Vegan Firefighter Tours 25 Whole Foods to Promote Plant-Based Diet

Vegan firefighter Rip Esselstyn—founder of the Engine 2 Diet brand—is starting his nationwide tour with grocery chain Whole Foods Market this week. Over the next three months, Esselstyn will visit 25 Whole Food Market stores in Florida, Texas, California, North Carolina, Maryland, Virginia, Kentucky, and Indiana to raise awareness of the benefits of a plant-based diet. Esselstyn will highlight the diet’s effect on one’s health and the environment, and will discuss recently published scientific studies about climate change. “The overall goal of my tour is to encourage as many people as possible to make 2019 the year they change their game,” Esselstyn told VegNews. “We have all the evidence we need to spring into action and change the way we eat for three primary reasons: in a way that protects our health and takes care of our planet, and that is more aligned with our values as kind, compassionate people.” Last week, media outlet US News and World Report identified Esselstyn’s Engine 2 Diet as one of the Top 10 diets of the year in the categories of Best Weight-Loss, Best Heart-Healthy, and Plant-Based Diets, and Best Diets for Diabetes. Esselstyn plans to continue his tour with an additional 30 stops in eight more states later this year. Esselstyn’s tour stops are free to attend but registration is encouraged.