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Vegan Debate - Are we truly Herbivores or Omnivores.

Lavelle1980
Lavelle1980 Posts: 367 Member
After a full year of plant based diet, I started studying for myself if we are truly herbivores. How would we survive in the wild without b12 supplements? Does the shape and size of our teeth really matter or our digestive system?

I recently discovered that wolfs, dogs, etc.. eats grass as well about 5-10% of the time on their own. And also the Maned Wolf is an omnivorous animal that eats 50% plant based foods as wells as meat.

So as humans Are we omnivores that can thrive on plant based with the help of supplements or are we just herbivores and it's our natural diet? Your thoughts.
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Replies

  • jgnatca
    jgnatca Posts: 14,464 Member
    It is our very opportunism which has made us such a successful species.
  • jjpptt2
    jjpptt2 Posts: 5,650 Member
    jjpptt2 wrote: »
    OK, stupid guy asking stupid question... but where did the idea that we were herbivores come from? That seems ridiculous to me...

    *Some* vegans claim that we are naturally herbivores. It's an idea that seems pretty clearly designed to promote veganism, not an idea that is based on evaluating the available evidence.

    I don't know anything and I know that doesn't make any sense...
  • Nony_Mouse
    Nony_Mouse Posts: 5,646 Member
    Nony_Mouse wrote: »
    AnvilHead wrote: »
    Maybe we could get an archaeologist in on the discussion. Is @Nony_Mouse anywhere around?

    Half asleep archaeologist says omnivore. It's not even a debate.

    Right. It's pretty clear cut. We're obviously omnivores. All kinds of unrelated evidence all points to that fact.

    But we're not living in the world our ancestors lived in. We can choose to eat beef or broccoli or both. We have things like refrigeration and medicine and grocery stores and heated indoor homes that our distant ancestors did not have access to. Whatever diet you choose, don't put too much thought into how people lived a million years because while it has some relevance to people in modern society, it only has so much.

    Yeah, wasn't meaning that in any sort of 'we should live how our ancestors did' way. Merely, that biologically we are omnivores. Obviously in the 21st century you can be perfectly healthy eating a vegan diet. I'm a staunch vegetarian myself.
  • NorthCascades
    NorthCascades Posts: 10,970 Member
    edited October 2017
    @Nony_Mouse

    I didn't think you were suggesting we should eat meat because cavemen did. I think it's kind if built into the question. :smile: