Review: Soul Food Junkies (2013)

Byron Hurt delivers a profoundly personal and insightful exploration into the history and impact of America’s most popular comfort food, Soul Food. This ambitious and heart-felt documentary was inspired by the author’s health concerns for his father who ate a diet high in ‘soul food.’  Hurt explores the myths and realities of nutrition during slavery, exposes the problem of limited access to nutritious foods in many urban communities, and considers the psychological origins of food addiction.

“Can food that is good to you also be good for you?”  - Byron Hurt

This balanced and informative film features a number of academic, community, and civil right legends and luminaries who help set the context for these issues.  Hurt will cause you to laugh and think about your daily food choices without being dictatorial.  For this reason, Soul Food Junkies is good conversation starter.  Off The Grid Health has held public screenings of this film as part of its grassroots effort to increase health awareness in the community.  We hope Hurt will consider a follow-up documentary to specifically promote solid nutritional strategies.  We’d be very supportive of such a project.  Enjoy.