Avocados aren't technically vegan, British TV host claims

Sandi Toksvig, a presenter on "The Great British Bake Off," whipped up some controversy with her comments on avocados. (Mike Marsland/WireImage via Getty Images)

A British TV host is claiming that avocados aren’t vegan, and it’s turned the world on its head — because honestly, what?

Avocados are the trendiest fruit we can think of. Avocados are put on top of toast, they’re made into art, and people are even proposing with these creamy green fruits that have long been hailed by everyone from vegans to paleo fanatics as a superfood and a staple. But TV host Sandi Toksvig is saying that avocados — along with almonds, kiwi, butternut squash and melon — are not vegan-friendly.

You might remember Sandi Toksvig as one of the replacements for hosts Sue Perkins and Mel Giedroc on “The Great British Bake Off.” Toksvig also hosts the BBC comedy quiz show “QI,” on which she apparently drops major #facts! about veganism. According to PlantBasedNews.org, contestants were asked which foods were classified as vegan out of a list of almonds, avocados, kiwi, butternut squash, and melon. Toksvig revealed that the answer was actually none of them.

“It's the same reason as honey,” she explained. “They can't exist without bees, and bees are used in, let's call it an 'unnatural way.' Because they are so difficult to cultivate naturally, all of these crops rely on bees which are placed on the back of trucks and taken very long distances across the country. It's migratory beekeeping and it's unnatural use of animals and there are lots of foods that fall foul of this.”

Toksvig went on the say that other fruits and vegetables such as broccoli, cherries, cucumbers, and even lettuce are good examples of this and are “actually not strictly vegan.”

The British’s host revelation has actually broken the internet. Vegans are crying. Non-vegans are celebrating. We’re all craving avocado toast. It’s a nightmare for all involved.

The Daily Meal reached out to PETA for their ruling on whether or not avocados can be classified as vegan. According to the organization's Executive Vice President Tracy Reiman, "Going vegan is about making kind choices that bring about positive change. Average shoppers can't avoid produce that involved migratory beekeeping any more than they can avoid driving on asphalt, which has animal ingredients — but they can save nearly 200 animals' lives every year by choosing plant-based foods instead of meat, eggs, and dairy 'products.'"

So, there you have it. Still vegan, at least according to PETA.