Jiigzz
Legend
We can view diet patterns of all animals as falling somewhere along this continuum:
Herbivore<--------------------------------------------------------->Carnviore
With Herbivores (like a Ruminant) displaying features necessary to breakdown plant matter (a low acidic stomach, a Rumen - an area in the stomach designed for plant fermentation etc.) But despite being herbivorous, they get a large intake of SFA (otherwise we would not find so much in their milk or on their meat). Carnivores on the other hand do not have these specialized stomachs but instead have their own digestive systems required to breakdown the food they require plus the teeth designed to rip through flesh.
A human does not display features of either one or the other. We have very acidic stomachs required to breakdown meat and other products (plus canines for tearing) but also molars for eating fruit and other vegetables. We were not designed to live off plants as we cannot extract SCFA from plants, nor do we produce significant amounts of symbiotic bacteria required to breakdown cellulose.
If we were designed to ONLY eat plants or fruit, then we would have developed the digestive system required to extract fat from it, no? After-all, fats are a requirement for brain development. Yet we do not. It is not likely that high fat vegetables or fruits we available to all hunter gatherers (how of earth would an inuit grow plants in their environment?) so where did the fat come from if not from food like avocados and coconuts?
if meat-eating is universal around the world, then meat-eating is, in effect (or by default), a part of the environment. Once meat-eating becomes a part of the long-term environment, then evolutionary selective pressure will favor genes that are best adapted to that environment. In the long term, genetic adaptation to such a diet, by evolution, is the inevitable result.
Come at me vegetarians
Herbivore<--------------------------------------------------------->Carnviore
With Herbivores (like a Ruminant) displaying features necessary to breakdown plant matter (a low acidic stomach, a Rumen - an area in the stomach designed for plant fermentation etc.) But despite being herbivorous, they get a large intake of SFA (otherwise we would not find so much in their milk or on their meat). Carnivores on the other hand do not have these specialized stomachs but instead have their own digestive systems required to breakdown the food they require plus the teeth designed to rip through flesh.
A human does not display features of either one or the other. We have very acidic stomachs required to breakdown meat and other products (plus canines for tearing) but also molars for eating fruit and other vegetables. We were not designed to live off plants as we cannot extract SCFA from plants, nor do we produce significant amounts of symbiotic bacteria required to breakdown cellulose.
If we were designed to ONLY eat plants or fruit, then we would have developed the digestive system required to extract fat from it, no? After-all, fats are a requirement for brain development. Yet we do not. It is not likely that high fat vegetables or fruits we available to all hunter gatherers (how of earth would an inuit grow plants in their environment?) so where did the fat come from if not from food like avocados and coconuts?
if meat-eating is universal around the world, then meat-eating is, in effect (or by default), a part of the environment. Once meat-eating becomes a part of the long-term environment, then evolutionary selective pressure will favor genes that are best adapted to that environment. In the long term, genetic adaptation to such a diet, by evolution, is the inevitable result.
Come at me vegetarians