Couple hope their film has right 'InGREEDients'

What you don't know can not only hurt you, but if you do it long enough, it can also kill you before your time.

At 7 p.m., Friday Flow Yoga, 7711 Grand Blvd., Port Richey, will present a free screening of a documentary film produced by a Land O' Lakes couple that examines how Americans are eating themselves to death without realizing it.

David and Robyn Burton presented their film, "InGREEDients," at the 2009 Gasparilla International Film Festival in February, where it drew rave reviews. It has since picked up awards and buzz along the independent film circuit.

Filmmaking had always been a hobby for David Burton while he makes his living as a registered nurse in the cardiac care unit at Community Hospital.

Like the rest of America, David Burton became familiar with the phrases "hydrogenated oil" and "trans fats" several years ago. Looking back, he admits he was shocked when he learned how much he didn't know about hydrogenated oil and its long-term effects on the human body.

Hydrogenated oil is oil that has been infused with hydrogen. The result is trans fat, or "fake fat," convenient to processed food manufacturers because of its versatility and long shelf life.

For decades, it was thought to be a healthy alternative to natural fat - the basis of the butter versus margarine debate. But now, the evidence suggests it is far more detrimental to human health than natural fat.

As he learned more about hydrogenated oils and saw their effects every day, Burton was compelled to take his filmmaking to the next level.

"InGREEDients" offers a primer on the prevalence of hydrogenated oil in our food. The premise of the film is what you eat plays a role in the rising rates of heart disease, diabetes and obesity. The three are interconnected and are the result of the consumption of too much trans fat in the form of hydrogenated oils.

The Burtons spent more than two years traveling the country, as their jobs permitted, researching and doing on-camera interviews with experts such as Walter Willet, chairman of the Department of Nutrition at Harvard School of Public Health and professor of medicine at Harvard Medical School, and Valentin Fuster, director of Mount Sinai Heart in New York and past president of the American Heart Association and of the World Heart Federation.

"We talk about the food industry, the FDA, the government, the medical industry," Burton said, all of which have a stake in the status quo. But the film isn't meant to be simply an indictment of these entities. Ultimately, each person is responsible for what they put in their bodies.

"That's why our slogan is, 'The choice is yours,'" Burton said.

"InGREEDients" offers tips on reading and interpreting nutrition labels. Fats and carbohydrates are worth noting, Burton said, but ingredients with long chemical names are what to really watch out for.

Burton offers a simple rule: "If you can't pronounce it, don't eat it."

The Burtons have taken on a partner, Russell Hess, whose main duty is to market the film. So far they've had better luck finding interest overseas than in the United States. TV companies in Russia and South Africa have shown strong interest in airing "InGREEDients."

Burton doesn't hide that he'd love to see "InGREEDients" follow in the footsteps of its likeminded predecessor "Supersize Me" and gain wide notoriety in this country, and not just for the sake of his filmmaking career, but because the more people the film reaches, the more good it can do, he said. The Burtons have an outreach program that includes free public screenings, donated copies of the movie and free health consciousness events with an assortment of guest speakers.

Friday's screening at Flow Yoga is such an event. Burton will be on hand to sign DVD copies, and nutrition experts will be there to add to the discussion.

Space is limited; reservations are suggested. For information, call (727) 848-7283.