Our long evolution from primate to man has shown that humans are herbivors. And the science is there to prove it. Our bodies are not equipped with large fangs to rip flesh from bones, our hands are not (and never have been) designed to catch and kill prey and our large intestine does not provide for easy passage of ingested flesh.
Don't take my word for it. Read what the professionals have to say.
Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine President Dr. Neal Barnard says in his book, The Power of Your Plate, in which he explains that “early humans had diets very much like other great apes, which is to say a largely plant-based diet, drawing on foods we can pick with our hands. Research suggests that meat-eating probably began by scavenging -- eating the leftovers that carnivores had left behind. However, our bodies have never adapted to it. To this day, meat-eaters have a higher incidence of heart disease, cancer, diabetes, and other problems.”
In fact, our hands are perfect for grabbing and picking fruits and vegetables. Similarly, like the intestines of other herbivores, ours are very long (carnivores have short intestines so they can quickly get rid of all that rotting flesh they eat). We don’t have sharp claws to seize and hold down prey. And most of us (hopefully) lack the instinct that would drive us to chase and then kill animals and devour their raw carcasses.
We seem to be hung up on the idea the we HAVE to eat meat! This is learned conditioning which is continually reinforced in our society.
Top nutritional and anthropological scientists from the most reputable institutions imaginable say categorically that humans are natural herbivores, and that we will be healthier today if we stick with our herbivorous roots. It may be inconvenient, but it alas, it is the truth.
Be brave, folks, break through your conditioning; do some research; get out the alternative cookbooks; enhance your health and that of our little blue planet by eliminating flesh from your diet today.
Recommend this Post
7 comments:
Morphologically, we're omnivorous - or at least our dentition is. If you want to look at our closest extant relatives (chimps), they too are omnivorous.
There are many valid reasons for being a vegetarian (ecological, financial, etc) but saying that "we're not designed to eat meat" isn't entirely true.
You can survive for quite a while on nothing but twinkies and water, but you'll survive a lot better on a twinkie-free diet.
"Designed" seems to mix evolution and creationism.
In evolutionary terms, we have not been "designed" to do anything. We have adapted as a species to our environment, and we have changed our environment to suit our survival.
Vegetarianism is a logical adaptive strategy, as it makes best use of diminishing resources for a growing population.
Loss of arable land to global heating, uncontrolled population growth, inefficient eating habits -- something has to give.
To say that early humans were herbivores says very little about modern humans -- couldn't we go all the way back and say that the single-celled organisms from which we all evolved synthesized their own food and therefore that's what we should do too?
Also, to say that meat eaters die earlier from diet-related diseases is painting with broad strokes. Those who don't eat well are more likely to die of diet-related diseases, but you can eat well and still be omnivorous. Meat does not cause obesity or heart disease.
If you want to talk about "design", what about our minds? We are "designed" to be tool-wielding creatures, which means we don't need claws or fangs in order to be capable of eating meat.
While not a biologist (so I may be completely wrong), I was under the impression that human-ancestors benefited from an increased diet of meat in that the protein provided for growth in the brain.
We're adapted to eat both plants and meat, and live long lives on either or both. I'm happy to partake in both.
Interesting comments, all. These findings are not my own. The information cited comes from better minds than mine, with science to back them up.
Of course, as a Vegan, I am happy to have the scientific proof that green food is better for my body than animal flesh.
To each their own.
Post a Comment