What To Watch
Eat Up These 6 Documentaries That Go Inside the Food Industry
With caution, of course.
By Ashley Lee
Aug. 5, 2026
6 Best Health Food Documentaries That Investigate Hows It's Made - Netflix Tudum
“There’s big problems in an industry that’s too powerful for its own good.” That’s Delaware environmental activist Michael Payan speaking about the poultry business in Big Chicken: A Fast Food Conspiracy, but the sentiment is shared across numerous documentaries that investigate the global food supply chain.
These six titles lay bare the unseen components that go into making our favorite foods, like peanuts, chocolate, sugar, fish, beef, and more. They note how, oftentimes, our most-liked entrées come with side dishes like fatal diseases, rainforest destruction, and inhumane workplace conditions.
Stream these documentary movies and shows for some unsavory food truths. To make it all go down easier, these facts are sometimes served with the help of a stand-up comedian, an A-list actor, and a few sets of twins.
Big Chicken: A Fast Food Conspiracy
Mo Gilligan loves fried chicken. In this documentary, the stand-up comedian boldly tests his passion for his favorite takeout by eating it three times a day for 28 days straight. Meanwhile, he embarks on an eye-opening journey from South London to the United States to reveal the historical origins of fried chicken and the social, economic, and industrial forces driving our mass consumption of it — from fast-food chains to large-scale farming — and its impact on our health, our planet, and the way we eat.
Cowspiracy: The Sustainability Secret
Here’s a meaty documentary about animal agriculture. Executive produced by actor and environmental activist Leonardo DiCaprio, it explores how large-scale factory farming decimates the planet's natural resources — as a primary driver of rainforest destruction, species extinction, habitat loss, topsoil erosion, and more — and why the situation goes largely ignored by major environmental groups. Follow this watch with filmmakers Kip Andersen and Keegan Kuhn’s What the Health, which examines the link between diet and disease, and is executive produced by actor and longtime vegan Joaquin Phoenix.
Poisoned: The Dirty Truth About Your Food
Policymakers and food industry execs have been unrelenting in suggesting America’s food is “the safest in the world,” even while the United States experiences weekly outbreaks of foodborne illnesses. In this documentary, filmmaker Stephanie Soechtig examines the country’s food supply system and investigates how its systemic fractures led to outbreaks of foodborne pathogens –– and deadly consequences. It also delves into the history of food regulation, companies’ cover-up attempts, and criminal prosecutions that have resulted from contamination.
Rotten
These foods and beverages may be tasty, but the manufacturing and distribution of them are anything but appetizing. This investigative series brings audiences into the heart of the global food supply chain to reveal the hidden forces that shape what we eat. The first season won the James Beard Media Award for Visual Reporting (on TV or Online) and covers topics including garlic, honey, and milk; the second season received a News & Documentary Emmy Award nomination and tackles subjects like avocado, wine, and bottled water.
Seaspiracy
Get reeled into this compelling movie from the production team of Cowspiracy: The Sustainability Secret, as it investigates the global fishing industry and challenges notions of sustainable fishing. Seaspiracy also outlines how human actions cause widespread environmental destruction: plastics and fishing gear polluting the waters, the irreparable damage of bottom trawling and by-catch, and illegal fishing and devastating hunting practices. Filmmaker Ali Tabrizi dives deep into the havoc wreaked on marine life and, by extension, the entire planet.
You Are What You Eat: A Twin Experiment
Considering a change in your meal plan? This series captures an intriguing Stanford University study of identical twins, in which each sibling sticks to a different diet plan for eight weeks. One twin is put on a plant-based diet free of meat, seafood, eggs, and dairy; the other consumes an omnivorous diet that includes meat and animal products. Four twin pairs participated in the experiment, with results providing intriguing insight into how what we eat affects our life expectancy, risk of heart disease, and sexual drive.
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