Can a diet free of meat, milk, eggs, butter and cheese actually taste good? Deborrah Cooper, author of the new cookbook WHY VEGAN IS THE NEW BLACK: MORE THAN 100 DELICIOUS MEAT AND DAIRY FREE MEAL IDEAS YOUR WHOLE FAMILY WILL LOVE says the answer is "absolutely!"Her goal for this book was to help change the perception that healthy foods look weird and taste bad. The typical American diet is full of greasy high sodium fast food that really packs on the pounds and sets us up for serious health problems. Reducing the quantity of animal protein and upping the plants we eat has been proven to reverse heart disease, normalize blood sugar and lipids, and lower both weight and blood pressure in just a couple of weeks. Statistics support these concerns, especially in the black community. According to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), 78.6 million Americans are obese, which directly impacts the health and longevity of nearly one-third of the U.S. population. Obesity-related conditions include heart disease, stroke, type 2 diabetes and certain types of cancer. High blood pressure and arteriosclerosis impact the sexual health of Americans as well, reflected in erectile dysfunction in men, and reduced desire and blood flow to the vaginal area in women.These are largely preventable afflictions, directly related to what we put in our mouths. Reality is, what we're putting on our plates is killing us. Find out more about how you can begin changing your diet for the better in this broadcast. #whyveganisthenewblack #veganrecipes #blacksgoingvegan