People incarcerated in certain New York City correctional facilities will have the opportunity to transform their health habits for the better thanks to an initiative launched in part by New York City Mayor Eric Adams, reported Plant Based News.
The plan? Provide "plant-centered culinary skills" training to those working in the kitchen at multiple facilities, including two juvenile centers and Rikers Island. The program was established by Mayor Adams along with the NYC Department of Correction (DOC), the Administration for Children's Services (ACS), and Hot Bread Kitchen, a culinary nonprofit organization.
It's a program that will "focus on reimagining food," the DOC said in a statement per Plant Based News, to "support the health and well-being of detained individuals."
If successful, the effort could have an immediate impact.
Most prison food is "nutritionally inadequate and unpalatable," per the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU), contributing to medical issues like asthma, diabetes, high blood pressure, and stroke for people consuming these meals each day. The ACLU story also cited research showing that, in the United States, incarcerated individuals are "six times more likely to contract a foodborne illness than the general population."
Better taste and nutrition aren't the only benefits, either. According to reporting in the Guardian, a plant-based diet "massively reduces the damage to the environment caused by food production" by decreasing pollution caused by burning coal, oil, and gas for fuel.
As Veg News summarized, substituting animal products with plants also helps minimize land usage, protect wildlife, and conserve water. Considering how toxic gas pollution affects our health, finances, and weather, it's crucial to support these solutions.
Plant Based News quoted a statement from Mayor Adams: "New York City continues to lead the nation in getting healthy food onto people's tables — not only providing New Yorkers with better access to healthy foods but also changing the way our food system impacts the environment." In the past few years, the city has also rolled out plant-based meals in hospitals and schools.
Inspired to elevate your menu (and your health) by eating cleaner? You don't have to overhaul your entire diet. Just commit to one creative project that fits your taste: trying a weekly new recipe, checking out a local vegan restaurant, baking alternative versions of your go-to treats, sampling new snacks, or planning a monthly plant-based potluck with friends.
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