Nutrition perspective: What the health?

Zahida Gomez Castellano

Salt Lake Community College

NUTR 1020

March 29, 2022

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Abstract

In this essay I am going to be writing a review about the documentary What the Health? By Kip

Anderson. This film talks about the dangerous effects of eating animal products and the harm it

is doing to our bodies, and how we should consider a vegan diet. I am going to be explaining my

thoughts about this film and what I learned.

Keywords: Vegan, animal, meat, health

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For my nutrition research paper I chose to watch “What the Health.”In this movie, Kip

Anderson the writer and producer explains different health consequences that can occur from

eating animal products including meat, poultry, fish, eggs, dairy, etc. Anderson has a history of

cancer, heart diseases, and diabetes in his family. He lost both his parents to cancer and also lost

his grandfather because of the same reason. He doesn’t want to fall into this same pattern that his

family members went through. He is an animal rights activist, which I also think is one of the

main reasons he is so against consuming animal products.

This film was released on March 7, 2017. I do think that these themes are still applicable

today. There are still a lot of people agreeing with Andersons side, and are on an all plant-based

diet. It also depends on where you grew up. This can change your perspectives on what you

consume. There are also a lot of people disagreeing with this subject and think this is a ridiculous

film. As I was looking at reviews for this film many people don’t like the idea of someone

bashing another side. I am in between, I know that if someone really agrees about what they are

talking about, learning about the other side isn’t something that they will be interested in.

In this movie each area of the animal is talked about and how bad it is for you. One of his

main points in the film that he brings up is the American Diabetes Association, he goes on about

how there are many food products that can cause high risk for diabetes and this association

doesn’t bring them up. He tried interviewing multiple people that are a part of this and they

refused to talk. This shows a lot about how there are various things processed in animal products

and how bad it is for us. He also goes on explaining how animal products are main reasons for

obesity, cancer, and heart diseases.

I chose this film because I remember one of my English teachers in highschool talking

about this in highschool. She said that one of the main reasons she became a vegetarian was
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because of this film which I think is very interesting. How something can change your

perspective. She told me how this film talks about how meat products ruin your health

drastically, and it is the main reason that there are multiple diseases. I thought I should give it a

watch to see what it was all about.

I’ve done a few researches on this movie and supposedly this film “forces” you to

become vegan and that this is the only “healthy” way to eat, bashing other food groups. In the

movie it stated that “eating one egg a day is just the same as having 5 cigarettes'' (Anderson and

Kuhn, 2017). This is something that really stood out to me because many people eat eggs and it’s

included in our every day diet. There is also no cited source after this given information which

can confuse people.

In the textbook it states that eggs are an excellent source of protein and that “Inclusion of

animal proteins may be important because they generally contain a higher proportion of the

amino acids leucine, which plays a key role in stimulating muscle protein growth”(Wordlaw and

Smith, 2018). This really leaves me thinking, considering that I get most of my protein from

animal products. I don’t have any health problems, and according to the book animal protein can

give you more growth than a plant-based protein diet.

However, I do think that having a vegan diet can go really well, and you can get just the

same amount of protein. There is plant-based protein powder available at stores that you can buy

as well. There are many foods that you can add to your diet when being vegan. I think that a lot

of research has to be done so you aren’t just munching on whatever and being hungry all the

time.

In the film, Anderson talks about how being on a plant-based diet can help you not need

your medication if you are on any. Anderson tried convincing audiences that “plant-base” was
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perfect for everyone. This can vary since everyone's diet is very different and can range. Having

a plant-based diet lowers your risk of getting cancer according to Anderson. I do believe this to

be true, in the book it talks about a compound group called phytochemical, “found in foods from

plants sources, especially within the fruit and vegetable groups…not considered essential

nutrient but provide significant health benefits” (Wordlaw and Smith, 2018) . The textbook also

explains how phytochemicals prevent the growth of cancer cells. However, I do believe that

there are ways to prevent any diseases even when eating meat, and the documentary should also

focus on other food groups being plant-based causing diseases.

One last thing that really stood out to me is that “milk does not build strong bones”

(Anderson and Kuhn, 2017). My entire life I have heard from friends and family that milk makes

you grow, and even from doctors saying that milk is an important source of calcium. In the

textbook, it states that “consuming foods high in lactose” is great for growing your bones and

making them stronger and that “dairy products provide about 75% of the calcium in the North

American diet” (Wordlaw and Smith, 2018). I am in between, since there are many sources

explaining that this is good for you. There are still other options to get your calcium intake with

plants such as eating kale, almonds, etc..

There are a few things I learned while watching this documentary, it gave me a very

different perspective on what I eat. I realize now what I am consuming in my body and how bad

it is affecting me. However, I don’t think that this will change what I eat. I have grown up

hearing that it’s okay to have animal protein, and that it can be very healthy. I am going to try to

include more vegetables in my diet. I learned how bad processed meat can be, I knew a little bit

of this because there are so many chemicals that are added to this type of meat that isn't natural.
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Another thing I learned is that fish is toxic, when I thought that fish was going to be a lot

better than red meat. This really shocked me because a few people I know are on a “pescatarian”

diet because it’s a lot better for them. I am in between the arguments in this film. Many of the

foods talked about are known as healthy. I kind of feel bad about myself watching this film. I feel

like I am not giving my body what is needed and view myself as unhealthy when really my diet

doesn’t seem too bad.

The documentary made it seem like anyone who consumes animal products is going to

die, when that isn’t true. You can balance out your meals, include more healthy foods, and get

the exercise that is needed daily. Mostly everyone in this film is NOT vegan so it is very

one-sided. I think it is a bit extreme and it bashes other sides. I do however plan on eating less

red meat since it is the most common cause of cancer.

One thing that stood out to me in the documentary was the lady going 14 days without

her meds and being on a vegan diet. I think that it depends on the person and who is getting this

diet. Many people are in need of meds. I know life before didn’t have all this science we have

now and many people survived with what they had, but people adapt differently. I think it is

important to take note of everyone’s lifestyle while making these choices. The other side wasn’t

able to talk about their opinion which I think also made this film very biased.

I don’t think anyone should feel bad about the food choices that they make, we all grew

up differently and it’s important to accept and be okay with other people's food choices. We

should also be okay with other people’s cultures and what they are eating. What is okay for them

might not be for us and vice versa. Vegan diets aren’t the right fit for everyone.
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With this being said I think to eat what you want, but also include mostly plants. Include

a variety of options on your plate. Don’t feel ashamed of what you are eating, as long as there is

a balance I think that it is perfectly fine.

References

Netflix. (2017). What the Health. Retrieved 2022, from

https://www.netflix.com/browse/my-list?jbv=80174177&jbp=1&jbr=5.

Wardlaw, G. M., Smith, A. M., Collene, A., & Spees, C. K. (2021). Wardlaw's contemporary

nutrition: A functional approach. McGraw-Hill Education.