Taiwanese singer-actress Barbie Hsu has been named Asia's Sexiest Vegetarian Woman of 2009 in a poll by animal rights organisation People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals.

Hsu, 32, beat red-carpet runners-up such as actress Maggie Q, Mongolian singer Nominjin, Chinese singer Faye Wong and Bollywood's Mahima Chaudhry and Kareena Kapoor, said a Peta statement.

Bollywood actor Shahid Kapoor was crowned Asia's Sexiest Vegetarian Man in the annual poll which drew tens of thousands of votes cast on Peta's website. He convinced Kareena Kapoor to become a vegetarian when they were dating, the statement said.

Hsu said: 'I think we should respect the life of all species. Eating meat is like eating corpses to me and it makes me feel sick and sad.'

This article was first published in The Straits Times.