As intelligent beings we take pride in the fact that we can not only differentiate good and evil but that we are also able to analyze the information that is presented to us and choose the best option. Consequently, we should also choose what is best to put into our bodies and nowadays, it has become increasingly worrisome that almost every type of food that is sold in supermarkets (actually the greatest amount of food items that are produced in the United States or in Europe) are full of additives and chemicals.
That has apparently not influenced our decision making and we would in fact choose a hamburger, hot dog or any type of saturated fat laden fast food. Consequently, we’ve decided to make a list of five of the best, must see documentaries that promote organic, raw and slow food designed to be perfect fuel for your bodies.
1. Supersize Me
In the light of several legal suits that have been filed against McDonald’s that they are intentionally selling food that is unfit for human consumption, documentarian Morgan Spurlock decides to conduct a somewhat unorthodox experiment. He brings himself to eating only McDonald’s food for 30 consecutive days with the rule that he has to say yes if the clerk asks him if the menu should be super-sized. Moreover, by the end of the 30 day period he will have had to try each item on the menu at least once.
With a thorough physical examination before and after the experiment, Spurlock manages to deteriorate his health significantly (one of the doctors even declares that the irreversible damage done through this experiment could cause him to have a heart attack even after he loses all the weight gained).It took him 5 months to lose the first 9 kilograms and another 9.5 months to lose the remainder of 2 kilograms he had put on.
2. Earthlings
None of us have actually taken the time to consider where our food comes from, how a steak is produced or how the cow is treated. Earthlings uses footage obtained with hidden cameras to show us exactly how our plates come to be full- they present the day to day practices of the meat and dairy industries first and foremost, but basically of all industries that rely on animals for profit. There will be crying.
3. Vegucated
More on the funny side, this documentary also follows meat and dairy loving New Yorkers who agree to undergo a six-week vegan diet. The journey is not always easy but they do manage to find out what veganism is all about and that in spite of the impression that it is a cult, it is in fact a healthy and sustainable lifestyle.
4. Forks Over Knives
This documentary tackles the topic of disease in a society where our technology and medical advancements should be making us fitter and stronger. The truth is exactly the opposite: we are sicker, fatter and our quality of live is worse than before. What this documentary affirms is that the solution is so comprehensive and straightforward that none of us has actually taken it seriously: that animal based and processed foods are the source of all our problems.
5. Food Matters
Following Hippocrates’ idea that food should be our medicine, Food Matters discusses our current state of health and its connection to the nutrient sparse, toxin filled foods we feed our bodies. Leading nutritionists are interviewed and claim that with the right kind of food, detoxification attempts and supplements you could even cure illnesses like cancer.
That concludes our list of must see documentaries about food. We hope that they will inspire you to live a healthier life, or at least inform you of how your choices are impacting your health.