New York's Healthcare System Embraces Plant-Based Nutrition

New York City's healthcare system is receiving a vegan boost as hospitals make plant-based meals the new standard!

Dietitians and nutritionists have long emphasised the benefits of a plant-based diet and reduced meat consumption. And it appears that people are slowly waking up to this reality. To make plant-based meals the standard across all 11 NYC hospitals, the Better Food Foundation has taken an encouraging step forward.

The respected organisation has joined forces with the New York City Department of Health, hospitals, and the Mayor's office to ensure that plant-based meals are included as a standard offering for patients. The growing popularity of plant-based diets is partly due to the fact that their benefits are well-researched and that doctors recommend them, as many have observed remarkable results in their patients.

The reasons for moving away from a meat-heavy diet

Plant-based eating is more of a nutritional philosophy than a specific diet. At its core, it simply means consuming more plant-based foods while eating almost no animal products. Saturated fat is found in meat and can cause heart problems when consumed in excess. Therefore, eating less meat and more plant-based foods does your heart a real favour.

However, avoiding meat is not the whole story: patients should eat anti-inflammatory foods, which are predominantly of plant origin, in order to prevent cardiovascular disease. These include fruit, whole grains, walnuts, extra virgin olive oil, tomatoes, green leafy vegetables, yellow vegetables, and whole grain products. Pro-inflammatory foods such as processed meat, processed foods, fried foods, and refined sugar should likewise be avoided.

Special features of the enjoyable programme

The program is part of the «Greener by Default» initiative by the Better Food Foundation, which aims to support healthcare facilities in improving patient care, reducing carbon emissions, and lowering food costs. The two daily Chef’s Specials are now always vegetarian, although meat dishes continue to be available.

The program has so far been a great success: More than half of patients chose plant-based meals, and 95% of patients reported being satisfied with their choice. The plant-based meals were initially offered only at lunch, but due to their overwhelming popularity, the program will now also extend to dinner. This is the case even though only 1% of patients identify themselves as vegetarian or vegan.

Better Food Foundation on the plant-based revolution

The Better Food Foundation commented on this step as follows: «As NYC looks toward an exciting future, it is also returning to its roots: Plant-based diets have always been an integral part of food cultures and religions. In a culturally diverse New York, it is all the more important to place inclusive food choices on the menu. People of color are most likely to be lactose intolerant and to suffer from diabetes and heart disease.»

Access to healthy plant-based foods in public institutions such as hospitals and schools is not only a matter of health, but also a matter of social justice.

How patients can benefit from a plant-based diet

In order to effectively absorb the nutrients from food that support the immune system and reduce inflammation, a plant-based diet aids gut health. Dietary fiber is excellent for maintaining healthy bowel habits and helps lower cholesterol levels and balance blood sugar levels. This is because excess weight leads to hormonal imbalance and inflammation.

When patients are overweight or obese, their risk for 12 different types of cancer is higher, including colorectal cancer, post-menopausal breast cancer, uterine cancer, esophageal cancer, kidney cancer, and pancreatic cancer. Plants are rich in fiber. Fiber is found in all unprocessed plant-based foods. It forms the structure of the plant, and when you eat more of it, you gain access to a whole range of benefits.

Fiber is crucial for reducing cancer risk. This is especially true for the risk of developing colorectal cancer, the third most common malignant disease. Your risk for other diseases also decreases with a plant-based diet. The benefits of a predominantly plant-based diet go beyond reducing cancer risk. It has also been shown that a plant-based diet reduces the risk of heart disease, strokes, diabetes, and some mental illnesses.

The outlook for other cities with similar initiatives

This is not the first plant-based project in New York City; the borough's public schools already offer a Vegan Fridays program, where plant-based meals are the norm one day per week. Other school districts have also begun offering plant-based meals, including schools in Salvador, Brazil, and Illinois.

By 2030, the Amsterdam city council aims to have 50% of residents eating a plant-based diet. In addition to restricting permits for new fast-food establishments, the city council wants to improve the availability of healthy foods in vulnerable neighborhoods and near schools,