Venus Williams on Switching to a Raw Vegan Diet for Her Health

In an interview with Health at an event for Silk, Venus Williams spoke about switching to a raw vegan diet to help manage Sjögren's syndrome. In 2011, Williams was diagnosed with the autoimmune disease.

Find out why Williams changed her diet, her best nutrition tips, and how she keeps herself motivated to eat well.

Sjögren's Syndrome Diagnosis

When Williams received a Sjögren's syndrome diagnosis in 2011, her tennis career almost came to a grinding halt. 

After a rough season of injuries and match withdrawals, Williams announced that she had the fairly common autoimmune disease, which causes dry eyes and mouth, joint pain, and fatigue. The condition severely hindered her athletic performance, ultimately causing her to withdraw from the 2011 U.S. Open in the second round. 

However, after taking time off, Williams could step back onto the court with newfound strength, thanks to proper treatment. What's more, Williams had also switched to a raw vegan diet.

What Is a Raw Vegan Diet?

According to a review published in 2019 in Advanced Research in Life Sciences, a raw vegan diet involves the following:

• Eliminating all animal products and eating only plant-based foods
• Eating exclusively fresh, dehydrated, cold-smoked, or fermented foods
• Avoiding any food that is cooked above 118 degrees Fahrenheit
• Avoiding any food that is changed from its natural state, such as processed foods

The researchers also found links between eating a raw vegan diet and improved symptoms of autoimmune diseases.

Here's what Williams told Health about why she made the switch to a raw vegan diet.

Why did you begin a plant-based diet?

I started for health reasons. I was diagnosed with an autoimmune disease, and I wanted to maintain my performance on the court. 

Once I started, I fell in love with the concept of fueling your body in the best way possible. Not only does it help me on the court, but I feel like I'm doing the right thing for me.

How did the new diet affect your playing?

I literally couldn't play tennis anymore, so it really changed my life. Because it was starting to take away what I loved, I had to make some changes. I had to change my life. Thankfully, I was able to find something that helped me get back to doing what I loved.

Do you have any specific ways that the new diet has made a difference in your game? Has it changed your game at all, or has it just allowed you to continue to play?

It changed the pace I live at. It changed everything. There are definitely challenges, but it's about how you face them and how you come out on top so you can live in a way that is acceptable to you. 

So, it has been wonderful to do still what I love. And even though I still have issues, it doesn't mean they're going to stop me.

Do you have any tips for people who are looking to make a diet change? What's right for them, and what resources are available?

I always tell people that you have to enjoy what you're eating. If you're eating a plant-based diet or a mixture of one, make sure you're eating something you like. 

Find a restaurant and recipes, or join a community. That way, you can learn and enjoy your food. If you can't enjoy your eating, I don't know how fun life would be.

Do you have any favorite recipes that you like? Do you cook a lot for yourself?

I go in spurts because sometimes I'm like, "I've got to cook!" and other times I'm like, "Who's going to feed me?" So, I have different levels. 

One of my favorite recipes is celery-root soup. I get celery root, tomato, and some Silk almond milk as a base to thicken it a little bit, and then maybe I'll add pan-fried garlic on top, maybe some truffle oil. Whatever I have at the time, I'll throw it in. It makes for some interesting dishes!

Why is it important to you to eat well, and what do you want young women to know about their bodies and fueling and eating well?

There's something about when you're eating healthy food, it makes you feel proud, and it makes you feel like you're doing the right thing. When you eat unhealthily, there's a certain guilt about it. You just know it's going to catch up with you. I love that feeling when I eat healthily.

But it doesn't mean you have to be perfect because you do have to have a little fun. But when you're doing the right things, and you're eating plants, and you're eating live foods, it helps you in your life. I think you feel more energized, and you feel more positive.

What are your favorite cheat meals?

Well, honestly, I have go-to things. I do love sweet things, so I've tried to find things that I love that are sweet but are still healthy. So, for me, sometimes it'll be juice or a sweet smoothie.

There's a smoothie that I have called "orange creamsicle." So, I'll put in Silk milk, oranges, a little banana, vanilla flavoring, and sometimes a little coconut oil. It just depends, again, on what I have. 

The best thing about the orange creamsicle is that it tastes like you have ice cream. So, it makes me really happy, but it's still really healthy. There are different ways to ease your itch when you want junk food.

Do you have any tips for people who have trouble staying motivated to eat well?

Don't let yourself get too hungry. Because when you're too hungry, you can't think straight, and you make bad decisions, and then suddenly you wake up, and you think, "What have you done?"

Also, set a goal for yourself. It can be something like 30 days without fried food. There's something about having a goal and working towards it that makes you feel good. You can also get apps on your phone that help track for you, and just seeing those numbers makes you feel like, "Yeah, I'm doing it!"

And always have a replacement food that tastes good. So you like chips? Find a kale chip or bake your own chips that are healthy. Just find a replacement so you don't feel like you're missing out.

If you could give women one piece of advice on wellness, what would that be?

I would call it the 90/10, 80/20, or 70/30 rule, whatever works for you. Be good most of the time, and sometimes just don't go to the gym or have that bag of chips. 

But if you're being healthy most of the time, then that helps to keep a balance so you can meet your goals, whatever those are.