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A new documentary by the author of the highly publicized China study has a simple message: meat is not only bad for the environment, but also bad for you. Cornell professor T Colin Campbell attracted a lot of attention in 2005 when he published research arguing that a western diet high in meat and dairy products can cause diabetes, heart disease and cancer. Now he’s back, with a film that sets out to explain why veganism is the healthiest choice.

The story of a lifelong search

According to the Planeat website, the film documents ‘the story of three men’s life-long search for a diet, which is good for our health, good for the environment and good for the future of the planet.’ These three men are Campbell, physician Dr Caldwell Esselstyn and Professor Gidon Eshel of Bard College.

What they say

Campbell says his research, which many question, proves that a diet based on animal products can have grave health consequences. Dr Esselstyn argues that veganism can halt heart disease (something Campbell asserts, too), while Professor Eshel explains the impact intensive farming has on the environment, particularly when it comes to nitrates polluting rivers and the ocean.

Film critics not sold

Planeat has not been well received by the media. Guardian film reviewer Cath Clarke explores why the film got her hackles up: ‘Maybe it’s the tippy-toe, softly-softly tone, sprinkling inspiration between the science, with visits to boutique organic farms and kooky vegan cupcake bakeries. Possibly it ought to come with a warning: contains traces of smugness.’

Metro reviewer Larushka Ivan-Zadeh wrote, ‘aside from showing us how to make a snack of homemade, fat-free hummus with kale (bleugh), Planeat is at best sketchy on detail and at worst one-sided, suggesting that eating protein basically gives you cancer with barely a peep of counter-evidence. An exercise in how to scare the unconverted.’

Science not sold

There is no doubt that a diet high in animal protein is bad for you, and there is no doubt intensive farming is bad for the environment. Still, there is no hard science behind claims that veganism can halt or reverse heart disease.

We’re not sold, either.

Tags: eating healthily, vegan, vegan diet