Were humans ever really supposed to eat meat?

Question

I read an interesting article a few days ago. There is a theory that humans were never supposed to eat meat. One reason is that our intestins are very long compared to real carnivors. We also do not have the teeth and claws like they do. Our bodies are more similar to non meat eaters. I'm not a vegetarian but I find this intersting. What do you think?

Answer 1

We have incisors, and canine teeth for rending flesh and muscle. Our close cousins, the chimpanzees also eat meat, and make tools, to boot. We're omnivores, making our species one of the most adaptable life forms around.

I think perhaps this question belongs in the Science section.

Answer 2

There is a very good reason why we don't have a great deal of similarity with carnivores. Because we are omnivores. We eat both plants and meat. Your question could have just as easily have been, where humans ever really supposed to eat plants ? Then when you made the comparison, you would see that we don't completely look like herbivores either. Our bodies are like that of omnivores. We eat both plants and animals.

Answer 3

As far as I know, meat is the main source of protein in the world, and in the human diet, and if all humans decided to become vegetarians, we would quickly exhaust the small supply of protein-rich herbs and other plants.

Plus, what else fills you up like a sirloin steak or ribs?

Answer 4

Humans are biologically omnivores. They have the long intestine for digesting vegetable matter, as you pointed out, whereas carnivores typically have shorter digestive tracts. On the other hand, we *do* have incisors, which are lost (especially the uppers) in many species that are purely herbivores, such as deer and cattle.

If you believe we are descended from ape-like species, looking at modern apes and chimpanzees' diets reveals clues ... their diets are typically 35% meat and 65% (wild) plant foods and fruits, although they can adjust their diet somewhat, as their environment requires.

Most people in the medical field agree that Western man's diet is too high in meat and fat products, but there is no conclusive evidence that man is biologically, purely an herbivore.

Answer 5

Actually I have always thought that our teeth were very comparable to carnivores, maybe my information is incorrect.

Maybe we are not suppose to eat meat, I would find it very hard to give up even if it was found out that we're suppose to be vegetarians.

Answer 6

I think we were, but we weren't... It's a controversial subject but some may say that if we were supposed to eat meat, we'd be able to eat it raw.

Answer 7

This question would be better posed in science, as it's not a question about politics.

My understanding is that we are omnivores, and have the teeth to prove it.

We have "tearing" teeth, as well as grinding teeth, and evolved to eat some of everything -- plant and animal.

Answer 8

At one time that might have been true. However like everything else we have evolved. We are no longer hairy apes swing from trees either.
I don't recall exactly which eat it is however before our non meat eating days we didn't have that type of teeth. It's only after we become conivores that we have that type of teeth.

Answer 9

We are Omnivors...we eat meat and plants...look at the teeth...we have canines to grasp and hold while the front trear the meet apart...we have the molars to grind the plants...sorry but the study was slanted...

Answer 10

If we never ate meat we would still be running from the animals. We were meant to survive and we did so that's that and you should thank your ancestors for eating the meat that made you.