Sacred Cow

Sacred Cow argues that natural foods (both meat and produce) hold the entirety of nutrients that the human body needs. When you meddle with the natural methods of harvesting food, you tamper with nature itself… and real meat is an essential part of nutrition. Ironically (or not), removing meat from a balanced diet means your diet is now out of balance.

The documentary also addresses the alternative meat industry. Yes, Beyond Meat and Impossible Burgers are a breakthrough, but at the same time, it’s lab-created food substances. Does this “meat” offer any nutritional value?

The movie also delves into our efforts to address hunger in third-world countries. The compassionate relief we provide consists of food that contains no meat and is solely carbs and starch. Yes, we’re feeding millions of children. We’re filling stomachs, but is that enough? Are they getting the proper nutrition, or are we worsening the problem by delivering the wrong foods based on bad nutritional science?

“…technological and scientific breakthroughs have done more to damage the land…than centuries of cow farts.”

Unlike a lot of issues-oriented documentaries that merely point out the problem, Sacred Cow offers solutions. Regarding farming, the film promotes bio-diversity. Farms should not be growing one single crop, but a variety of produce. Farms should also be raising a variety of animals to counter the need for chemical pesticides and fertilizer. The film also spotlights farmers who use cows to regenerate once dead soil with the mere act of herding and grazing. You know, that thing farmers did centuries ago.

Like many of our modern conveniences, Sacred Cow makes the case that technological and scientific breakthroughs have done more to damage the land in the past decades than centuries of cow farts. No matter what end of the spectrum you find yourself, Sacred Cow makes many good, commonsense arguments and attempts to bring us back to sanity on the issue.

NOTE: I’d also recommend these other documentaries as a way to show that we can return to a healthy society and feed the world. Check out: The Biggest Little Farm, Fat Fiction, Super Size Me 2, and Right To Harm.