[Vision2020] Physiological Reasons Humans Are Not Primarily MeatEaters

[Donovan Arnold]

Ted,

You ask, "I challenge you to provide one nutrient, based on scientific 
research, that
>is critical to human health that cannot be obtained from non-animal 
>sources."

I am out of my field here, but what about fish oil? This is very helpful for 
many children in reducing their autistic symptoms.  Is it possible to get 
this from a non-animal source?

Thanks,

Donovan J Arnold

>From: Tbertruss at aol.com
>To: lfalen at turbonet.com, vision2020 at moscow.com
>Subject: [Vision2020] Physiological Reasons Humans Are Not Primarily 
>MeatEaters
>Date: Thu, 3 Mar 2005 00:27:55 EST
>
>
>Roger et. al.
>
>I challenge you to provide one nutrient, based on scientific research, that
>is critical to human health that cannot be obtained from non-animal 
>sources.
>Even B-12, which still is asserted to be one of those nutrients than cannot 
>be
>found in non-animal sources, is found in significant quantities in 
>spirulina,
>tempeh, and brewers yeast.  Even the health oriented guru doctor Andrew 
>Weil
>made the mistake of stating publicly that B-12 must be obtained from animal
>foods.
>
>The arguments presented on V2020 that eating meat is critical to human 
>health
>are false!
>
>Evolutionary arguments that eating meat from hunting was a critical factor 
>in
>the development of human intelligence are without any proven substantive
>basis.  We really do not know what exact factors led to the development of 
>human
>intelligence with certainly.  Of course there are many theories that make
>sense, but if being a great hunter of meat was the deciding factor in 
>developing
>intelligence, T. Rex or other dominant predators of evolution, might have
>evolved into geniuses of unparalleled dimensions, so the "predator" on this 
>list
>might reconsider his grand position in the food chain based on eating meat. 
>  He's
>no match for T. Rex, unless he has modern weapons, which our evolutionary
>ancestors did not have.
>
>It is possible human intelligence developed first before we became more
>oriented toward hunting animals for food!  Our intelligence might have 
>allowed us
>the luxury of becoming better hunters of animals, and thus less dependent 
>on
>plant sources.
>
>Some think the unusually long period of human development, out to 20 years
>for full growth, which is not found in any other animal on earth, led to 
>special
>social skills of communication and cooperation, needed for the sexual 
>bonding
>for long periods to assure the survival of offspring, was the main factor 
>in
>the development of human intelligence.  Just another theory.  I suspect 
>there
>are many factors all acting together to explain the evolution of human
>intelligence, and perhaps there was a random factor of lucky mutations 
>involved.
>
>But the facts of our dentation and digestive system indicate that, while we
>are omnivores, and can live on meat and digest it, that our evolutionary
>heritage is heavily weighed toward the eating of plant foods for survival.  
>Anyone
>can look at the teeth on a dog, a carnivore, and observe that humans do not
>have the same teeth needed to tear meat and kill directly.  What are the 
>molars
>for?  Plant eating.  Dogs do not have molars like human beings.  A major 
>clue
>regarding the diet our evolutionary ancestors predominately ate.
>
>See info at this site:
>
>http://michaelbluejay.com/veg/natural.html
>
>Ted Moffett
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