How does the Bible explain the fact that humans can eat only 0.5% of all the vegetation on the planet?

Question

As stated in this question: http://answers.yahoo.com/question/;_ylt=ApA5M9VDf8LFg2aUxlhupAhIzKIX?qid=20060901095716AASpixZ

"There are over 200,000 species of vegetation on planet earth. Humans can eat only roughly 1,000 of these species (about 1/2 a percent)."

And yet Genesis 6.3 states that:

"Everything that lives and moves will be food for you. Just as I gave you the green plants, I now give you everything."

So to reword the original questioner:

"It appears that the creation process failed humanity in this respect and that the theory of god does not hold true in this case."

My typo. It's Gen. 9:3, and - williamzo and Opinionated - is addressed to Noah, who I believe you'll find came after Adam...

Answer 1

Well I wouldn't hold a pointed antagonistic theology question on Yahoo Answers to be a definitive reference source on nutrition.

When I was in the Navy I went through some very basic SERE training (Survival, Evasion, Resistance, Escape) due to my being posted in a hostile region of southeast asia. In that course we were taught how to identify edible plants and animals. There is a great Army Field Manual on the subject available from the US Government Printing Office, I still keep a copy with my backpacking gear (I think it is FM-74-2, but I don't have it right here to check).

The basic relevant information boils down to this: Humans CAN eat almost everything (certain parts of certain plants excepted). Remeber naturalist Euell Gibbens (sp?) in those Grape-Nuts commercials ("Did you know you can eat a pine tree? Many parts are edible...") .But most of it conveys little or no nutritional value to humans. It will stop the hunger pangs but won't keep you alive unless suplemented with something of nutritional value, because humans lack the enzymes needed to properly break down the cellulose in most plants. Fortunately, a few insects or an ounce of meat combined with a mouthfull of nutritionally usefull fruits or vegetables is all a human needs to survive for an incredibly long time -- not happily, not without losing muscle mass, and not without developing vitamin deficiencies over the long term, but they will survive.

The 0.5% is more likely referring to those plants which humans DO eat and receive nutritional value from, rather than those that we CAN eat. If it in fact refers to any real statistic at all -- people on the 'net tend to make up all sorts of imaginary statistics, especially when they are attacking someone else's beliefs.

=== EDIT ===

OK, I have the manual now. From page 67 of Army Field Manual FM-21-76 "Survival Evasion and Escape", section 3-3:

"Experts estimate that about 300,000 classified plants grow on the earth's surface, including many which grow on mountaintops and ocean floors. Of these, 120,000 varieties are edible."

That is just under 50%, so the original claim of "less than one half of one percent" is off by a factor of a hundred to one. Fairly typical of such claims on the internet.

The manual goes on to indicate that these 120,000 are the varieties that will actually keep you alive, that is to say that they have enough human-digestible nutrition to meet minimum survival needs (again, some vitamin deficiencies will occur in the long term without a more balanced diet).

You know, the Bible does say that Satan is the father of lies... I wonder who started that one about less than one half of one percent of plants being edible? Makes you think, doesn't it?

Answer 2

In Genesis Chapter 9 which is Gods Covenant with Noah no where does it state the plant life was corrupted after the flood, so I would think the original dictate of every plant would still hold true...

But it doesn't.. most vegetation if eaten will kill you.. so it is one of those things that don't agree with the book. I'll stick with horticulture for the best explanation of that.

Answer 3

If you read on.... you will find after the fall even vegatation was corrupted.

Genesis 3:17-19
17 To Adam he said, "Because you listened to your wife and ate from the tree about which I commanded you, 'You must not eat of it,'
"Cursed is the ground because of you;
through painful toil you will eat of it
all the days of your life.

18 It will produce thorns and thistles for you,
and you will eat the plants of the field.

Answer 4

You must not have heard of the fall of Adam and banishment from the garden of Eden.The curse that came after that was, thorns and thistles and earning a living by the sweat of the brow.

Answer 5

Uh...HELLO!?!?!?! You're quoting from the Old Testament which has lapsed. You need to read from the New Testament for the dietary rules set forth therein.

Your argument is based on religious law that is no longer in effect.

Answer 6

The other plants may heal us or may feed something that we eat or may help to keep the earth clean enough for us to live on.

Answer 7

The theory of God holds true in very case, except for reality.

Answer 8

Indirectly, everything in the food chain can lead to us. We eat cows, which eat grass.

Answer 9

Hold on there, bucko...

Apparently you are not familiar with the banana!

Answer 10

that is not true, you can eat everyhing, that is why they r in the workd, E-Mail me about this question, [e-mail]