Adele Puhn's Obituary
Adele Puhn passed away peacefully in her home on November 12th, 2025 surrounded by the love of her family, near and far. She was a foundational pillar of wisdom in the nutrition world, a New York Times bestselling author, a matriarch for her family, a loving wife to her beloved husband Arthur, and a devoted friend.
Adele Green was born on the Lower East Side of Manhattan on October 5, 1941. She was raised by her parents Benjamin Green and Anne Green alongside her brother Martin Green. Her father, Ben, instilled in her an awe for the natural world, and a gift for writing and speaking. Her mother Anne passed down a love of cooking and preparing food for her family. Once a year, her father would save up to take her to the Museum of Natural History, a tradition that she continued, with reverence, for her children and grandchildren.
While married to her first husband, Irwin Mandel, Adele had two children, Bonnee and David. Her fierce devotion to the wellness of her children is ultimately what inspired her to make the career change from education into nutrition. While David was struggling with what was then referred to as “hyperactivity”, one of his doctors suggested that there may be a link between his behavior and sugar. This suggestion was the catalyst of her nutrition career, and ultimately led to her returning to college to get her Masters in Medical Biology and Clinical Nutrition from the University of Bridgeport.
Just as her career began to flourish, she met the love of her life, Arthur Puhn, at a friend's Fourth of July party in 1980. While they were at first reluctant to be set up by their friends, Arthur fell in love with her smile and they spent the rest of her life together. Their marriage was truly inspirational and a real-life love story that carried them through any challenges they faced. By his side, she published four books in twelve languages, beat breast cancer, established a successful nutrition practice, raised a blended family, helped thousands of people find empowerment in their bodies, and, in all her spare time, traveled the world.
Adele Puhn was known as a groundbreaking nutritionist whose body of work focused on blood sugar regulation and maintaining optimal health through balanced eating. Her work transcended superficial health and fitness standards and helped thousands of people form a holistic and sustainable relationship to food for their whole being. She was revolutionary for her time, and is best known for her New York Times Bestseller The 5 Day Miracle Diet. Behind the accolades, she devotedly helped friends and family find balance in their health. Whether through her unsolicited “supplement deliveries” arriving in the mail, or through the constant stash of carrot sticks in her purse, she nourished others inside and out. She was more than a nutritionist, she was a healer with a mission to help people feel good in their bodies.
Inspired by her father, Adele shared her love of New York City culture, restaurants, and museums with her grandchildren. She frequently brought them to New York’s best restaurants, ballets, and museums to experience the city as she did not get to as a child. She was a self-made woman: a lover of Bloomingdales and designer purses, and always the best dressed person in the room. Before every school year, she would take her grandchildren shopping to ensure that they felt confident in their clothing, an opportunity she did not get to have as a young woman. She knew the best table in every restaurant, and would always make sure that her family did not accept a lesser option. In her lifetime, she overcame poverty, sexism, and religious discrimination, and wanted to ensure that her children and grandchildren would have a better life.
When she was not taking her family out to enjoy New York City’s restaurant scene, she was a fantastic cook and prepared nutritious holiday meals, including her famous brisket and basil carrots. Despite being a committed pescatarian, she believed that the chef should always taste their own food, and would sneak a bite of brisket or turkey from each holiday meal, just for quality control of course.
Adele Puhn left behind a better world for us all through everyday simple actions, and she left behind a legacy for her family that will continue to thrive. She is survived by her husband, Arthur Puhn, her daughter, Bonnee Pecquex, her son, David Mandel, her daughter-in-law, Melissa Mandel, her step-daughters, Alyson and Margot Puhn, and her five grandchildren: Charlotte Allen, Lindsay Galvin, Jacob Pecquex, Juliane Wilson, and Noah Pecquex. Her memory will be cherished and kept alive vicariously through them and her nourishment will be passed down through future generations.
Funeral services will take place at Beth Israel Memorial Chapel at 11AM on Sunday, November 16th, 2025. All are welcome to attend and celebrate Adele’s life.
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