Vegan Brooklyn Borough President Eric Adams has launched a plant-based nutrition page in response to the growing interest among residents.
“When I speak at our plant-based meetups and other health-focused events, I tell crowds of people about all of the resources that helped me on my journey,” Adams told LIVEKINDLY.
Not only does the page provide links to comprehensive vegan health and nutrition guides to help veg-curious Brooklynites eat a healthful, plant-based diet, the Brooklyn President has also included a list of resources, such as the internationally-renowned plant-based nutrition book “How Not to Die” by Dr. Michael Greger and “What the Health,” a riveting plant-based documentary.
“Now there’s an entire page on Brooklyn Borough Hall’s website to provide the public with important information on plant-based nutrition. I encourage other government offices to provide such resources that lead to healthier residents — we owe it to our constituents,” Adams continued.
The page also lists guides to local, natural grocery stores in Brooklyn, vegan doctors, vegan meetups in New York City and Brooklyn like the NYC Vegans of Color meetup, and local pop-up markets like Vegan Shop-Up and Vegan Market.
Committed to spreading the word about the health benefits of a vegan diet to the Brooklyn community, Adams adopted a plant-based diet after being diagnosed with Type-2 diabetes in 2016. According to the New York Times, by making the switch to a plant-based diet and committing to daily exercise, Adams lose 30 pounds and was able to reverse his diabetes.
Adams’ life-changing experience with a healthy lifestyle instilled in him the desire to help others do the same. Following his switch to a plant-based diet, he removed all sugary beverages, unnaturally sweetened products, and snacks cooked in oil from the vending machines at Brooklyn Borough Hall and replaced them with healthier options like sparkling water, protein bars, dried fruit and nuts, and whole-grain baked chips.
“I loved salt and sugar and often used candy to revive me when I felt lethargic,” said Adams. “But I discovered the human palate is amazingly adaptable, and after two weeks without salt or sugar, I no longer craved them.”
The vegan politician’s commitment to bettering the lives of those in the community didn’t stop with just that. At Adams’ request, the City Council introduced a resolution called “Ban the Baloney,” which aims to have all processed meats removed from NYC public schools. Adams has also backed the city’s Meatless Monday programs. Last month, Adams met with local school kids at a farmer’s market to teach them about healthy eating.
