2 Humans did not always eat meat.
Do you ever think about how far we’ve diverted from the path of our pre-historic ancestors and they’re eating patterns? Consider how the earliest humans evolved, and what they ate. They were hunter-gatherers and did not evolve with the characteristics of carnivores. Humans aren’t made to tear animals apart and eat their flesh. When you look at carnivorous animals, such as wild cats, you can see their teeth are designed to rip and tear, not chew.
Humans evolved from vegetarian creatures. Even our digestive systems are not particularly suited to eating meat. Eating meat is a relatively recent development in human history, most likely born of opportunity and necessity. Perhaps earliest man observed carnivores eating meat, and if they couldn’t find any of the natural foods they were used to eating, such as vegetables, berries, nuts and grains, then they might have assumed that eating meat would at least sustain life.
But initially we emulated the creatures we evolved from, herbivores like apes. Even to a prehistoric mind, apes would have looked similar to man, walking primarily upright, with arms and hands. We naturally would have foraged for our food, eating roots and berries, fruits and nuts. We would have watched the apes peeling bananas, or crushing nuts on stones to get at the meat of the nut.
We would have been living more moment-to-moment, constantly foraging for food. Hunting, after all, requires thought and planning. Eating meat requires preparation and most importantly, fire. Until man discovered fire, he was primarily vegetarian, living in what was the natural order of things. Vegetarian eating is a more natural way of eating, in addition to being healthier. It’s a way that’s in balance with the planet, and doesn’t seek to dominate it and conquer it.
Humans evolved from vegetarian creatures. Even our digestive systems are not particularly suited to eating meat. Eating meat is a relatively recent development in human history, most likely born of opportunity and necessity. Perhaps earliest man observed carnivores eating meat, and if they couldn’t find any of the natural foods they were used to eating, such as vegetables, berries, nuts and grains, then they might have assumed that eating meat would at least sustain life.
But initially we emulated the creatures we evolved from, herbivores like apes. Even to a prehistoric mind, apes would have looked similar to man, walking primarily upright, with arms and hands. We naturally would have foraged for our food, eating roots and berries, fruits and nuts. We would have watched the apes peeling bananas, or crushing nuts on stones to get at the meat of the nut.
We would have been living more moment-to-moment, constantly foraging for food. Hunting, after all, requires thought and planning. Eating meat requires preparation and most importantly, fire. Until man discovered fire, he was primarily vegetarian, living in what was the natural order of things. Vegetarian eating is a more natural way of eating, in addition to being healthier. It’s a way that’s in balance with the planet, and doesn’t seek to dominate it and conquer it.
Other Columns
26- Got milk? Reasons Not to Grab for the Glass
25 Eliminate seafood
24 Eliminate poultry
23 Eliminate red meat
22 Detoxification
21 Transition family
20 Spirituality
19 Osteoporosis
18 Weight
17 Bowels and stomach digestion
16 Vegetarians and cancer
15 Vegetarians and heart disease
14 Different types of vegetarians
13 Animal suffering
12 Fish, mercury
11 Pig farming
10 Turkeys
9 Veal
8 Cow slaughterhouses
7 Caged chickens and hormones
6 PETA
5 Why switch to vegetarianism
4 Traditional Meat
3 Why did humans start eating meat?
2 Humans did not always eat meat.
25 Eliminate seafood
24 Eliminate poultry
23 Eliminate red meat
22 Detoxification
21 Transition family
20 Spirituality
19 Osteoporosis
18 Weight
17 Bowels and stomach digestion
16 Vegetarians and cancer
15 Vegetarians and heart disease
14 Different types of vegetarians
13 Animal suffering
12 Fish, mercury
11 Pig farming
10 Turkeys
9 Veal
8 Cow slaughterhouses
7 Caged chickens and hormones
6 PETA
5 Why switch to vegetarianism
4 Traditional Meat
3 Why did humans start eating meat?
2 Humans did not always eat meat.