Do we humans really need to eat anymore?

Ruger2506
Ruger2506 Posts: 309 Member
edited December 2024 in Food and Nutrition
The vegetarians got me thinking. If they can get by without eating animal products. Do we humans really need to eat at all? Wouldn't it be more efficient and accurate to consume all our required nutrients in supplement form?

Sure it would not be as fun. However it sure would resolve the calorie counting and analytical approach to food consumption.

Replies

  • brhaunparks
    brhaunparks Posts: 28 Member
    Well I suppose....but the moose meat I'm eating would disagree...not to mention what a waste of meat if I pitched it all now ROFL ;)
  • doubglass
    doubglass Posts: 314 Member
    History would suggest NO. Heard of starvation?
  • Ruger2506
    Ruger2506 Posts: 309 Member
    History would suggest NO. Heard of starvation?

    Obviously you missed the entire point of the question. Here in 2012 we have access to all the nutrients the body needs in pill/powder form. I could be wrong but I bet you a person could survive and thrive without ever eating what we consider "food".
  • tkelly82
    tkelly82 Posts: 18 Member
    You need more than nutrients to survive. You actually need to consume some calories to keep your vital organs functioning. If you had a pill that contained 1500 calories or your BMR requirement that'd be different. But just taking nutrients is not feasible.
  • Toddrific
    Toddrific Posts: 1,114 Member
    Science doesn't know enough to be able to do this.

    There are substances in food that may or may not be beneficial. There are combinations of substances that negate one another...etc.
  • veganbaum
    veganbaum Posts: 1,865 Member
    Maybe someday we'll get there, but vitamins/supplements don't act the same way that real food does in the body. The interactions of all the nutrients that are contained in real food are complex, and trying to mimic it by creating supplements that have isolated essential vitamins and minerals just doesn't work the same way. That's not to say vitamins and supplements are worthless, but it seems like if malnutrition in places like Africa could be eradicated by simply popping a few pills, it would have happened already. Maybe someday, but not today.
  • TheDevastator
    TheDevastator Posts: 1,626 Member
    It is possible. I can make capsules filled with anything as long as its small enough. It sure isn't cost effective though. you could definitely survive and get nutrients and calories from oil pills, powdered meat and vegetable pills etc. but I don't know for how long and in what condition. If the companies started putting fresh produce, meat, nuts, seeds etc in capsules you could actually stay healthy.
  • Amy_nz
    Amy_nz Posts: 145
    You'd probably survive if there was a 'whole diet' supplement including all the fats, calories and nutrients you needed. But the risk of dying of boredom would sky-rocket. :yawn:
  • honestlysweet
    honestlysweet Posts: 221 Member
    What about the starving thing? I would not care if I am getting nutrients, I would be so hungry I would simply HAVE to eat. So would you. We can't go through life in a constant state of hunger.
  • badgerbadger1
    badgerbadger1 Posts: 954 Member
    We can do this already, in liquid form. Total parenteral nutrition and tube feedings.
  • Kirsty_UK
    Kirsty_UK Posts: 964 Member
    Your body needs fibre and lots of it, to ensure a healthy gut/intestines. Low fibre intake = increased risk of bowel cancer.
  • taso42
    taso42 Posts: 8,980 Member
    I've been surviving on nothing but Shakeology and lemon juice for the past 21 days. Never felt better!
  • InnerFatGirl
    InnerFatGirl Posts: 2,687 Member
    Vegetarians do eat animal products, we just don't eat animal flesh.

    I am a vegetarian and don't take any supplements, I have no need to.
  • Zeromilediet
    Zeromilediet Posts: 787 Member
    Food isn't just about carbs and fat and protein, or stuffing anything not poisonous into one's mouth just to keep from being hungry. Food should be enjoyed for its deliciousness and nourishment.. If you are using MFP you likely live where food is plentiful. Be grateful and enjoy the best food you can afford to feed your self and your family. There are too many people in the world who wouldn't ask such a question.
  • TheDevastator
    TheDevastator Posts: 1,626 Member
    We can do this already, in liquid form. Total parenteral nutrition and tube feedings.

    Liquid diets would be easy to survive on. Parenteral nutrition seems to have side effects and a 5 year survival rate of approximately 20% according to wikipedia. Not so good.
  • TheDevastator
    TheDevastator Posts: 1,626 Member
    Your body needs fibre and lots of it, to ensure a healthy gut/intestines. Low fibre intake = increased risk of bowel cancer.

    There are a lot of fiber pills and a purely liquid diet wouldn't need much fiber if any.
  • cmriverside
    cmriverside Posts: 34,458 Member
    Tube feeding works though. I know a 14 year old who has never eaten through the mouth.
  • McKayMachina
    McKayMachina Posts: 2,670 Member
    I've been surviving on nothing but Shakeology and lemon juice for the past 21 days. Never felt better!

    :laugh: :laugh: :laugh:

    I was about to e-freak out. Then I saw it was you. XD
  • mfisher16508
    mfisher16508 Posts: 269 Member
    we will just inset central lines into everyone when they are born, and voila, no more food....just TPN and sticky brown formula.....lol
  • Elizabeth_C34
    Elizabeth_C34 Posts: 6,376 Member
    If you try to take my Cheeseburger Tuesday away, I will kill you. :wink:
  • mandasimba
    mandasimba Posts: 782 Member
    I saw a woman on WifeSwap (good reliable source of information) who believed she could get everything she needed to survive from the sun, she wasn't *quite* there yet so still had to eat, though. I wonder how that worked out...
  • Kirsty_UK
    Kirsty_UK Posts: 964 Member
    I've been surviving on nothing but Shakeology and lemon juice for the past 21 days. Never felt better!

    :laugh: :laugh: :laugh:

    I was about to e-freak out. Then I saw it was you. XD

    I'm not on the forums as often as many, but I kind of figured that was a joke too
  • taunto
    taunto Posts: 6,420 Member
    The day the scientific community can say 100% without a single doubt in their mind that they have discovered everything that needs to be about our surroundings and our human body is the day I will say sure, give me the capsule form to stay alive.

    However, as of right now, we dont know squat. Sure we've progressed alot into finding alot of the unknown but currently there is too much unknown for us to provide all the nutrition we need via supplements
  • Redapplecandie
    Redapplecandie Posts: 171 Member
    I saw a woman on WifeSwap (good reliable source of information) who believed she could get everything she needed to survive from the sun, she wasn't *quite* there yet so still had to eat, though. I wonder how that worked out...

    AHAHA I saw this episode! The son of the other family was so freaked out.... Hilarious!
This discussion has been closed.

Categories