British tabloid Expressis at it again — and by “at it again,” we mean coming up with increasingly insane ways to paint Meghan Markle in a negative light. Today’s edition? Meghan Markle is being diet-shamed by the tabloid for her love of açai bowls, which the Duchess of Sussex revealed last year as her favorite choice of breakfast. Express estimated the weekly cost of eating an açai smoothie bowl every day at a little under $40, which the site suggested is an absurd cost to consider. Judging from some of the article’s comments, they’ve struck a nerve.
The article’s inflammatory content starts with the headline: “Would you eat THIS every day (at a cost of £30) to look as good as Meghan Markle?” First off, this headline suggests that Meghan is consuming something with the specific hope of tending to her looks. As Express admits a line later, it’s the dish’s health properties that make it a favorite for the “fit and healthy” Duchess. “It’s time consuming, it’s pricey, but it works,” Express concludes about an açai bowl breakfast, labeling it the “real key” to Meghan’s healthy lifestyle.
The article goes on to include Meghan’s açai recipe in full (also found here, per her original interview with Eye Swoon). They note that açai has been nicknamed “purple gold,” and mention that her recipe includes “an optional sprinkling of bee pollen, which costs about £15 a jar.” They also take the opportunity to remind us of Meghan’s love for avocado toast: “she is even called the ‘avocado toast whisperer’ by her friends,” Express claims. The top comment on this article proves that their language has had the intended effect: “£30 on breakfast!!! Some people consider themselves lucky if they can spend that on a week’s shopping,” a reader writes. Another commenter adds: “She should be ashamed of herself if this is true. Obviously cares nothing about the air miles some of these ingredients have made to get to UK. Buy seasonal and British, woman.”
Setting aside for a moment the absurdity of reprimanding a literal Duchess for spending roughly $5 a day on breakfast, it’s disheartening to see that articles like this still get the intended reaction from the public. Açai may not be as common in the UK as it is in America, but Express should be lauding Meghan for making health-conscious choices — not painting this as a frivolous luxury.
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