Are Humans Carnivores or Herbivores Part 4

When it comes to biology, anatomy, and physiology, there are clear differences between species. In the first part we went in depth on this topic and explained how our body, including our digestive system, is designed to eat plants. Since for many people meat and animal products are also a part of enjoyment, even more than a health choice, let’s see how different diets affect us.

Gut Health

We mentioned in the first part how humans have small stomachs compared to carnivores and omnivores, and that our small intestines are like in herbivores - very long, 10-12x longer than our body length. With its pouch-like structure it is perfectly designed for all the nutrients to be extracted from plants.

Fiber and macronutrients from plants help move food through the long and narrow digestive tract. Fiber also prevents the intestines from getting clogged with rotting food, while carnivores have shorter and wider small intestines and don't need that kind of help.

Here is also one of the major differences. Contrary to carnivores, our colon is not only the organ of elimination, but the main organ of digestion. While lions can't wait to poop stuff out, for us food stays here the longest. Because there's lots of things going on. Bacteria further break down fibers, extract nutrients, and produce vitamins that are crucial for our health, like vitamin K and B12. They also produce short-chain fatty acids such as butyrate, which is one of major players for the health of our brain and all the organs.

When we eat meat, it just rots in the colon, staying there for too long and feeding all the wrong bacteria. Now, why would we want that?

Benefits of Eating Plants

When we eat plant-based foods that naturally contain fiber, that does wonders for our gut. Its mucus layer becomes much thicker. The wall cells are tightly connected, which is very good because it protects and prevents bacteria and larger food molecules from entering the bloodstream and causing inflammation. It's like we have our own defense system that is strong and resilient.

This in turn prevents leaky gut syndrome, something we hear about way too often these days. It became a very common condition that is associated with an array of issues like depression, ADHD, Alzheimer's disease, and others.

With eating more plants, good bacteria such as F. prausnitzii are present, that have a protective effect and produce those amazing short-chain fatty acids that do so much for us. The lack of these and other good bacteria related to eating plants is often associated with IBS and obesity. So a nice Buddha bowl of colorful veggies, rice, and beans for lunch or a delicious nicecream for breakfast made of banana and coconut milk will make our gut healthy and happy.

When we eat meat and not enough fiber, our protective mucus layer gets reduced. The cells are not binding well together which can compromise the health of our gut. There are also less protective bacteria and more pathogenic species that thrive in such environment and can more easily enter the bloodstream, causing inflammation in the body, like the already mentioned leaky gut. So, the more meat, cheese, and eggs we eat, the less happy our gut becomes, making all our other body parts affected.

Let's recapitulate. A diet low in fiber and rich in animal foods changes the population of bacteria in our gut. Species that don’t ferment fibers, but promote rotting become prevalent, and that’s not what we want.

These species have a lower ability to produce neurotransmitters such as GABA, serotonin, and others - chemicals that make us feel happy and calm. This would mean that we can feel better just by changing our diet and increasing our intake of plants.

Today, it is known that our gut is our second brain and what we eat profoundly impacts how we feel and think. Mental issues like depression, anxiety, as well as lack of concentration and poor memory are (almost) an epidemic, and even though food is not the only cause, it plays an important role. If we want to stack things in our favor, adding more delicious plant based foods in our diet is an easy way to improve our mood and brain function.

Kidneys

How does food affect our kidneys? When we eat animal proteins, they create large amounts of acid in the blood that can be harmful to the kidneys, increase ammonia production, cause inflammation, and damage sensitive kidney cells.

Even though people have been eating animal products for hundreds of years, our bodies haven't created an adaptation and we have consequences from eating them.

Carnivores don't have these issues. Their urine is 2.5 times more concentrated than ours, which means that there is no danger of dehydration when they eat a lot of protein. They can also process excess protein without causing damage to their bones.

For us, it's a different story. One study showed that eating meat increased the workload on the kidneys within hours of consumption, while eating plants with the same amount of protein had no adverse effect. Plants were also shown to help reverse already existing kidney dysfunction, which was amazing.

Strong Bones

Carnivores in the wild get their calcium and phosphorus by eating the bones of their prey (they eat everything, not just the muscles that we call meat). In captivity where they are given only meat, calcium and phosphorus are supplemented.

Herbivores and us humans get calcium from plants.

Here is an example of how rich plants are in this important mineral.

Moose have very big and beautiful antlers that weigh about 100 pounds and are made of pure bone. They develop them in just 3 months by eating only plants.

Vitamin A

This essential nutrient plays a significant role in our overall health. From the immune system, to protein synthesis and the healthy work of our organs, it's important to have it. The question is, what is the best source of it and can we get it from plants?

There are 2 types of dietary vitamin A. Preformed vitamin A, meaning it’s already formed, is found in animal products such as meat, fish, and dairy products. It is stored in fat.

The other form is the precursor of vitamin A, known as provitamin A, which is found in plant-based foods such as fruits, and vegetables.

Although it’s very important for our health, excessive amounts of preformed vitamin A can cause toxicity and health problems (impaired vision, joint and bone pain, weak hair, dry skin, and liver damage).

Carnivores and omnivores can detoxify the preformed vitamin A, meaning they can't eat too much meat and potentially suffer consequences.

Herbivores and us humans cannot detoxify that form of vitamin A, which means it can cause health issues. However, we can synthesize vitamin A from beta carotene and alpha carotene. Carnivores can’t do that. If we eat enough variety of vegetables, the body will produce as much vitamin A as needed. A high intake of carotenoids in our diet is not associated with toxicity. The excess is stored in the skin and serves as a natural sun protection.

Vitamin C

Vitamin C is crucial for our health and wellbeing. It’s an antioxidant that helps protect our cells against the effect of free radicals which are known to play a role in numerous health conditions. Vit C is needed to form blood vessels, cartilage, muscle, and collagen. It is also vital for our body’s healing and helps the body absorb and store iron.

While carnivores and omnivores can produce their own vitamin C, we can not and have to get it from our diet. Animal products don’t contain this important compound, while plants are abundant in it. Vitamin C is found in berries, citrus fruits, tomatoes, peppers, potatoes, cabbage, brussels sprouts, broccoli, and spinach.

Iron

Meat is considered a superior source of iron and there is general concern whether or not we can get enough of it on a plant based diet. So, let's find out more about it.

There are two types of iron - heme iron that is found in meat (heme means blood), and non heme iron found mostly in plants.

Heme iron is considered more absorbable, but that’s not necessarily a good thing. Our body doesn’t have a physiologic mechanism that eliminates excess iron from our system, except through the loss of blood, and having too much of it,called iron toxicity, is associated with numerous serious health conditions.

Studies found that it may increase the risk of cancer, stroke, heart disease, type 2 diabetes, and Alzheimer disease, also causing damage to the liver, pituitary gland, bone marrow, spleen, and the central nervous system.That's quite a list.

It may be surprising to know that iron overload is much more common than iron deficiency. In the Framingham heart study, only 3% of over 1,000 subjects were found to be iron deficient, while 13% had iron overload.

Here’s a really cool thing. Non heme iron from plants has the ability to adjust to the needs of our body. When iron stores are low, the absorption increases up to 20%, and when the storage of iron is adequate, the absorption lowers, thus protecting us from iron toxicity. That explains why non-heme iron from plants is not associated with increased risk of mentioned diseases.

Plants are actually a great source of iron, the ‘good’ kind. So in your daily diet, you can include things like whole grains, nuts and seeds, legumes like lentils, beans, split peas, and chickpeas, leafy greens, and dried fruits. Plants are also an excellent source of vit C which is needed for iron to be absorbed.

Omega 3

Even though most people don't precisely know what Omega 3 and 6 are, we have probably come across many times that it's essential for us and that it comes from fish.

Omega 3 are essential fatty acids that we can't make, but have to get from our diet.

In the last couple of years supplements in the form of fish omega 3 and fish oil have skyrocketed, making us believe that we absolutely must get it from animals.

The truth is, fish are getting their omega 3 from plants like algae and seaweed. Why? Because they can't make their own, nor can cows, pigs, chickens, or people. It's called essential for a reason - we can't make it ourselves. Only plants can make the omega-3 fats, both on land and underwater.

Does it matter which source of omega 3 fatty acids we are consuming?

Yes it does. When we eat fish and supplements derived from them, we are also consuming heavy metals like Mercury and Aluminum, microplastics, dioxins, PCBs, PBDEs, pesticides… plus saturated fat and dietary cholesterol from fish itself.

This can lead to toxicity of the brain and the body, mental issues, weight gain, higher levels of blood sugars and cholesterol, immune system suppression, oily skin, acne, and diarrhea.

Eating fish also has detrimental effects on the oceans and the Planet itself.

Great plant sources of Omega 3 are walnuts, wheat germ oil, rapeseed oil, soybeans and tofu, common beans, butternuts, and certain edible seaweeds. Let's not forget Purslane which is the richest source of omega-3 fats of any plant yet studied.

Is there anything that can obstruct our omega levels?

When we eat a lot of processed foods and animal products, this can disturb the balance in our system and interfere with absorption of omega 3 fatty acids. Therefore eating a whole food plant based diet is the best way to achieve optimal health.

Vit B12

I believe by now we have probably all heard about vitamin B12, mentioned in numerous articles on the Web and posts on social media. So what's all the fuss about?

B12 is an important compound for the health of our cells, our brain and central nervous system, as well as our overall immunity. Even though many believe that it comes from animals, it is actually produced by the bacteria in the soil. We used to get it from rainwater, spring water, and by eating veggies, herbs, and fruits from nature with a little bit of dirt on it. In today’s sanitized world drinking water is chlorinated, and fruits and veggies are disinfected thoroughly before reaching the store shelves. People are mostly separated from the natural world, and the best way to get it is from supplementation.

It is said that animal products are rich in vit B12, but that is only the case if animals spend time in nature and are getting it the same way as we would.

Today around 98% of all animal products come from factory farms where animals are not exposed to their natural environment. They have never seen the sun, walked on earth or breathed the fresh air. They are getting their B12 through supplementation as well. So eating animal products to get it is like taking recycled B12 with all that bad stuff we don’t want.

There is another important aspect maybe not mentioned enough, which is how well we absorb B12, because we only need a tiny amount, the very tip of our pinky nail. If our digestive system is compromised, we are not getting enough of it. By eating more plants which is beneficial for our gut, we increase our absorption as well. So it’s a win win.

Cholesterol and Disease

What about dietary cholesterol? Some say we should eat it by the bucket, adding a block of grass fed butter in our morning coffee, and eating 10 eggs for breakfast with the side of bacon. Others say it's best to stay away from it. But do we have some major proof of how it affects our body long term? Yes, we do.

The China study, one of the largest studies conducted on nutrition in human history, has shown that blood cholesterol is one of the main predictors of today’s chronic diseases. When we eat animal foods rich in saturated fats and cholesterol (plant foods don’t contain it), we easily develop heart disease, diabetes, cancer, stroke, and the like. In fact, the number one cause of death worldwide is heart disease, followed by cancer. Diet that is natural for a species shouldn't cause chronic health problems.

Think about it. Have we ever heard of a lion or a tiger having a heart attack in his prime years, and dropping nearly dead in the middle of a high speed chase after a gazelle? Or better yet, hundreds of thousands of wolves being affected worldwide by clogged arteries because they ate too much meat?

Carnivores and omnivores, who's diet naturally consists of animals, don't have to worry about fat and cholesterol. Lions, wolves, bears and dogs won’t develop heart disease or cancer no matter how much meat they eat.

China study also showed that high levels of fiber that are found only in plants, have been linked to lower blood cholesterol levels and lower cancer rates in humans. You can read more about it here

Longevity

Large herbivores live longer than carnivores, and one of the reasons is that the plants they eat contain high levels of antioxidants. The average lifespan of carnivores is about 15 years, while herbivores like elephants can live to be 70 years old. Our lifespan is also around 70 years, or more if we know how to take care of ourselves.

It’s interesting to mention that cultures that were forced to eat mostly meat had shorter life spans. An example is the Inuit, whose diet for centuries consisted mostly of fish they caught themselves, and their life expectancy up until recently was around 43 years.

Influencing our Genes - Power of Epigenetics

It was previously thought that if we were born with ‘bad genes’, we were doomed for life, and there's nothing we can do to change it.

But today we have exciting research showing that we can influence our genes through numerous things, including diet. Studies have shown that when we eat plants, they modify the proteins that surround our DNA and help regulate the function of our genes.

Elizabeth Blackburn won the Nobel Prize for discovering that 500 genes can change in 3 months on a plant-based diet by turning off genes that cause breast cancer, prostate cancer, heart disease, and others, and activating genes that act protectively and prevent disease.

Changing our health in as little as 3 months just by eating plants is nothing short of astonishing. But there's more.

An Ornish study in 2008 showed that telomere activity increases (29-84%) after only 3 months on a plant-based diet. Telomeres are the main markers of longevity. This means that a plant-based diet can increase life expectancy. So, we can be healthier and live longer while feasting on delicious food. Now that's something.