7 Best Food Documentaries on Amazon Prime

If you want to know more about the food you are eating, then stay tuned for our list of the 7 best food documentaries on Amazon Prime.

Did you notice how there are more and more types of food and drinks we shouldn’t consume? The type of food that is harmful always depends on the source of information of course. This has always fascinated me. One day I would read that coffee is causing cancer and after, I would read again that coffee helps prevent cancer. Then again, I would find out that some type of food is making me fat just to learn that it helps me lose weight from another source. The best thing of all is that you always read about scientific studies for both claims. These things make me skeptical and unsure about whom to trust when taking food advice. But, it isn’t all about the kind of food, as much as it is the quality of it.

One thing that I’m sure about is that we really don’t know what we are eating. This is a huge problem and it doesn’t receive as much attention as it should. Food consumption is at an all-time high and, basically, there is much more demand than supply (at least globally). This is why food producers are compensating by offering low-quality food that is mass produced, and they use various methods to increase their productivity like pesticides, antibiotics, and other chemicals. No one can convince me that it is healthy to eat a chicken that gained 9 pounds in 9 weeks. This isn’t even the worst-case scenario. At least it is some kind of chicken.

In China, there is the possibility you don’t even get that. While doing research for this article, I stumbled upon a report from Al Jazeera about counterfeit food (yes, there really is such a thing). Some Chinese restaurants are using illegal additives containing toxic chemicals to trick their customers into thinking they are eating meat. This is why watching documentaries can do you worlds of good. Lots of documentary makers are trying to raise awareness about these and similar practices by investigating the food we are eating. If you like investigative documentaries on various topics, make sure to check out our list of the 35 Best Documentaries on Amazon Prime.

Amazon.com, Inc. (NASDAQ:AMZN)‘s Prime Video is included with Prime Memberships, and is now available in more than 200 countries. Amazon has quickly emerged as a major threat to Netflix, Inc. (NASDAQ:NFLX) and other streaming services, hosting a large selection of popular movies and TV shows (at least in the U.S, its library strength is not as strong outside of the country) and building an impressive list of original content. Prime Video in the U.S contains over 5,900 videos marked as documentary.

Before we start our list of the 7 best food documentaries on Amazon Prime, we have to tell you how we managed to compile it. First, we looked for documentaries related to food currently streaming on Prime Video. After, we ranked the titles according to their Amazon rating and the number of users who rated them (those with 5 or fewer ratings did not qualify). Finally, we calculated the average rating and got the magnificent 7. Now, let’s get to it.

7. What’s On Your Plate?

Amazon Rating: 4.8
Number of Ratings: 26

Two 11-year-old kids named Sadie and Safiyah assume the main roles in this documentary as they try to uncover the origins of the foods that we eat. Through the documentary they talk with various food experts, farmers and food activists, completing the puzzle and answering the starting question along the way.

6. Urban Fruit

Amazon Rating: 4.6
Number of Ratings: 269

We can all agree that the best food is that which you produce yourself. Unfortunately, with increasing urbanization, the number of people who do that is rapidly decreasing. Is it possible to grow your food in the city? This documentary that ranks 6th in our list of best food documentaries on Amazon Prime investigates the question through the story of people who decided to do just that.

5. Just Eat It: A Food Waste Story

Amazon Rating: 4.6
Number of Ratings: 331

While people in some parts of the world are starving, food worth close to $165 billion is thrown away in the United States every year. We are talking about perfectly good food. This is why Jenny and Grant decided not to buy food anymore but to live out of discarded food and see where it takes them. You will be surprised by the final outcome, that’s for sure.

4. Food Matters

Amazon Rating: 4.5
Number of Ratings: 947

This entry on our list of the 7 best food documentaries on Amazon Prime will show you just how important food is for our health. It can make us both healthier and unhealthier. Through the documentary, you will be able to hear opinions about the relationship between food and health from scientists, doctors, journalists and nutritionists, among others. The documentary covers a variety of topics, from raw foodism to organic food and food safety.

3. Deli Man

Amazon Rating: 4.4
Number of Ratings: 1307

This documentary ranks 3rd in our list of best food documentaries on Amazon Prime. It follows Ziggy Gruber, owner of a deli in Houston, and his passion for making food. Delis were once very popular in the United States, but the food culture is changing and now there are just over 100 delis in the entire country. This documentary is a reminder of a period when delis were at the peak of their popularity and when people enjoyed food without worrying about calories and whether or not the bread was gluten-free.

2. Sriracha

Amazon Rating: 4.5
Number of Ratings: 2151

It is time for some brighter topics related to food. Don’t call yourself a food lover if you have never tried Sriracha! This legendary sauce has found its place on many tables around the world, but not a lot of people know its origins. If Sriracha is something that you can’t have your meal without, don’t think twice before hitting the play button on this documentary, while the rest of you can see what you have been missing all along.

1. That Sugar Film

Amazon Rating: 4.6    
Number of Ratings: 2239

Are you ready for the sweetest documentary on our list of the 7 best food documentaries on Amazon Prime? Australian actor and director Damon Gameau decided to discover what happens to the body after a person goes on a diet high in sugar. The documentary explores the effects of high amounts of sugar on overall health, and also deals with the issue of hidden sugar in our food. Your love for sweets may never be the same after watching this documentary.

Disclosure: None