Akuc Bol, a 31-year-old actress, model and content creator from Camden Town, north-west London, has not worn deodorant for two years, claiming her fully raw vegan diet means she no longer smells even when "sweating buckets" at dance classes. Bol began her transition to a raw vegan diet in summer 2023 after attending a plant-based retreat in Florida, and by 2024 her diet was entirely raw.
Diet transformation and motivation
Bol, who had followed a vegan diet since 2015, was inspired to go raw after hearing a doctor at the Florida retreat speak about no longer needing deodorant. "One of the doctors at the retreat said once he started eating lots of raw foods, he noticed that he didn't have to wear deodorant," she told PA Real Life. "When I was at uni I tried using my own natural concoctions of deodorant and toothpaste but none of it worked. It felt like a lightbulb went off – I didn't want to wear deodorant anymore so I decided to be raw vegan."
Her motivation also included supporting animal welfare and reducing processed food in her diet. Throughout 2023, she gradually increased raw food intake and noticed her "natural odour smelt very different." She has not worn deodorant since, even when exercising. "I go to dance classes, I'm sweating buckets and I just have a natural smell, not like body odour," she explained. "I've asked my sister and friends if I smell and they all say no."
Daily meals and lifestyle adjustments
Bol's daily meals now include a 1.5-litre smoothie of bananas, blueberries and dates for extra calories and carbohydrates, or a large serving of fruit such as an entire papaya. For lunch, she typically has a salad with pomegranate, avocado, sprouts, carrot, plantain and seeds, followed by more fruit for dinner, such as three mangoes or a tub of dates. "I satisfy myself until I'm full – I don't let myself go hungry – and just listen to my body," she said.
She buys organic produce from local grocers and farmers' markets, though her food shop has become more expensive since switching from vegan to raw vegan. She has experimented with making plantain wraps by blending the ingredient with water and dehydrating the mixture, as well as fruit-based desserts resembling cheesecake and doughnuts. Her biggest adjustment was getting used to eating only cold food. "I felt freezing cold most of the time, I think because my food was digesting so quickly – I was going to the bathroom three times a day," she said. "In the beginning when I was walking past an Indian or Chinese restaurant it was hard – I could smell all the cooked seasonings, fried onions and the beginning of a sauce, and just wanted to go in."
Health considerations and social adaptations
Bol gets a minimal amount of protein from foods such as avocado, seeds and nuts, and does not take any supplements. According to the NHS, fruit and vegetables are a good source of vitamins, minerals and fibre that should make up just over a third of the food you eat each day. There is evidence that people who eat at least five portions of fruit and vegetables a day can have a lower risk of heart disease, stroke and some cancers. However, the NHS also says that for a healthy, balanced diet, meals should be based on higher-fibre starchy foods, contain some dairy or dairy alternatives, protein and unsaturated oils and spreads.
Within two months of changing her diet, Bol said she had gone from a size eight to a size six and noticed more muscle definition. She feels more "energised and confident," often trying new exercise classes, and claims her lifestyle has given her greater "mental clarity." "There is just so much more space to breathe, I felt like my thoughts were louder," she said. "It's made me realise there's nothing wrong with just sitting outside and looking out, it doesn't need to be filled with activity or distractions. Life is way greater than that."
When socialising, Bol meets friends and family during the day at cafes or restaurants offering salads or smoothies. She has adapted traditional celebrations to her lifestyle – on Christmas Day 2024 she had a savoury juice made from tomatoes and onions, and made dehydrated mushroom burgers the following year. "All my family fell asleep after their traditional Christmas dinner and I felt alive and energised and awake – feeling tired isn't living for me anymore," she explained. "I feel like after I eat I get a power and energy boost."
Online criticism and future plans
Bol has shared her raw vegan journey on Instagram under the handle @therawfoodglow but has faced criticism from people questioning her diet. "There was a lot of pushback online – people have accused me of having an eating disorder, or that I eat cooked food behind the scenes, but these small voices don't count for anything," she added.
Looking ahead, Bol hopes to meet a life partner who she said "must" follow a raw vegan diet, or at least be vegan initially, so they share the same ethics. She would also like to have children who follow her lifestyle. "I've seen some raw vegan men on Instagram and they're so hot! I'm just waiting to meet one in real life," she said. To follow Bol's journey, you can visit her website, and for more information about eating a healthy, balanced diet, visit the NHS website.
