Great documentaries should open your mind to new ideas and hopefully motivate and inspire you along the way too. These ten films definitely did that for me and I hope you find them equally informative and interesting. Would love to know your thoughts after you watch them…
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THAT SUGAR FILM
I’m a huge advocate for cutting down on the amount of sugar we consume; it’s hidden under multiple guises, in numerous ways, and we need to get rid of it from our lives. This documentary covers film-maker Damon Gameau’s journey to identify the effects of a high sugar diet on a healthy body; however, it’s not all chocolate and cakes.
Instead, Damon only eats foods that we perceive as ‘healthy’ such as low-fat yoghurt, cereals, juices and muesli bars. His goal is to find out what hidden sugars are doing to us, as well as where they’re lurking.
COWSPIRACY
It’s time we started talking about the impact that animal agriculture is having on the planet. It’s one of the leading causes of deforestation, water consumption and pollution, is responsible for more greenhouse gases than the transportation industry, and is considered the primary cause of rainforest destruction and species extinction.
In “Cowspiracy: The Sustainability Secret”, filmmaker Kip Andersen uncovers what is truly happening to the planet and why the world’s leading environmental organisations aren’t standing up to it.
FED UP
It is about time that we started talking about obesity, especially in America where the government reports that more than one third of U.S. adults are obese and when, in 2008, the estimated annual medical cost of obesity in that country was $147 billion. This documentary highlights, once again, how large quantities of sugar hidden in our food, especially processed, is responsible.
FOOD INC
This documentary gives a close and eye-opening examination of corporate farming in America, I couldn’t agree more with the need to cut down on the heavy use of chemicals and pesticides on our crops, or the aggressive way in which we farm the planet.
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FOOD MATTERS
This is such a great documentary about nutrition, food safety, organic and raw eating, and how our diet can play a key part in treating a number of health conditions such as heart disease, cancer, diabetes and obesity.
FAT, SICK & NEARLY DEAD
Joe Cross aims to tackle being 100 pounds overweight by swapping junk food for juices over 60 days. Travelling 3,000 miles, he speaks with more than 500 Americans to gain their perspective on health, food and longevity while also tackling his own weight issues. This is an inspirational and uplifting watch, and also a great reminder that it is only ourselves who can implement real change.
FORKS OVER KNIVES
We can become more empowered, healthier and at less risk of disease simply by educating ourselves in nutrition and the power of a whole-food, plant-based, low-fat diet. This documentary is a wonderful resource for learning more.
THE FUTURE OF FOOD
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The evolution of food production has meant genetically engineered foods are becoming increasingly commonplace on our shelves. But do we really know what they contain or how they are impacting our health? The Future of Food investigates those that are unlabelled, patented, modified and available to buy.
Filmmaker Morgan Spurlock sets himself the ultimate challenge: to eat McDonald’s for every meal during a 30-day period. In documenting its impact on his mind and body, he finds himself contemplating the influence of the fast-food industry on our wellbeing, as well as the growing obesity crisis.
HUNGRY FOR CHANGE
With chronic diseases and obesity on the rise, something really needs to change in the way we understand and appreciate food. We need to overcome our addictions to the sweet stuff, stop believing the diet market and start empowering ourselves with wholesome, natural and real foods.
