Harsh Vardhan
Many meat lovers across the world have turned vegan and embraced it as a way of life, and cinema and documentaries have always looked to delve deeper into the reasons behind people choosing to adopt this new way of life. Real footage and actual camera clips play a huge role in inspiring people to follow an animal-friendly, cruelty-free life ruled only by a plant-based diet. With all that said, here’s the list of really good vegetarian documentaries on Netflix that are available to stream right now.
9. Live to 100: Secrets of the Blue Zones (2023)
This 4-part docuseries follows American author Dan Buettner as he travels around the world, interacting with communities whose people have found ways to extend their lives via their lifestyles and diet. These expeditions to the ‘Blue Zones’ take him and us to California, Japan, Italy, Greece, Costa Rica, and Singapore. You can get to know about these ‘blue zone’ cultures, where aging is a journey about feeling good rather than looking good, by watching ‘Live to 100: Secrets of the Blue Zones’ right here.
8. Bad Vegan: Fame. Fraud. Fugitives. (2022)
Directed by Chris Smith, this singularly peculiar 4-part docuseries tells the case of Sarma Melngailis, who was the owner of Pure Food and Wine (opened in 2004 and shut down in 2015), one of New York City’s top vegan restaurants. She married a guy named Anthony Strangis, aka Shane Fox, who promised to make her and her dog immortal if only she did what he told her to do. Later, the couple was found to be stealing money from the restaurant’s account and ended up being arrested for robbing $1.6 million from the account. Conspiracy theories abound, ‘Bad Vegan: Fame. Fraud. Fugitives.’ is a depiction of the madness that ‘Pure Food and Wine’ had gotten involved in. To find out more about what happened, you can stream the series here.
7. You Are What You Eat: A Twin Experiment (2024)
A 4-episode limited series directed by Louie Psihoyos, this vegan documentary follows an 8-week study conducted by Stanford University and led by Christopher D. Gardner, director of nutrition studies at the Stanford Prevention Research Center, Stanford University. In the study, we see 22 sets of genetically identical twins wherein one of the twins was put on an omnivore diet, and the other one was put on a vegan diet. The series focuses on four sets of twins and shows how their diets affect them and their bodies. You can watch the series here.
6. Seaspiracy (2021)
In the eye-opening documentary ‘Seaspiracy,’ directed by Ali Tabrizi, the hidden truths of the global fishing industry are laid bare. With a concise and impactful narrative, the film uncovers the environmental devastation caused by commercial fishing, including overfishing, bycatch, and habitat destruction. ‘Seaspiracy’ challenges preconceptions about sustainable seafood and highlights the urgent need for conservation. Through compelling interviews and shocking revelations, the documentary urges viewers to reconsider their seafood choices, offering a succinct yet powerful exploration of the environmental crisis plaguing our oceans. You can watch it here.
5. The Milk System (2017)
‘The Milk System,’ directed by Andreas Pichler, is a thought-provoking documentary that delves into the global dairy industry. With a crisp and insightful narrative, it unveils the complexities of milk production, from industrialized farming to marketing strategies. The film critically examines the environmental impact, ethical concerns, and health implications associated with mass milk consumption. ‘The Milk System’ challenges viewers to reevaluate their relationship with this ubiquitous beverage, offering a concise yet impactful exploration of the multifaceted issues within the dairy system. You can stream it here.
4. What The Health (2017)
‘What the Health’ is a compelling documentary advocating for veganism, directed by Kip Andersen and Keegan Kuhn. The film explores the profound impact of animal agriculture on human health, exposing connections between the meat and dairy industries and chronic illnesses. Through interviews with experts, the documentary challenges conventional dietary norms and highlights the benefits of adopting a plant-based lifestyle. It sheds light on the ethical, environmental, and health-related reasons for embracing veganism, making a persuasive case for reevaluating dietary choices. With its eye-opening revelations, ‘What the Health’ serves as a thought-provoking and informative tool for individuals considering the switch to a vegan lifestyle. You can watch it here.
3. Cowspiracy (2014)
‘Cowspiracy: The Sustainability Secret,’ released in 2014, is another documentary film that sheds light on the effects of animal agriculture on the environment and tries to explore the validity of government policies that handle this issue. Some of the environmental hazards featured here are global warming, water use, deforestation, and ocean dead zones. And behind each of these events, animal agriculture might be a key contributor. According to the film, the majority of greenhouse gases are produced by animal agriculture, compared to fossil fuel emissions. You can watch it here.
2. Rotten (2018)
‘Rotten,’ an American docu-series, comes from production house Zero Point Zero. It mainly focuses on the loopholes in the food supply chain. Each episode of this 6-part series has a runtime of 1 hour and mainly revolves around a particular food product. The show features manufacturers, distributors, and others involved in the process and tries to highlight criminal cases, if any, that have been raised against these individuals. You can watch it here.
1. The Game Changers (2019)
‘The Game Changers’ is a groundbreaking documentary directed by Louie Psihoyos. It challenges the traditional perceptions of meat-based diets by showcasing elite athletes thriving on plant-based nutrition. With compelling scientific evidence and interviews featuring athletes like Arnold Schwarzenegger and Lewis Hamilton, the film explores how a plant-based diet enhances performance, endurance, and overall health. Through a dynamic and visually engaging narrative, ‘The Game Changers’ encourages viewers to reconsider the role of meat in their diets, making a persuasive case for the benefits of plant-powered living. Feel free to stream it here.
Read More: Best Animal Documentaries on Netflix
