This month, the NYC Health Department launched a new campaign to promote the consumption of plant-based products.
Image courtesy of NYC Health
These efforts, carried by public personalities such as Mayor Eric Adams, Anne Williams-Isom (Deputy Mayor for Health and Human Services) and Dr. Ashwin Vasan (Health Commissioner), aim to educate more than eight million New Yorkers about the benefits of a plant-based diet.
“Plants and plant-forward diets are key to our future, as a city, as a nation, and as a planet,” stated Dr. Vasan.
The NYC Health Department also published a “Nutrition Tips” section on their website, with many resources such as nutrition guides, local initiatives to access complete plant-based meals on a budget, and various recipes. In 2022, the city also announced offering plant-based meals as a default option for hospitalized patients.
In addition to that, the New York City Department of Education launched Plant-Powered Fridays in public schools, proposing a fully vegan dish as the primary menu item.
While most of the “Eat Plants!” campaign promotes the health benefits of a plant-based diet, particularly to prevent obesity, heart diseases, and diabetes, the environmental benefits are also a predominant argument: “putting more plants into the mix can help both your health and help us meet our environmental goals,” said Williams-Ison.
