Did we evolve as Carnivores or Omnivores. Miki Ben Dor, PhD

PS

Paul Saladino1h 31m · 2019-10-26

Claims Made

108

Claims Supported

94

Support Rate

87%

Support rate

94 of 108 claims supported

94 supported14 partial / not

Claims from this content

48

Well SupportedHumans have historically relied on animal foods as the primary source of protein and nutrients.Well SupportedRegenerative agriculture where cows graze land in an ancestrally consistent manner can sequester more carbon into the soil than they produce.Well SupportedIndigenous cultures like the Inuit historically preferred animal-based diets when possible.Well SupportedHumans are likely facultative carnivores, meaning meat is their primary optimal food source.Well Supported

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Bookmarking — the dossier-vs-overview split is the right call. Most of the time I want overview; sometimes I want receipts.

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Hunter-gatherers historically shunned lean animals, preferring to hunt fattier animals and consume bone marrow and brain.

Well SupportedHumans historically prioritized animal foods over plant-based foods when available.

Well SupportedThe stomach acidity of scavengers is similar to that of humans (around pH 1.5).

Well SupportedNative deodorant is an effective aluminum-free deodorant that does not cause unpleasant odor.

Well SupportedAnalysis of nitrogen isotopes in collagen from Neanderthal and Homo sapiens bones can indicate their trophic level and diet.

Well SupportedThe extinction of megafauna forced humans to rely on less calorically dense food sources, which may not reflect ancestral diets from hundreds of thousands of years ago.

Well SupportedIndigenous people recognize the necessity of fat on animals or carbohydrates in the diet, as lean animals alone are insufficient.

Not SupportedHumans do not need fiber for a healthy gut as our digestive systems are not adapted for high-fiber diets.

Well SupportedNative deodorant is formulated without aluminum, parabens, and talc, using natural ingredients.

Partially SupportedHumans are physiologically limited to approximately 35% of calories from protein long-term.

Partially SupportedHumans have a protein intake ceiling, likely around 35% of calories, necessitating the remaining calories from carbohydrates or fat, with fat being preferred.

Partially SupportedThe mean body mass of mammals has decreased over the Quaternary period starting around 5 million years ago.

Partially SupportedA diet high in vegetables and plants can cause autoimmunity in some individuals.

Partially SupportedColostrum contains antibodies and may benefit gut issues by reducing inflammation.

Partially SupportedEliminating plants from the diet, as in a carnivore diet, can lead to psychiatric improvements, including for conditions like bipolar and psychotic disorders.

Partially SupportedHumans consumed over 70% of their calories from animals during the Paleolithic era, analogous to present carnivores.

Partially SupportedStudies of Homo sapiens collagen from the last 15,000 years indicate humans were carnivores.

Partially SupportedHomo erectus hunted large herbivores, including elephants, approximately 400-500 thousand years ago in Africa.

Partially SupportedHumans adapted to hunting smaller animals to maintain energetic efficiency when large prey became scarce.

Partially SupportedMaintaining high stomach acidity requires significant energy for both acid production and the replacement of stomach lining cells.

Partially SupportedThe human digestive system is most similar to that of a canine or wolf, suggesting humans are carnivorous.

Partially SupportedFood is fundamental to human identity and health.

Partially SupportedThe collagen preservation method for isotopic analysis is limited to samples from approximately the last 15,000 years and is more effective in colder climates, primarily yielding data from Europe.

Partially SupportedHigher D-15 nitrogen values indicate higher consumption of animal protein relative to other animals.

Partially SupportedThe rapid decrease in animal body size over the last 5 million years is a significant aspect of human evolution.

Partially SupportedThe gut and abdominal protuberance of Australopithecus species were significantly different from later Homo species.

Partially SupportedTargeting Ancestral Supplements to specific organs may be beneficial for related health issues.

Partially SupportedConsuming organ meats may benefit corresponding human systems.

Partially SupportedHumans require high stomach acidity to deal with pathogen load in large hunted animals.

Partially SupportedRecent research using nitrogen balance suggests humans may have been high-level carnivores ancestrally.

Partially SupportedMice develop various illnesses when their diet is changed, suggesting a link between diet and health.

Partially SupportedEarly humans were primarily meat consumers, based on fossil records and human design.

Partially SupportedThe average caloric return from foraging plants is approximately 1,500 calories per hour.

Partially SupportedHuman diet changed with the emergence of Homo erectus, and Neanderthals and Homo sapiens had unique diets.

Partially SupportedHypercarnivores are limited to approximately 35% of calories from protein long-term due to the metabolic burden of processing ammonia.

Partially SupportedThe diet of Neanderthals and Homo sapiens may not have changed significantly, but the types of animals they hunted did.

Partially SupportedModern humans coped with the late quaternary extinction of large animals using technology like the bow and arrow, which they brought from Africa.

Partially SupportedHumans diverged from other primates approximately six to seven million years ago.

Partially SupportedFiber was the main calorie source for chimpanzees and Australopithecus.

Partially SupportedBy 125,000 years ago, the expected mean body weight of the population in Africa was 50% of what would be expected, attributed to the presence of humans.

Partially SupportedChimpanzees and Australopithecus had very large digestive systems, whereas Homo erectus and modern humans have similar-sized digestive systems.

Partially SupportedNeanderthals did not typically hunt large animals with a bow and arrow, using spears instead.

Partially SupportedHunting animals has been a key part of human evolution and species continuation, providing access to fat, calories, and micronutrients.

Partially SupportedIncreased energy expenditure for hunting small animals can reduce basic metabolic functions like immunity and fecundity.