Actor, producer, and director Tobias Truvillion wants us to think about food as fuel. “You want to eat to live versus living to eat. That’s a big difference. When you think of the food as medicine. There are so many little things that you can do that will give you tremendous benefit,” he said.
Truvillion is joining us as one of the cohosts of the BHM Harlem Week 2025 Health Summit & Expo.
He wants us to know that we can learn to eat differently.
“That you have options to understand how the way that we are eating, the mac and cheese, the processed food, all the time is slowly killing us,” he explained.
“With more education, we wouldn’t be consuming the foods like that, and understanding that you can take care of yourself inside out.
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Who Inspired Him to Try a Plant Plant-Based Diet?
Today, Truvillion has been fully committed to a plant-based diet since 2016. Erica Ash, in the BET drama In Contempt, in which they co-starred.
“She was plant-based, and I was watching her discipline. She was telling me about Dr. Sebi, these cleanses, and how they helped her. I was number five on the call sheet, and she was number one. And I remember thinking to myself, to get to that next level, I need more discipline,” he said.
After shooting in Toronto for six months, he returned home and began planning for the future. Generally, he future-paces four to five years in advance.
But the native New Yorker, who grew up in Southeast Queens, also began looking at his life and habits.
“I have family coming over to the house. And have a drink. I go to this red carpet, have a drink. And go to this event and I have a drink,” he recalled.
“I’m at this function, and I have a drink. I look back and say, Damn, I’ve been drinking for months.”
Making the Decision to Try a Plant-Based Diet
The actor asked himself when he last practiced self-discipline and decided to challenge himself and order the advanced cleanse. It was an expensive purchase, so Truvillion committed to sticking with it.
A self-professed good cook, there were things in his pantry he could no longer use, which took some getting used to.
“I had to find all these new ingredients and new alkaline foods. And I went on this journey. And I walked in the dark for like, four to five months,” Truvillion pointed out.
“But when I got to the other side. I’m not going back. As much as I love my salmon, as much as I love my lollipop lamb chops, as much as I love my halibut and my turkey burgers and my buffalo wings.”
What Does He Like to Cook Now?
Truvillion says that his mood drives his palate. “I could go from making plant-based tuna out of chickpeas and walnuts to making a vegetable plant-based lasagna with plant-based cheese and ricotta cheese,” he recounted.
And stuff in there to make a lobster roll with lobster mushrooms, or, almost like a Philly cheese steak with morel mushrooms.”
He is not one of those plant-based purists. His family still gathers at his home for big occasions. He still fixes some of their favorites, including mac and cheese.
“There hasn’t been any fish or anything on my stove, particularly in a long time, but I made Mac and cheese and some other things for family,” he said.
And Truvillion may even eat a piece of chocolate now and then.
“I look at my grandfather, who lived to be 99. You could do anything you want in this world, just in moderation. I’m more on the lighter side of things. So if I have something that ain’t on the list, I’m good.”
Five Food Switches
The multihypenate, who can add another title to his roster, is also an entrepreneur, and says sometimes making some simple shifts in your diet can make a big difference. Here are his five suggestions:
- Try dates or agave instead of white sugar
- Try Pink sea salt instead of white salt
- Consume food containing seeds
- Add Key limes to your diet
- Add Sea Moss to your diet
Editor’s Note: Always check with your doctor, especially if you have any underlying conditions.
Be sure to check out Tobias Truvillion in-person or virtually at the BHM 2025 Harlem Week Summit & Expo. Check out this link for registration information.
