So, continuing my spate of documentary reviews this month, I have now viewed the film Chow Down. Chow Down works as a perfect complement to the film Forks over Knives, exploring the idea that a plant based diet is a healthier diet than the one many Americans follow.

In building its case the film utilizes good mix of statistical and anecdotal evidence. Anyone who knows me is likely to be aware that my preferred food is something furry with big sad eyes, but the evidence in this movie is compelling enough to make me seriously reconsider my dietary choices. I think one of the most illuminating and shocking pieces of statistical evidence presented was about soldiers killed in the Korean War. In autopsies of the troops killed in the war a full 77% shows sighs of heart disease and their average age was 22.

The film is a mix of traditional interviews, lifestyle documents following patients as they attempt to change their diet over, and amusing animated bits illustrating the cause and effect of various forces. The film is charming, well edited, and quite engaging. It presents the arguments in a straight forward manner without resulting to hyperbole.

Now, I am not wholly convinced that a person need adopt the proposed diet or nothing, There is no doubt in my mind that human are evolved to eat some meat, it is why we have the teeth that we do. The critical question is just how much meat and animal based product is optimum for human health, and at what level does it begin to degrade our health? Dr Caldwell Esselstyn’s work, research and treatment histories are compelling evidence that this man knows what he is talking about. However he study diets at at an extreme from what we are typically eating. So at one end of the scale we have the American Diet rich in meats, processed foods, and heart disease, at the other end is Dr Esselstyn’s diet, no animal product, no oils, unprocessed foods, and evidence that is not only prevents but reverses heart disease. What I would love to see is a series of studies slowly moving Dr Esslestyn’s diet closer to the normal, establishing where the danger levels exist.

That said, I can heartily recommend this movie to anyone who is interested in learning more about the link between the typical American diet and heart disease. If you want to see the movie I found it on HULU.