You know you’ve entered peak vegan territory when your Netflix recommendations are 90% documentaries about kale saving humanity and 10% baking shows where someone inevitably tries to make a dairy-free éclair. You sit down with popcorn (air-popped, obviously) and suddenly your screen is filled with doctors, athletes, and activists all passionately agreeing on one thing: plants are basically superheroes in disguise.
And oh, what a lineup you’ve already devoured. Forks Over Knives made you eye your fridge like a crime scene. Cowspiracy convinced you that cows are secretly running an environmental mafia. What the Health had you rethinking eggs like they were plotting against your arteries. And The Game Changers made you believe broccoli should come with its own protein powder endorsement deal. Honestly, it’s been less like movie night and more like a full-blown plant-based boot camp.
But here’s the thing—these films aren’t just doom and gloom. They’re surprisingly entertaining, often hilarious, and always motivating. Whether they’re debunking myths, dunking on the meat industry, or showcasing plant-powered athletes who could casually bench-press your car, each one leaves you fired up to grab a sweet potato and conquer the world.
Top Plant-Based Diet Documentaries on Netflix
The world of plant-based nutrition is fascinating and potentially life-changing. To better educate yourself, here are four incredible documentaries available on Netflix that will help you understand the importance of plant-based diets.
Forks Over Knives
So you plop down on the couch with a bowl of kale chips (because obviously you snack responsibly) and hit play on Forks Over Knives. Within five minutes, you’re nodding along like, Yes, Dr. T. Colin Campbell, preach to my arteries! By the ten-minute mark, you’re already side-eyeing the block of cheddar in your fridge like it’s a villain in a low-budget horror movie.
The documentary basically tells you, in no uncertain terms, that plants are the Avengers of nutrition and animal products are the Thanos snapping away your good health. And you? You’re suddenly convinced that spinach is not just a leafy green—it’s a life coach with chlorophyll.
Every time a doctor in a lab coat pops up, you feel smarter just by osmosis. You start imagining yourself running ultramarathons fueled exclusively by lentils. Meanwhile, you catch yourself whispering to a sad piece of broccoli on your plate, “You complete me.”
By the end, you’ve been converted—again—even though you’re already vegan. You close Netflix, strut into the kitchen, and throw out your roommate’s bacon with the confidence of someone who just got ordained in the Church of Chickpeas.
Forks Over Knives isn’t just a documentary—it’s a pep talk that makes you want to marry a sweet potato. And honestly? You should. They’re reliable, sweet, and they don’t ghost you.
Cowspiracy
You press play on Cowspiracy, expecting some mellow cow content, maybe a few pastures and a banjo soundtrack. Instead, you get an environmental mic drop that makes you wonder if you’ve been recycling wrong your entire life.
From the first scene, the film points a giant, flashing neon sign at the elephant in the room—or rather, the cow in the field. Turns out, the biggest climate offender isn’t your car or your neighbor’s endless Amazon deliveries. It’s burgers. Yes, burgers.
As the stats pile up, you find yourself staring at your dinner plate like it’s a crime scene. Water usage, deforestation, ocean dead zones—the cows are running the show, and not in a cute barnyard way. It’s less Old MacDonald and more Planet Earth: Apocalypse Edition.
But the real kicker? The documentary doesn’t let anyone off the hook. You watch environmental organizations stumble around the topic like teenagers caught sneaking in past curfew. It’s awkward. It’s revealing. And it’s kind of hilarious—if it weren’t so terrifying.
By the end, you’re equal parts horrified and motivated. You look at a bag of lentils with newfound admiration, like they’re tiny climate-saving heroes. And you realize: changing what’s on your plate might be the most powerful environmental action you can take.
So here’s the bottom line—Cowspiracy is sharp, eye-opening, and surprisingly entertaining. If you care about the planet (or just want to win your next dinner table debate), watch it. Twice. Then recommend it to literally everyone you know.
What the Health
You start What the Health thinking, “Cool, another food doc. Maybe I’ll learn kale has secret superpowers.” Ten minutes later, you’re clutching your fork like it’s a loaded weapon, terrified of what that slice of cheese on your sandwich might be plotting.
The film drags you into the underbelly of the food industry, and it’s not pretty. Suddenly, bacon isn’t just breakfast—it’s a shady mafia boss quietly negotiating with Big Pharma behind closed doors. Eggs? Basically tiny cholesterol grenades. By the time they cover milk, you’re convinced every dairy cow should come with a warning label.
The most jaw-dropping part isn’t even the science—it’s watching major health organizations pretend they’ve never heard of vegetables. You’re yelling at the screen, “Spinach exists! Why won’t you say its name?!”
Somewhere between the shocking stats and the awkward corporate interviews, you realize you’ve crossed the point of no return. You’re side-eyeing your fridge like it’s full of saboteurs, and the bag of chickpeas in the pantry is suddenly looking like a Nobel Prize candidate.
By the end, you’re not depressed—you’re fired up. What the Health doesn’t just point out the problem, it hands you the solution on a silver (plant-based) platter. Eat plants, feel better, live longer—it’s practically a cheat code for life.
If you value your health, your sanity, and maybe even your grocery budget, watch this film. Then call your mom, your neighbor, and your dentist, and tell them to watch it too.
The Game Changers
You hit play on The Game Changers expecting another “eat your veggies” lecture. Instead, you get a cinematic flex-off where plants basically show up, drop the mic, and out-bench-press steak.
Within minutes, you’re watching athletes run faster, lift heavier, and recover quicker—all while eating meals that look like the produce aisle staged a glow-up. Suddenly, lentils aren’t humble legumes anymore—they’re pre-workout fuel with six-pack abs.
The film gleefully bulldozes every “but where do you get your protein?” question you’ve ever endured. By the time the firefighters and MMA fighters roll in, you’re convinced Popeye wasted decades on spinach marketing when he could’ve just bragged about chickpeas.
And then there’s the… let’s say, “male performance” segment. You’ll never look at a steak dinner the same way again. Let’s just say the science speaks loudly—and every vegan watching smirks quietly into their tofu stir-fry.
By the end, you’re not just entertained—you’re inspired. The Game Changers doesn’t guilt-trip you, it hands you a cape and says, “Congrats, you can be strong, fast, and plant-powered.” It’s part sports documentary, part pep talk, and part permission slip to order the extra hummus without shame.
If you’ve ever wondered whether plants can build muscle, save the planet, and still make you feel like a superhero, this film answers with a resounding yes. Watch it—you’ll never see broccoli the same way again.
