Human omnivore myth

Homewrecker VIC • Posts: 49

31 19 Nov 2011

There may have been a distant ancestor that once consumed a primarily plant matter; for example a number of primates with whom we share a common ancestor consume plant based diets (as mentioned, gorillas). However modern day homo sapiens most certainly evolved to be omnivorous.

For starters, homo sapiens are incapable of producing B12 which, amongst others things, is integral for cognitive function, and in nature can only be sourced from animals (http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/09/110926165852.htm). Further, increased consumption of chains of long fatty acids which are found in meat are largely believed to be responsible for the relatively fast development of the homo sapien brain (http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2006-02/nsae-tsf021706.php).

And let�s not get started on the human palate, other trace minerals such as iodine, etc.

Bottom line is that there may be ancestors to homo sapiens that consumed primarily vegetable based diets, however homo sapiens are drastically different, particularly neurologically, and to suggest that humans are physiologically meant to be vegan or vegetarian is ludicrous.

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Cassie3 QLD • Posts: 115

32 19 Nov 2011

Wolf said:

Abbiesaurus said:

Sorry, I wasn't directing everything I said at you, I was kind of replying to the whole thread in general including what you said wink

I agree throughout most of history humans have mainly consumed a plant based diet, only eating small amounts of animal products. But in latter years humans meat consumption has increased, and now it has gotten to the point where people are eating what most people would agree are unhealthy amounts.

Because we can survive on a vegan diet some people jump to the conclusion that it makes us herbivores, when in fact many omnivorous animals can survive on a plant based diet too. Take gorillas and chickens for example, they are both omnivores but they can live perfectly healthy on a plant-based diet.

It just annoys me that this debate always keep coming up, it's completely irrelevant to modern day humans and why some of us choose to live on a plant-based diet.

haha that's okay happy

i totally agree, i was watching david attenboroughs life of mammals the other day and there was a section about omnivores, i think humans would come under that classification
but like you said, we can live off a plant based diet and be perfectly healthy, which means we don't need it.
i recently read some gorillas do eat meat sad

sometimes even their own young D=

obviously peoples reasons vary as to why they are vegan, but i think we all agree a plant based diet is the healthiest happy

i think the western countries are over indulging in the amount of meat they eat.
they eat it in every meal, it's the main part of the meal and that's not how it should be.
they are consuming so much that it's making them sick sad

and yet they still do it
with non-human animals, they only eat as much as they need to survive, we are just messing with nature and it's terrible!

Wolf the western world is over indulging in all types of food not just meat. It is all about balance. The healthiest BMI readings are in the Asians. They eat plenty of meat but very little if any processed food.

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Cow Hugger SA • Posts: 346

33 19 Nov 2011

Cassie3 said:

Wolf the western world is over indulging in all types of food not just meat. It is all about balance. The healthiest BMI readings are in the Asians. They eat plenty of meat but very little if any processed food.

I know cassie, it's true, Australians over indulge in everything which is why our obesity rate is over 50% of the population.
Asians eat a lot of rice, vegetables ect they don't base their meals around meat like we do. (and please don't base what asians eat off of what you see in asian restaurants because that is just westernized asian food)
i think we all know processed foods are bad anyway :p

as to answer your other questions, and this is just my opinion.
i don't think it is realistic for us to believe that the world will ever go vegan, however
if the rate at which we consume meat at the present continues we won't have enough land to sustain the demand for meat, so something has to give.

so if in fact say, the whole of australia started eating a mainly plant based diet
we would have no need for livestock, we could use that land and the water used for them to grow crops and vegetables to feed australians!

and if we plant alot of trees that will make it rain more, if you don't believe me look it up!

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Cassie3 QLD • Posts: 115

34 19 Nov 2011

Wolf said:

Cassie3 said:

Wolf the western world is over indulging in all types of food not just meat. It is all about balance. The healthiest BMI readings are in the Asians. They eat plenty of meat but very little if any processed food.

I know cassie, it's true, Australians over indulge in everything which is why our obesity rate is over 50% of the population.
Asians eat a lot of rice, vegetables ect they don't base their meals around meat like we do. (and please don't base what asians eat off of what you see in asian restaurants because that is just westernized asian food)
i think we all know processed foods are bad anyway :p

as to answer your other questions, and this is just my opinion.
i don't think it is realistic for us to believe that the world will ever go vegan, however
if the rate at which we consume meat at the present continues we won't have enough land to sustain the demand for meat, so something has to give.

so if in fact say, the whole of australia started eating a mainly plant based diet
we would have no need for livestock, we could use that land and the water used for them to grow crops and vegetables to feed australians!

and if we plant alot of trees that will make it rain more, if you don't believe me look it up!

No Wolf I am certainly not basing my facts about Asians and their meat eating habits on local restaurants, I am basing it on experience which equates to fact on this one. Like it or not.
What water, what water, what water. AND if you want to plant more trees get out here and do so. You will be hard pressed to get amongst the trees already growing to plant the seedlings let me tell you. But again what water ????

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Cow Hugger SA • Posts: 346

35 19 Nov 2011

our f**king planet is 70% water

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Cassie3 QLD • Posts: 115

36 19 Nov 2011

Glen said:

Aaron said:

The problem is humans and primates have eaten meat throughout all our history. That makes us omnivorous.

Is that so? If you take a look at the dental structure of the earliest known people their jaws contained heaps of teeth similar to molars, which were presumably used to grind tough grains and the like... they looked very similar to cows' teeth.

We hired out a bunch of lectures delivered by Eugene Weber (History professor UCLA) on the history of the western tradition, and his studies indicated that people didn't always eat flesh. It took a long, long, long time for early humans to figure out how to bring down any animal they deemed worthy of eating, and for a long time we were not on top of the food chain. When people began farming (approximately 8000 years ago, also believed by many to mark the beginning of civilisation), they mainly farmed vegetables, rice and cotton. If this year is to represent the earth's history, farming started yesterday on the evolution continuum, and meat-eating people came about late last week.

And we used to crawl around on all fours. Maybe we should return to that method of travel. Shut down your cars , throw out your computers, turn off those little evil phones. Go back to your hands and knees and eat lettuce. Aha a sure way to reduce the world's population. Starvation through a vegan diet.....

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Cow Hugger SA • Posts: 346

37 19 Nov 2011

Cassie3 said:

No Wolf I am certainly not basing my facts about Asians and their meat eating habits on local restaurants, I am basing it on experience which equates to fact on this one. Like it or not.
What water, what water, what water. AND if you want to plant more trees get out here and do so. You will be hard pressed to get amongst the trees already growing to plant the seedlings let me tell you. But again what water ????

that is irrelevant, i was agreeing with you on that...
obviously something sparked a nerve because now you have gone off the rail insulting everyone.

WHERE YOU LIVE IN NOT HOW THE ENTIRETY OF AUSTRALIA IS!
don't tell me to "get out here" no, i plant trees every year in my state

the water that is used to grow the crops that is fed through the livestock, could be used to grow other things! vegetables don't eat anything but sunlight and water, so yes it would be easier to grow them because you wouldn't need to grow as much!

also, technology is made to help people do things easier, but it's just made people super lazy
people would rather drive everywhere, even if it's within walking distance -_-'

haha once again, you are now insulting us all
by saying our diet is "starvation"
grow up

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Beemo United States • Posts: 1259

38 19 Nov 2011

Cassie3 said:

And we used to crawl around on all fours. Maybe we should return to that method of travel. Shut down your cars , throw out your computers, turn off those little evil phones. Go back to your hands and knees and eat lettuce. Aha a sure way to reduce the world's population. Starvation through a vegan diet.....

Cassie I'm fairly sure we have had similar debates with you on your multiple accounts before...?
http://www.unleashed.org.au/community/forum/topic.php?t=6223&
I'm not going to bother wasting my time as you clearly don't have any well-formed arguments to put forward in a diligent manner, rather you seem to be more interested in insulting people.

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Cow Hugger SA • Posts: 346

39 19 Nov 2011

is cassie 3 a troll sad

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Cassie3 QLD • Posts: 115

40 19 Nov 2011

Wolf said:

Cassie3 said:

No Wolf I am certainly not basing my facts about Asians and their meat eating habits on local restaurants, I am basing it on experience which equates to fact on this one. Like it or not.
What water, what water, what water. AND if you want to plant more trees get out here and do so. You will be hard pressed to get amongst the trees already growing to plant the seedlings let me tell you. But again what water ????

that is irrelevant, i was agreeing with you on that...
obviously something sparked a nerve because now you have gone off the rail insulting everyone.

WHERE YOU LIVE IN NOT HOW THE ENTIRETY OF AUSTRALIA IS!
don't tell me to "get out here" no, i plant trees every year in my state

the water that is used to grow the crops that is fed through the livestock, could be used to grow other things! vegetables don't eat anything but sunlight and water, so yes it would be easier to grow them because you wouldn't need to grow as much!

also, technology is made to help people do things easier, but it's just made people super lazy
people would rather drive everywhere, even if it's within walking distance -_-'

haha once again, you are now insulting us all
by saying our diet is "starvation"
grow up

Now now don't get defensive Wolf. Every time you fellows get questioned on issues that you don't seem to have the answers to you go all defensive and precious. It is a simple question, what water. Out of the river systems, dams. WHAT water ????? If you don't answer I will presume you can't. Simple.

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World reknowned cardiologist shatters human omnivore myth in one sentence.