Is human originally meant to be an herbivore or an omnivore? Here’s a summary from my readings.

Looking at the anatomy of carnivores, they have wider mouth openings relative to head size and jaw joints on the same plane as their teeth. Lower jaw cannot move backwards and forwards, and has very limited side to side motion. The stable jaw helps in capturing, killing and dismembering prey. The greater side to side and front to back motion of an herbivore’s jaw gives the mobility to crush and grind fibrous plants.

Carnivores have sharp, pointy front teeth for tearing flesh while herbivores have shovel like long and flat front teeth  for cutting plants. Carnivores have long, curved canines sharp enough to capture and tear prey, while herbivores have varying canines, with some having none at all. Carnivores have triangular molars for cutting flesh, while herbivores have flat molars for crushing plants.

Carnivores produce no salivary amylase, which is needed to digest starch. The have wide esophagi that allows them to swallow large chunks of meat without choking. Herbivores require extensive chewing and have digestive enzymes in their saliva better suited for breaking down plant matter.

Carnivores have large stomach capacities. Herbivores have smaller stomach capacities but larger intestines. In order to kill the pathogens in meat, carnivores have a more acidic stomach.

Looking at these definitions, humans have a lot more in common with herbivores than carnivores. From jaw, to teeth structure, to high salivary amylase, smaller stomachs and longer intestines when compared to carnivores make us more herbivorous. We do have very acidic stomach, especially when empty.

Here’s the problem. We have certain deficiencies that does not make us perfect herbivores. Most herbivores have multiple stomachs and a long length of intestines. Humans have only one stomach and a relatively short intestines. Due to this, humans are inefficient as herbivores. They also barely fit into the carnivore definition, except for the acid stomach.

Our inefficient digestion for plant based diets, as well as our deficiencies as meat eaters sound like a gloom and doom scenario. But, take heart, humans. We do have one thing in our favor. And that is, our brains (during the few times that we actually decide to use them). Thanks to our brains, and our collective knowledge, well documented through time, we can be very efficient as omnivores.

I will let you digest this info before sharing how to be an efficient omnivore in my next blog.

Reference:

https://nutritionstudies.org/are-humans-herbivores-or-omnivores