Over the months, I have talked about the link between meat consumption and environmental concerns. Some groups even insist that eating meat adds to global warming. When I speak with people regarding this, they vehemently assert that humans are designed to hunt prey and consume it. Which biological factors would point to carnivorous humans? Is it...- our relatively poor eye-sight?
- our lack of claws or talons?
- our inefficient locomotion (as compared to mammals that move on 4 legs)?
- our long digestive tracks (shorter is better to help avoid putrefaction of flesh in the digestive tract)?
The ultimate key to this problem, may have insisted, are our canines. You know, those "pointy" teeth designed for tearing flesh. BBC offers a look into herbivore versus carnivore teeth. If you've ever looked into a cat's mouth, you'll undoubtedly agree that their teeth are very different from ours. Theirs are designed for eating meat from the body of their victim. Cats are primarily carnivores. Our teeth look like those of herbivore's. Just another nail in the meat-eating coffin, I'd say.
But I urge you to educate yourself, and then decide. My transition to a meatless lifestyle has been gradual. I took it step-by-step, and always sought out what worked for me. Try meat substitutes. They can be found in many grocery stores and come in many types. Keep in mind, though, that each brand is different. You may like some while disliking others. Try a few before you make up your mind. Found a favorite brand? Post about it in the comments section.
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18 comments:
Just to play devil's advocate (or, biological anthropolgy's advocate): what about the few million years that we've spent using cooking fires to soften the meat of the wild game that we've killed, or developing projectile weapons that do the work of talons and teeth? What about the influence of our move from trees to the ground of the savannah, which, with its tall grasses, forced us to elevate our posture from quad- to bipedalism in order to get a better view of things (not to mention, freed up our hands and arms for carrying food, tools, babies, etc.)? I definitely agree that, at our current evolutionary state, we are obviously not fit to be obligate carnivores, but I would argue that some of the traits that allowed our ancestors such prowess as hunters persist in our modern selves, even if in modified form. It's wonderful that, in this country at least, we have the option of abiding by a meat- or animal-product free diet and still obtaining excellent nutrition, despite our ancestors' indulgence in the occasional mammoth burger.
-Em
Dear Devil, That's a good point. To my recollection, skulls found from many thousands of years ago typically exhibit teeth similar to ours today. Though I'm sure teeth have changed over the years to suit various purposes, it seems likely they haven't changed THAT much. Regardless, it's impossible to find proof one way or the other, but I tend to think the evidence points in a particular direction.
Most of the research I have seen on our ancestors suggests that they ate a primarily meat based diet. eg http://www.pnas.org/content/97/13/7663.full Our herbivorous chimpanzee and gorilla ancestors are thought to have diverged from our common ancestor far before we were neatherthals.
I also think it is interesting none of existing hunter gatherer peoples are vegeterian
Seriously? You, and the comments so far, completely ignore the fact that there are omnivores in the world? Since you're using the oh-so-scientific method of "Doesn't look the same to me," you may want to compare human teeth to domesticated pig's teeth, or even better, bears (with the exception of polar and panda bears.) Look similar? Narrow, wide incisors, elevated canines, broad and flat molars in the back?
Also, chimpanzees are not herbivores, as another commenter claimed. They are omnivores. They eat more fruits and vegetables, sure, but they can and do eat meat when it's available to them.
I have no qualms with your choice of lifestyle and diet. But please, if you're going to try and use science to back up your claims, at least put in the research. Humans have eaten both meat and vegetation for as far as back as we've been able to determine through archaeology, and there are plenty of other species that do the same today.
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