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Hackensack Meridian Health Center announced Thursday morning that it is strengthening its relationship with PLEZi Nutrition, the company co-founded by former first lady Michelle Obama whose mission is to set higher standards for the production and sale of children’s foods and beverages in the United States.
Always one to lead the way, HMH is on its way to becoming the first healthcare system in India to do so.
The reason is simple: HMH’s first PLEZi Nutrition product, the company’s juice drink, received surprisingly good reviews during a six-month trial at the system’s flagship hospital, Hackensack University Medical Center.
After offering (but not forcing) PLEZi juice to patients and team members, enough people responded that the system was able to reduce their intake of 1.8 million calories and 1,000 pounds of sugar.
Hackensack CEO Bob Garrett said the response to the product has been so enthusiastic that the system hopes to introduce it as an option to other HMH facilities by the end of the year.
“We are excited to be the first health system in the nation to offer PLEZi to our patients and team members,” Garrett said. “PLEZi is a delicious and healthy beverage that aligns with our commitment to providing our patients with healthy choices that reduce sugar and calories and improve health outcomes.”
The idea originated from HMH’s Black Team Member Resource Group, a voluntary network of Black team members and allies working to address health equity issues. The group saw PLEZi and thought it would be a great way to help team members and patients make healthier choices.
PLEZi is a juice drink that contains 75% less sugar (5 grams per 6.75 ounces) than regular mainstream juice (21 grams per 6.75 ounces), has no added sugar, and contains nutrients like 2 grams of fiber and vitamin C. It comes in four flavors: Tropical, Blueberry, Apple and Orange.
The formation of this alliance comes at a critical time.
The United States is facing a nutrition-related health crisis, especially among children, who consume an average of 53 pounds of added sugar per year. Research shows that sugary beverages are the leading source of added sugar, with approximately two-thirds of adolescents consuming them daily.
Officials at PLEZi Nutrition say they offer products that are not only reduced in sugar (and enhanced with nutrients), but that kids love them, too.
‘That has always been the goal,’ the former first lady said.
“I have dedicated my life to helping children and families live healthier lives. As first lady, I work to unite all sectors of society to achieve this goal,” she said.
“While I am proud of all that we have accomplished during my time in the White House, I also recognize that to truly move the food and beverage industry forward to better serve our children, you have to start from within. I am excited to continue these efforts through PLEZi Nutrition and drive change across the food and beverage industry.”
For HMH, offering PLEZi is just one of the steps it is taking to create healthier options for patients and employees, including:
- Became the nation’s largest health system to join the Cool Food Pledge, an initiative of the World Resources Institute, to help organizations reduce their climate impact by promoting more plant-based foods.
- Committed to reducing meat consumption by more than 21% across system-wide hospitals.
- Launched the “Eat Less Meat, Eat Better Meat” initiative, helping it reduce food-related emissions by more than 40%, making it one of the leading organizations in overall emissions reduction.
- The Antibiotic-Free Food Initiative was launched in 2018. Today, more than 57% of meat purchased by the health system is antibiotic-free.
Garrett said these efforts are all part of HMH’s goal to transform health care, noting that HMH is committed to promoting responsible consumption and healthier lifestyles by offering locally sourced foods, sustainably sourced seafood and plant-based menus.
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