Prominent Vegans Caught Eating Fish: Raised questions about the sustainability of a vegan diet

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The vegan, or plant-based diet, is often touted for its health benefits. But recently some well-known vegans in the US have been caught, or have admitted to adding fish into their diet. This has prompted many to wonder about and even question the sustainability of a vegan lifestyle. Karina Huber reports.

Vegan social media star Yovana Mendoza known as "Rawvana" was caught with a plate of fish in this video. It didn't go down well in the vegan community. 'She cares only for the money and advertising' said one person on YouTube. 'Fake influencer making money off people' said another.

NATALIE ZFAT INFLUENCER "So, the biggest problem here is not that she's eating something that doesn't fit in with her dietary restrictions, but she's lying about what she is eating."

Mendoza is just one of several vegan influencers who recently admitted to eating animal products for health reasons. Finnish blogger Virpi Mikkonen said early onset of menopause forced her to incorporate meat in her diet. Actress Anne Hathaway, a former vegan, now also eats fish.

DENA CHAMPION, REGISTERED DIETITIAN OHIO STATE MEDICAL CENTER "Vegan diets absolutely can be healthy, but they can also be unhealthy."

Champion says vegans should take vitamin B12 supplements and have a diversified protein diet.

DENA CHAMPION, REGISTERED DIETITIAN OHIO STATE MEDICAL CENTER "So you've got to be thinking about making sure you're getting plenty of beans and lentils, whole grains even, seeds, nuts that kind of thing to make sure you're meeting your protein needs."

Mendoza responded to the scandal with a 33-minute video.

YOVANA MENDOZA SOCIAL MEDIA VEGAN STAR "I know that so many of you, you trust me, you listen to me and you probably feel deceived and lied to."

Zfat thinks Mendoza, with 1.2 million followers on Instagram, can reinvent herself but she might not want to call herself Rawvana anymore.

NATALIE ZFAT INFLUENCER "So, I do think there's an opportunity for her to transition perhaps into wellness or healthy living, but she has to be honest. I think that's the bottom line here."

KARINA HUBER NEW YORK, "US The global vegan food market is estimated to reach around 24 billion dollars by 2026. It's unclear at this point whether the recent revelations among once prominent vegans will cause some if any to abandon a plant based diet. Karina Huber, CGTN, New York."