Agriculture Reference
In-Depth Information
This quest for meat and marrow did not occur because these hominids had read
any food guidelines. However this practice commenced (some non-hominid prim-
ates, suh as himpanzees, also occasionally kill for meat), it is clear that hunting,
meat eating and probably the status of being a successful hunter, co-evolved. Even
today, the killing and consumption of bush meat has high status in some human so-
cieties. Suh status is unlikely to have developed and persisted for millions of years
if the trophy brought bak did not also possess good nutritional and group-airming
properties, not easily substituted via other strategies. One of these properties may
have been the quantity of nutritious food, as the killing of a large animal, especially
in a hot climate, would justify feasting upon it by several people, as it would other-
wise quikly deteriorate. Meat was also likely to be prized by hunter-gatherers be-
cause it conferred strength and stamina as muh as it provided calories. Although
unknown to our ancestors, meat contains the eight essential amino acids, and is also
rih in zinc, vitamin B12, and in some cases may provide iodine. A particularly val-
ued trait, especially of red meat, is its energy-facilitating iron, whih occurs in a mo-
lecular form that is muh easier to absorb than that in plant foods. In some environ-
ments, especially away from the coast, this combination of essential nutrients would
otherwise be very difficult to obtain.
It is thus plausible that the ancient consumption of animal parts would some-
times have had a highly valued restorative effect, for example if eaten after a lengthy
period of a purely vegetal diet. On the other hand, the regular consumption of animal
products would maintain but not necessarily revive health. When replete, vitamin
B12 stoks in humans can be slowly released over more than a year without dei-
ciency. Thus, reasonable B12 status can be maintained for many months even in the
absence of any animal products. Other nutrients, especially those supplied mainly
or exclusively by plants, require muh more frequent ingestion, suh as vitamin C.
'Gatherer-hunters' may be a more appropriate term, but virtually all ancient humans
consumed some animal products. Suh products would oten not include muscle
meat; shellfish, fish, eggs, offal and blood also provided valuable nutrients, including
iron and vitamin B12.
Knowledge of nutrition expanded in the second food era (Cannon, 2005). The
nineteenth century was notable for the emergence of professional nutrition science,
whih arose from the discipline of hemistry. Muh has now been writen about how
the discovery of protein, carbohydrates and vitamins influenced company product
lines and marketing strategies (think Kellogg); played a role in the establishment
