By Adam Rabiner
From Food to Freedom is written and directed by Nelson Campbell, son of Dr. T Colin Campbell, father of the whole food plant-based nutrition movement who conducted pioneering research on the links between animal protein and cancer, The China Study. Dr. Campbell’s research found that animal foods increase serum cholesterol, heart disease, and cancer rates. The meat industry and other powerful interests labeled him a maverick and a quack, hoping to discredit and silence him. The filmmaker believes this is still the case. In granting us permission to screen the film he wrote, “I don"t know if you are aware of this, but Facebook is censoring our film promotion. Facebook’s largest source of ad revenue comes from the pharma industry, so their policy toward us is not surprising given their heavy-handed control of the information they allow on their platform.”
From Food to Freedom is a highly entertaining, but very serious, documentary that translates all the hard science and statistics into real life stories. A kind of vegan version of The Real World, Nelson recruits six individuals with type two diabetes (and two spouses) to spend ten days in a house in Greensboro, North Carolina where every meal is plant-based. All participants are monitored and counseled, one-on-one, and in group sessions, by a licensed physician. Their blood is sampled and scored at the beginning and end while their glucose is continuously monitored throughout - an inverted version of Supersize Me, in which a month-long diet of nothing but McDonald’s nearly killed filmmaker Morgon Spurlock.
The volunteers are not cherry-picked. They range from eighteen to retirement age and are not healthy. In addition to diabetes, many are overweight, have high cholesterol, triglycerides and blood pressure, suffer from sleep apnea, have trouble with mobility, and are on multiple medications. Someone drove four hours to the house from out of state only to discover she had a broken arm. All are eager and positive, but none feel it will be easy. One is fond of telling his wife, “Rome was not built in a day…”
And yet, positive results are almost immediate. In group discussions, they enthusiastically describe how they feel better, have more energy, and appreciate the food – salads and vegetable-based versions of meatloaf, lasagna, macaroni and cheese, and other familiar comfort foods. They are not just passive eaters but are welcomed into the kitchen to assist Nelson’s wife Kim, a cookbook writer, and another chef, Fernando Peralto, with meal preparation.
At the end of the ten days the eight individuals have collectively lost fifty-four pounds, good and bad cholesterol levels have universally dropped, blood pressures have improved, and many have completely stopped or severely restricted their use of insulin and other medications.
Of course, the real question is, can this awesome accomplishment achieved in a communal and supportive setting, translate into real, long-term change? From Food to Freedom, does not shirk this vital inquiry. Six months later, here and there someone occasionally fell off the wagon for a Burger King onion ring or restaurant meal, but most climbed right back on. Successful participants were supported by a spouse or benefited from friends and housemates. Those who struggled were more isolated. One was hampered by her “meat and potatoes” husband who refused to eat much of what she cooked. Another lived alone and succumbed too often to her cravings for potato chips and soda. But she was still on the journey and trying.
From Food to Freedom alludes to the still powerful forces in society that control the terms of the debate, for example the pharmaceutical industry with its highly effective marketing, public relations, and advertising. The film, made during COVID, showed that most people who died from the disease had underlying pre-existing conditions and yet none of the advice offered by the experts – where a mask, wash your hands, social distance – included a healthy plant-based diet.
Though the Campbells are not naïve they remain convinced that the truth will prevail. The movement in which they have played such an important part is growing by the day. Twenty years ago it was hard to find soymilk yet today there are supermarket sections dedicated to plant-based alternatives. From Food to Freedom and other similar films have companion websites, full of useful information as well as affiliated non-profit organizations promoting the cause of alternative food systems. In this, the Park Slope Food Coop and the Plow to Plate movie series, play a small but important and proud part.
From Food to Freedom is written and directed by Nelson Campbell, son of Dr. T Colin Campbell, father of the whole food plant-based nutrition movement who conducted pioneering research on the links between animal protein and cancer, The China Study. Dr. Campbell’s research found that animal foods increase serum cholesterol, heart disease, and cancer rates. The meat industry and other powerful interests labeled him a maverick and a quack, hoping to discredit and silence him. The filmmaker believes this is still the case. In granting us permission to screen the film he wrote, “I don"t know if you are aware of this, but Facebook is censoring our film promotion. Facebook’s largest source of ad revenue comes from the pharma industry, so their policy toward us is not surprising given their heavy-handed control of the information they allow on their platform.”
From Food to Freedom is a highly entertaining, but very serious, documentary that translates all the hard science and statistics into real life stories. A kind of vegan version of The Real World, Nelson recruits six individuals with type two diabetes (and two spouses) to spend ten days in a house in Greensboro, North Carolina where every meal is plant-based. All participants are monitored and counseled, one-on-one, and in group sessions, by a licensed physician. Their blood is sampled and scored at the beginning and end while their glucose is continuously monitored throughout - an inverted version of Supersize Me, in which a month-long diet of nothing but McDonald’s nearly killed filmmaker Morgon Spurlock.
The volunteers are not cherry-picked. They range from eighteen to retirement age and are not healthy. In addition to diabetes, many are overweight, have high cholesterol, triglycerides and blood pressure, suffer from sleep apnea, have trouble with mobility, and are on multiple medications. Someone drove four hours to the house from out of state only to discover she had a broken arm. All are eager and positive, but none feel it will be easy. One is fond of telling his wife, “Rome was not built in a day…”
And yet, positive results are almost immediate. In group discussions, they enthusiastically describe how they feel better, have more energy, and appreciate the food – salads and vegetable-based versions of meatloaf, lasagna, macaroni and cheese, and other familiar comfort foods. They are not just passive eaters but are welcomed into the kitchen to assist Nelson’s wife Kim, a cookbook writer, and another chef, Fernando Peralto, with meal preparation.
At the end of the ten days the eight individuals have collectively lost fifty-four pounds, good and bad cholesterol levels have universally dropped, blood pressures have improved, and many have completely stopped or severely restricted their use of insulin and other medications.
Of course, the real question is, can this awesome accomplishment achieved in a communal and supportive setting, translate into real, long-term change? From Food to Freedom, does not shirk this vital inquiry. Six months later, here and there someone occasionally fell off the wagon for a Burger King onion ring or restaurant meal, but most climbed right back on. Successful participants were supported by a spouse or benefited from friends and housemates. Those who struggled were more isolated. One was hampered by her “meat and potatoes” husband who refused to eat much of what she cooked. Another lived alone and succumbed too often to her cravings for potato chips and soda. But she was still on the journey and trying.
From Food to Freedom alludes to the still powerful forces in society that control the terms of the debate, for example the pharmaceutical industry with its highly effective marketing, public relations, and advertising. The film, made during COVID, showed that most people who died from the disease had underlying pre-existing conditions and yet none of the advice offered by the experts – where a mask, wash your hands, social distance – included a healthy plant-based diet.
Though the Campbells are not naïve they remain convinced that the truth will prevail. The movement in which they have played such an important part is growing by the day. Twenty years ago it was hard to find soymilk yet today there are supermarket sections dedicated to plant-based alternatives. From Food to Freedom and other similar films have companion websites, full of useful information as well as affiliated non-profit organizations promoting the cause of alternative food systems. In this, the Park Slope Food Coop and the Plow to Plate movie series, play a small but important and proud part.