Read 95 times since Saturday, September 10, 2011
Many people are confused about what kind of a diet they should follow. Many have been led to believe that their bodies have evolved to need the animal products of their hunter or gatherer ancestors.
It's true that over history, various diets have been followed in different parts of the world and history. However, humans have some basic physiological characteristics that point to the best way of eating.
Omnivores in the animal kingdom are the animals that eat both plant and animal foods. These animals include rats, birds, pigs, and vultures.
Herbivores are those animals that only eat plant foods and maybe an occasional insect that may be on their food. Amazingly, herbivores are the only animals in the whole animal kingdom that have a prostate gland.
They have molars for their back teeth to help with the consumption of grain. Their saliva has digestive enzymes that help them to digest various plants. They sweat through their skin over their whole bodies.
They have a digestive tract length that is 10-12 times longer than their torso or trunk length. It has many twists and turns along the digestive tract length and has a complex system within to help with the absorption of vitamins and minerals from the plants.
The hydrochloric acid of their stomach is only 1/20th the amount as that found in carnivores. These are the main characteristics of the herbivores and coincidentally all match up with the physiological system of humans.
Carnivores on the other hand, sweat through their mouth, have fangs, and concentrated hydrochloric acid content in their stomachs. Their digestive system is a simple tube that extends to 4-5 times the length of their trunk or torso so that rotting meat does not putrefy while transiting through.
None of the carnivores or omnivores in nature have a prostrate gland. It is interesting that humans have a prostrate gland and the characteristics common to herbivores.
Perhaps this is why people who eat a lot of animal products such as flesh, dairy, or eggs also tend to have many diseases. It has been found that if people want to eat animal products, they would be a lot better off health-wise if they chose to only eat from animals that are found in their organic and natural habitat and if they ate these products raw.
However, studies and research have shown that the most long-lived humans on the planet tend to be those who are getting their energy from wholesome starches like potatoes, grains, beans, and corn. Interestingly, there is also a difference between humans and apes in that humans have digestive enzymes for starch and apes don't
Of course, humans also tend to do well with the addition of vegetables and fruits. But, the animal products seem to be a reserved food source in times of famine and excess of hunger or just a sparingly addition to an occasional meal, but not part of the regular diet.
Pigs are an omnivore that when given animal products tend to become very aggressive and wild. As long as they are given plant foods, they will act docile and gentle.
Is there a correlation to the way humans act depending on the types of foods they eat? In the past, various cultures used flesh as an item to eat prior to war so that the people would be more warlike, blood-thirsty and aggressive.
Other groups of people in history used certain high-protein grains like quinoa or amaranth in order to fight with greater endurance and stamina. These grains also helped them to be healthier and to have better working muscles.
Humans are made to live long lives past 100 years if they follow the diet that supports good health. It is good to study the issue out practically and choose the diet that you think will help you to feel energized and at peace. Destry Masterson is a health and nutrition expert. She publishes articles for http://www.dailybread.com and recommends them for food storage.
Contact Info:
Destry Masterson - MyOnlineArticleWriting@gmail.com - Twitter: @DestryMasterson
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