Educational Media Reviews Online

PlanEat is a well-presented argument in favor of a plant-based diet for personal health and environmental benefits. Whereas films such as Food, Inc. (2009), King Corn (2007), and Fresh (2009) look at how our food is grown and processed, PlanEat questions the typical animal-based Western diet. An animal-based diet includes meat or fish, eggs, and dairy products. Plant-based (vegan) diets consists of eating only whole grains, beans, vegetables and fruit.

The film interviews researchers T. Colin Campbell, Caldwell Esselstyn, Gidon Eshel, and Peter Singer. All of whom have, through different disciplines, reached the conclusion that a plant-based diet benefits individual health and that of the environment. Building upon previous lab research, Dr. Campbell examined data gathered in a wide-scale health and nutrition study known as the China Project which showed a noticeable increase in diseases of affluency –cancer and heart disease—in the more prosperous areas where people had added meat and dairy to their diet. Dr. Esselstyn’s conclusions came from his research while treating heart disease patients. Professor Eshel’s research looks at the negative environmental factors of raising and processing livestock into food. Singer comments from the perspective of bioethics.

Counteracting the potential turn-off of discussing scientific statistics, many tasty-looking vegan foods are prepared during the course of the film. (Recipes are found on the film’s website. http://planeat.tv/)

Extras include a 35-minute version of the film and an additional 8-minute interview with bioethics philosopher Peter Singer.

Highly recommended for classes discussing nutrition, vegan cooking, food chain, or human impact on the environment.