Are human beings originally carni- or herbi- vores? Which?

Well basically, I've been vegetarian for three years now, but am not strict and told myself that I can always start eating meat if I find enough arguments for it. But for now I mailny find arguments against eating meat. Somewhere I read that at the beggining people were herbivores and it was only that they started eating animals when the conditions changed. Some people argue that the canine teeth we have are not of a carnivore, and that's why we should be vegetarian (don't have to, but could)...





Now, I know, you will say that we're omnivores, but if a person can survive and be very healthy only eating plants, but would die on an animal food diet, doesn't that mean anything?





I'd like some opinions on this, please...?

Are human beings originally carni- or herbi- vores? Which?
Human ancestors developed as omnivores, because they were scavengers, eating what we could. You can see this in our dentition, a mix of grinding molars and ripping canine teeth. True herbivores (think of a cow) have very thick molars designed for chewing plant material like grasses. If we were to try this (eat just grass), it would wear down our teeth. A true carnivore 's teeth (think of a tiger) were designed to hold and rip, with large musculature attached to the jaw.





The phrase "hunting and gathering" describes a later stage in the development of humans and their food choices. This included hunting for animals as well as gathering plant material. Modern times (post-industrial) allow for people to choose what they eat, but human ancestors did not have the luxury of veggie options, to be cheeky, there were no mock-mammoth burgers.





Yes, you can most definitely survive, and thrive, on an all plant diet, with smart choices and supplements.
Reply:Humans have always been omnivores. Your hypothetical would suggest that if a person eats meat and dies that he is a herbivore. It would only suggest that this particular person cannot digest meat, there is something wrong with that person's digestive system. That doesn't make the entire human race herbivore. I don't think in the beginning people were herbivores. Cave paintings of hunting wooly mammoths would speak to the contrary.
Reply:Omnivores.


Sure, THESE days we can get protein from beans


and other cultivated crops. Back then- no substitute


for meat, and when your day to day survival depends


on what you can find or kill........


Humans ate what they could get their hands on.


Meat was a luxury, but certainly eaten when possible.


Most of the time it was roots, nuts, berries, fruit, etc.
Reply:Well if you think about it we really need both,cause if you just eat veggies you have to take supplements for the vitamins you lose by not eating meat. Then if you where to eat nothing but meat you would have to take supplements for the vitamins that you loose by not eating veggies. Although now in our future meats and veggies have all sorts of chemicals thrown into the mix, It's kinda hard to choose what is actually the best rout to take.
Reply:Humans are naturally omnivores, Nature designed us to hunt eat meat, Our appendix was an organ that would help us digest raw meat and as time went on and humans learned to cook over generations that organ went dormant, I had to laugh somebody asked a question in the vegetarian section what do vegetarians feed their dogs and cats and they said meat and that nature designed them to be meat eaters like it or not so were we. I don't hunt or but er animals I can't do that but I look at the finished product as food Nothing more nothing less, I'm sure that I'll get a lot of thumbs thumbs down for my answer, But I don't preach to people what to eat and what not to eat. Just like gay's that walk around with signs I don't walk around with a sign saying I'm straight, Why do people feel that they have something to prove do what you want just don't lecture me on your beliefs when they know their wrong and I don't care I'm doing what I want .Live your own life.
Reply:Humans were carnivores from the start. How do you think we have survived for all these years. Man relied on meat because it had the necessary fats and proteins that build muscle and keep energy. You have to realize that humans back then did not have butter or any other energy source to go with a totally vegan diet, to keep them alive. it's just natural instinct that we, also animals, go for meat in harsh conditions like they went through. vegetarian diets did not occur in humans until people became aware of health problems such as obesity and start caring obsessively about the sake of animals.
Reply:Most your replies are laughable so far and the 'beginning' stretches way back before we were hunting. I'm currently on lunch break - I will edit this with my reply in a few hours when I'm home again =)
Reply:Originally herbivores because bringing an animal down was grueling, why do it? Teeth of an herbivore too.
Reply:Depends what you mean by beginning. There is no doubt that our early ancestors were herbivorous, but there is considerable evidence that we ate meat before we even came down from the trees, like chimps. We have eaten meat for many millions of years, and for as long as we have been 'human' so I'd say we're originally omnivores, but it depends how far back you want to go.





Also, you're wrong to suggest a human would die on an animal food only diet. The Eskimos in the Arctic and Masai in Africa eat only animal products, and they're perfectly healthy, especially the Masai, who show lower rates of most diseases than their neighbouring, plant eating tribes.




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