Why are we the only life on the planet that cooks it food?

Question

Could consuming hot food and drinks be damaging our health?

If it was discovered that consuming hot/cooked food and drink caused cancer would you revert to eating raw flesh?

Answer 1

We cook our food because we can, and it gives us greater variety; also eating some foods raw could damage our health.

Answer 2

I eat raw foods all the time - Sushi, Steak Tartar, raw veggies and fruits.

Raw fruits and vegetables can usually be eaten safely if washed first, but the only sure way to get rid of harmful bacteria is by cooking. Think of the recent bagged spinach incident.

Raw meats, (and sometimes vegetables) contain many bacteria, a few may be beneficial but some are highly toxic to humans, trichinosis, e-coli, salmonella, botulism, and listeria just to name a few.

Its is a good thing our species has harnessed fire. It has undoubtely saved many lives, because heat is the only way to kill off these bacteria.

If you listen to the news these days it seems that everything you eat is gonna kill you some way or another. I will keep eating my sushi and tartar, but nothing is better than a nice thick, juicy, flamekissed steak. If it's gonna kill me I may as well enjoy it.

Answer 3

Because we're the only ones that can control fire.
I would not eat raw flesh if cooked food caused cancer, I would just eat raw vegetables....oh, I forgot they're supposed to cause cancer too.

Answer 4

We discovered fire, and the cooking process makes some of the things we like to eat more palatable and easier to digest.

I have heard that aluminium cooking pans have long term health risks, and burnt toast os very bad.

Answer 5

Possibly

Answer 6

WE ARE HUMANS AND OUR BODY IS MADE TO DIGEST FOOD DIFFERENT THAN ANIMALS. WE HAVE TO COOK OUR FOOD BECAUSE WE WILL GET SICK AND OUR DIGESTIVE TRACT WILL BE ALL JACKED UP IF WE DON'T COOK OUR FOOD TO A PROPER TEMPERATURE. WE CAN'T EAT RAW MEAT, OR VEGETABLES ON A REGULAR BASIS DUE TO THE FACT THAT RAW MEAT AND CERTAIN VEGETABELS CARRY FOOD BORNE ILLNESSES. THE BODY CAN HAVE SOME RAW FOOD EX. SUSHI, A MEDIUM RARE STEAK OR VEGETABLES IN MODERATIONS.

EVERYONE IS DIFFERENT AND MAY REACT TO DIFFERENT FOODS IN DIFFERENT WAYS BUT HOT SPICY FOODS AND DRINKS CAN BE DAMAGING TO YOUR HEALTH BUT EVERYONE IS DIFFERENT SO I THINK THAT IT DEPENDS ON A PERSON'S MEDICAL HISTORY.

I HOPE THAT THIS HELPS!!.

Answer 7

When the Ape man discoved fire he began to cook his food. It killed bacteria of raw meat and improved there health greatly. I suppose if lions or elephants could make fire they may have evolved like man too.

Answer 8

I liked your question....hate some of the ignorant answers though..I don't know the answer to your question, but it made me think of another view to give my meat eating friends......they say its coz we are at the top of the food chain, we were meant to eat meat.....I say we can live without it, and they all think I'm crazy, but, your question is excellent, if we were meant to eat meat, we would/could eat it raw, but we have to cook it coz our bodies can't tolerate it raw and we would end up sitting on the loo for days and vomiting alot.

Answer 9

Our systems aren't equipped to tolerate the bacterias present by eating them raw. We are also the only ones who can make fire. However, feel free to eat raw whatever you wish.

Answer 10

Because it tastes better and is more easily digested.

Also, animals are not very good at making a fire or cooking.