First off, no documentary is 100% fact based and true as people's emotions, level of knowledge and personal preferences will affect the overall result. So I was not expecting perfection. However this documentary gets many things wrong.
I feel that the producers/writers have good intentions and have a desire to improve people's health and the environment, but they simply need more education and reading on the topics before they give advice.
In short, here are the things that they got right AND what they left out:
WHAT THEY GOT RIGHT:
1. Animals are treated inhumanely and suffer great pain through modernized farming practices, in which they are treated as a number and valued based on the profit they produce. They go through tremendous physical and emotional pain their whole lives up until they are slaughtered for food.
2. Vegans suffer from less heart disease or other chronic conditions. (but I will discuss the reason)
3. Eating fruits, vegetables, nuts and seeds are great for your body. They are full of nutrients and fiber. Nuts are high in fats, but they are good fats and that is what we want. _______
WHAT THEY GOT WRONG OR LEFT OUT:
1. There are many Organic and free range farms that DO raise their animals humanely. If we as consumers chose to only buy those products and support local sustainable and ethical farms, even if that means paying more money initially, then eventually we would change the system. It takes two to tango.
2. Vegans suffer from less chronic diseases but it is not because they eliminate meat. There are a few reasons for this such as vegans generally being more mindful of what they eat as they become more educated about food and how it is processed. For instance, after they learn more about the origin of food and how it is processed and they learn about GMO's, chemicals, carcinogens, etc. They will make healthier choices in general.
The other reason is, that vegans will eat a lot more fruits, veggies, seeds and nuts, which are full of nutrients and fiber and nourish your body very well and fight disease. But if someone who ate meat, eggs and bacon on a regular basis, also ate as much of these unrefiend plant foods, they will see similar results.
3. The biggest thing they got wrong was that saturated fat and cholesterol from animal products cause atherosclerosis( clogging of the arteries) and heart disease. This is outdated advice based on epidemiological studies done in the 50's and 60's, mostly done by Ancel keys, and that have been debunked many times through recent clinical trials and a closer look at the data. Recent Data have clearly proven the biggest cause of Obesity, heart disease, clogged arteries and diabetes(diseases that usually accompany each other in the same individual, known as "metabolic syndrome") are SUGAR and REFINED CARBOHYDRATES. Unfortunately Veganism does not eliminate these foods at all. Most vegans eat even more of these dangerous foods, as they look to replace the calories from animal products with other sources.
If you would like to learn more about this topic read: "The big fat surprise" and "Why we get fat and what to do about it"
4. During the transition phase, as they call it in the movie, what they recommended was to buy vegan imitations. Vegan cheese, Vegan ham, Vegan hot dogs, etc. These foods are HIGHLY processed with more than 20 ingredients if you read their labels and are worse than the supposedly "bad" foods they are trying to replace. Moreover they are usually made with soy and textured vegetable protein which is bad for you for a host of reasons. On top of that it is most likely GMO, as 94% of all US soy is. ___ Bottom line:
I feel this could have been way better, by discussing topics such as the effects of unrefined plant foods on the body and how they can help improve health. Topics such as fiber, antioxidants and micro nutrients come to mind.
A focus on eating whole foods and eliminating processed foods would have been another great message.
Hopefully the producers/ writers will improve upon their work in the future.
By the way, this was my first review, but I felt obligated to share my opinion. Excuse the grammar or the way I structured it.
Max
I feel that the producers/writers have good intentions and have a desire to improve people's health and the environment, but they simply need more education and reading on the topics before they give advice.
In short, here are the things that they got right AND what they left out:
WHAT THEY GOT RIGHT:
1. Animals are treated inhumanely and suffer great pain through modernized farming practices, in which they are treated as a number and valued based on the profit they produce. They go through tremendous physical and emotional pain their whole lives up until they are slaughtered for food.
2. Vegans suffer from less heart disease or other chronic conditions. (but I will discuss the reason)
3. Eating fruits, vegetables, nuts and seeds are great for your body. They are full of nutrients and fiber. Nuts are high in fats, but they are good fats and that is what we want. _______
WHAT THEY GOT WRONG OR LEFT OUT:
1. There are many Organic and free range farms that DO raise their animals humanely. If we as consumers chose to only buy those products and support local sustainable and ethical farms, even if that means paying more money initially, then eventually we would change the system. It takes two to tango.
2. Vegans suffer from less chronic diseases but it is not because they eliminate meat. There are a few reasons for this such as vegans generally being more mindful of what they eat as they become more educated about food and how it is processed. For instance, after they learn more about the origin of food and how it is processed and they learn about GMO's, chemicals, carcinogens, etc. They will make healthier choices in general.
The other reason is, that vegans will eat a lot more fruits, veggies, seeds and nuts, which are full of nutrients and fiber and nourish your body very well and fight disease. But if someone who ate meat, eggs and bacon on a regular basis, also ate as much of these unrefiend plant foods, they will see similar results.
3. The biggest thing they got wrong was that saturated fat and cholesterol from animal products cause atherosclerosis( clogging of the arteries) and heart disease. This is outdated advice based on epidemiological studies done in the 50's and 60's, mostly done by Ancel keys, and that have been debunked many times through recent clinical trials and a closer look at the data. Recent Data have clearly proven the biggest cause of Obesity, heart disease, clogged arteries and diabetes(diseases that usually accompany each other in the same individual, known as "metabolic syndrome") are SUGAR and REFINED CARBOHYDRATES. Unfortunately Veganism does not eliminate these foods at all. Most vegans eat even more of these dangerous foods, as they look to replace the calories from animal products with other sources.
If you would like to learn more about this topic read: "The big fat surprise" and "Why we get fat and what to do about it"
4. During the transition phase, as they call it in the movie, what they recommended was to buy vegan imitations. Vegan cheese, Vegan ham, Vegan hot dogs, etc. These foods are HIGHLY processed with more than 20 ingredients if you read their labels and are worse than the supposedly "bad" foods they are trying to replace. Moreover they are usually made with soy and textured vegetable protein which is bad for you for a host of reasons. On top of that it is most likely GMO, as 94% of all US soy is. ___ Bottom line:
I feel this could have been way better, by discussing topics such as the effects of unrefined plant foods on the body and how they can help improve health. Topics such as fiber, antioxidants and micro nutrients come to mind.
A focus on eating whole foods and eliminating processed foods would have been another great message.
Hopefully the producers/ writers will improve upon their work in the future.
By the way, this was my first review, but I felt obligated to share my opinion. Excuse the grammar or the way I structured it.
Max