efforts. She continues to inspire many with her longevity in the vegan space and her dedication to promoting animal rights and wellness.

Frequently Asked Questions

Mya formally became a vegan in 2014. This followed an earlier phase of vegetarianism and a brief return to eating meat.

Mya's primary motivations were health-related, prompted by weight gain, anemia, and osteopenia she experienced after a relationship. She also developed a strong ethical stance against animal cruelty after learning more about the industry.

Yes, Mya was a vegetarian prior to her vegan transition. She first went vegetarian in 2008 as part of a series of personal challenges.

Yes, Mya has stated that adopting a vegan diet was instrumental in her weight loss and improved overall health.

Yes, as of 2025, Mya continues to live a vegan, cruelty-free lifestyle encompassing diet, fashion, and beauty.

Mya reversed her anemia and osteopenia, an early sign of osteoporosis, by adopting a vegan diet and cutting out dairy.

Yes, Mya is a dedicated animal rights activist. She has served as a US Celebrity Ambassador for World Animal Protection and worked with PETA to promote veganism.