Do Humans ‘Meat’ the Right Anatomy?

Do Humans ‘Meat’ the Right Anatomy?

Take a long look in the mirror and smile. Gorgeous, right? Now take a look at your teeth—they’re attractively glistening, pearly white, and, well, not sharp and covered in blood. Abruptness aside, there is a very biological and painfully accurate reason for this: we’re not carnivores.The human is a gentle being. Our teeth are predominately blunt and flat, making consumption ideal for plants and nuts. Now take into consideration a carnivore’s teeth. Think about a tiger, a lion, or even your own pet dog—their teeth are sharp and pointy, ideal for tearing the flesh of their prey. Granted, our own bodies are proof of the types of foods we were meant to eat.Meat is Grumbly in Your TummyMeat is easy to digest... for carnivores. After hunting their prey and killing them with their bare paws, animals get ready for a deliciously bloody meal. They eat their meats raw and fresh, absorbing all of the flesh’s available nutrients and allowing the food to pass quickly through the intestines. Can you imagine doing this? In contrast, food takes anywhere from 12 to 19 hours to move through our own systems. And when we eat our meats, the dead animal carcasses decompose and rot inside of our intestines for just that long. Does that five-pound hamburger still look so appetizing?We Aren't Vampires, or DogsIn spite of the strong advocacy of a plant-based diet, we mustn’t ignore the two anomalies in our mouths that appear to be fang-like. Yes, our mouths do boast an evolution that allows us to consume meat more efficiently. In the days of the hunter-gatherers, cavemen would pursue wild animals all day in search of a meal. In the days of the microwave dinner, however, we simply hop over to the nearest supermarket and purchase our meats by the pound. Moreover, we have access to meat every day. Cavemen only had access to meat whenever they caught something, which was not too frequently.Our lifestyles are inarguably sedentary compared to the incessant huffin’ and gruffin’ of our pre-historical ancestors. In weight-loss language, we don’t burn off anywhere near the amount of calories that our sometimes-meat-eating ancestors did while hunting. Meat consumption would ideally be limited to once a week (at most).Sausage is DangerousHowever, giving up meat altogether is a difficult task. People believe that meat is delicious. Meat is filling. Meat is meant for humans to enjoy. Sometimes, even fatal diseases related to eating meat prove insufficient to convince people to take better care of their health. According to an article in Health Insurance Carriers, certain meats can cause “cancer in the bowels, stomach, breast, colon, pancreas and prostate.” When choosing a plant-based diet is undergone with the right reasons, you will feel more motivation towards it.If you do choose to take the road towards vegetarianism or veganism, try it in small steps.Here are some great tips for making the transition:
Let go of meat for just one meal. If you absolutely love meat, try going without it for one meal. Just see what it is like to not eat meat for one meal. We assure you that you will survive.
After a success with one meal, try going without meat for one day. Then two days.Then longer.Eventually you will feel satisfied and more energetic without a taste-dependence on our animal friends.
Try meat substitutions. There are many options out there. The options that simulate meat sometimes taste better than the real thing!
Read labels. Just look at what you are eating and you may be surprised. That soup may actually have chicken stock in it. That salsa may have beef broth. You never know. And once you start looking at labels you will notice other ingredients like extra salt or high fructose corn syrupChristian Flores is a part-time freelance writer and has recently moved to the beautifully gloomy city of San Francisco. He is lactose intolerant and he keeps a picture of a baby calf on his desktop to serve as a constant reminder of the innocence of animals. He freely admits that he never went to college. Instead of stressing out on final exams, he was out enjoying the glorious foods of the Mediterranean and experiencing culture in its rawest form. He prides himself in being a part-time freelance writer and full-time superhero. He plans to make it big one day.