People can argue with each other all day long about the most optimal diet, but it only takes a sensible look at our physiology to see that we are built to eat only plants. Sure, we can eat animals and not keel over dead on the spot, but over time, eating meat, dairy and eggs clogs our arteries and gives rise to the diseases that are the leading causes of death and ill health in people worldwide.

We are not carnivores. We are not omnivores. We are herbivores. We have no fangs and no claws. Our teeth are made for grinding plants, not slashing flesh. We have long intestines, not short ones like those that actual carnivores and omnivores possess. Our gastro-intestinal tracts' pH levels are that of plant-eaters, not carnivores.

Our brains and muscles function on glucose as our natural fuel. Glucose is obtained most readily, and in the best useable form, from plants. We are not meant to live indefinitely on predominantly fat, despite the huge rage around ketogenic diets at this point. Ketosis is a state that emerges in starvation, and it is a lifesaver in those instances, but it is not a long-term solution, and over time can be very damaging.

We humans require high levels of fiber to maintain gut health, which is foundational for many aspects of good health, including robust immune function, balanced mental health and overall peak performance. Animal foods have no fiber; fiber comes only from plants.

Our bodies produce all the cholesterol we need for important metabolic processes. Ingesting extra cholesterol in the form of meat, dairy and eggs, serves only to clog us up and cause disease. We are not built to ingest external cholesterol. Eating animal foods also brings dangerous and excessive saturated fat, antibiotics and all manner of pathological bacteria into our bodies, causing disease.

We can easily and deliciously obtain all the protein (and importantly, the proper type of protein) from plants. Animal protein is inflammatory and sets the stage for many disease processes. We can also get all the calcium, iron and other nutrients we require, without eating anything that comes from animals.

The best sources of healthy glucose, vitamins, minerals, protein, fiber and general proper nutrition are whole, complex carbohydrates like potatoes, corn, whole grains and pastas, beans, vegetables, fruits, nuts and seeds - a whole food plant-based diet which is easy to learn to eat. Learn how here.

For more in-depth discussion of physiology and diet read these articles:

The Evolution Of A Vegan

The Physiology Of A Vegan

Beyond The Paleolithic Diet

Naturally Vegan - How Evolution Shaped Us

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Image Credit:
Deb VeVe