According to this New Netflix Series: We Absolutely Are What We Eat
I've seen a handful of documentaries about plant-based life and factory farming. I'm not really compelled to keep watching everything that comes out on those topics because, well, I'm in the club! They got me. No more convincing needed. Case closed. Tofurky it is.
But here's the thing, not only am I plant-based, I'm a mom to identical twin boys. So, when I saw that Netflix was premiering a show about the Stanford University identical twin study which found that a vegan diet does indeed improve cardiovascular health...I couldn't pass that up!
"We are at a point in human history where we have the biggest opportunity we've ever had, which is to intentionally reinvent the food system." - Miyoko Schinner in "You Are What You Eat"
"You Are What You Eat: A Twin Experiment" takes us on a health journey with a few sets of twins which is fascinating, but the show also weaves in how our food systems impact society, industry and environment.
The docuseries packs a lot of info. You could probably make four more documentaries about each of these topics, but they did a great job getting some high-level data in there and tying it all together for the viewing audience.
Even if you aren't sure about eliminating animal products from your diet, you would have to agree there's a huge disconnect between the food on our plate and how it arrives there.
Factory farming - and of course, fish farming - is appalling. What's more, it's dangerous to both our health and the environment. You'll get a great sense of these industries by watching this show.
With this in mind, the concept of "we are what we eat" takes on a new meaning.
Do we want to be a society where this stuff is happening?
The show features interviews with some of the most famous names in the vegan world, including Daniel Humm, creator and owner of New York's exclusive Eleven Madison Park restaurant, which he turned fully plant-based in 2021; plant-enthusiastic New Jersey Senator Cory Booker; and vegan author, chef, visionary and founder of Miyoko's Creamery, Miyoko Schinner.
Miyoko served up a fact that literally made my jaw drop (I rewound it to make sure I heard it correctly). She said: "Dairy cheese takes 800 to 1,000 gallons of water [to produce] one pound of cheese. To make our cashew cheese, it takes about 1 quart to 3 or 4 quarts. That's about it."
It's quite clear that we all need to do something, now.
I'll leave you with this, from the founder of Impossible Foods, Pat Brown:
"If you had to pick a single change in your behavior that would have the biggest impact on the planet, it's reduce or eliminate animal products from your diet."
Mic drop.
This Week's Plant Powered Pick
Editor's note: If you downloaded my Veganuary guide, one of the recipes had eggs in it (the pancake one). So, look - I have a day job, and as I mentioned above...TWINS. I'm tired! Give me a break. Even The New York Times makes mistakes.
Two things you can do:
Use a substitute egg mixture (ie. like this flax and water replacement)
Or download the updated guide here. I included a pancake recipe that my kids love. Tip: I use the batter to make both pancakes and waffles, and I make extra to freeze for the kids to eat during the week.
Peace, love and plants,
Katie
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