Memphis Vegan Diet Challenge

Eat Healthy Memphis, a nonprofit health group promoting plant-based nutrition, has launched the Seven-Day Plant-Based Food Challenge, wherein participants are encouraged to commit to a vegan diet for a week. The organizers of the challenge suggest a regimen of primarily vegetables and smaller amounts of proteins, grains, and healthy fats for optimum health benefits. Bastet Ankh Re, the group’s founder and director, says that increasing the demand for nutritious plant-based foods can improve the health of Americans while also making food production more sustainable, environmentally friendly and efficient. The ongoing challenge asks participants to give up animal products for one week each month through June 2012, when the organization hopes to hold a plant-based food festival.