Question: Hi, scientist, Why do we as humans eat animals and we are herbivores. We have nothing that a carnivore have eg sharp claws and large canine teeth, we can't even stand blood or seeing someone kill an animal but people still eat them?
I suppose that humans aren’t exactly herbivores, we have certain adaptations to allow us to extract nutrients from animal-based foods, such as pointed canine teeth, or enzymes which absorb iron better from animal sources than from plant sources; as such we are generally referred to as omnivores because we can eat both plants and animals. This probably helped our survival in prehistoric times because animal-sourced foods tend to be more nutrient-dense.
Of course, just because we evolved to be able to consume and absorb nutrients from animal sources doesn’t mean that we have to – it is possible, although more difficult, to obtain all necessary nutrients from a plant-based diet. However, if avoiding meat or animal products, be it for health or ethical motivations, it’s really important to link in with a dietician to make sure that your diet is achieving your requirements and avoid becoming deficient in any nutrient(s).
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