I agree — in part. I do feel the movie offered significant value by hammering on the message that meat and dairy are not necessary for athletic prowess, and that plants can give us more than enough protein. These misconceptions are deeply entrenched.

Yet, I agree with you that a winning diet is one that is built around whole, high-fiber plant-based foods, rather than processed versions, and that the movie fell short on this front. Many of the meals, especially for the football athletes, appeared to be heavy on fried foods and refined carbs.

At the same time, I feel that fears around processed foods as “toxic” are getting out of hand. They are the new super-villains! While whole is almost always better (more fiber, greater nutrient density, better balance of pros and cons), we need to apply this “rule” wisely, just like the “rule” that natural is always better. I don’t believe that there is any harm in moderate intakes of processed foods. Emerging evidence suggests the main issue is way that they promote overeating through their hyperpalatability, thanks to added sugars, fats, and salt that make us crave more and more.

I discuss some of these nuances in this article on plant-based burgers:
https://fueledbyscience.com/faux-meat-burgers-and-your-health-facts-and-fallacies/