Anthropologists and human paleontologists have found that modern
Homo
sapiens, despite our advanced technology and civilization, are
not
significantly different either physiologically or psychologically
from
our Paleolithic ancestors. In their groundbreaking 1988 book
“The
Paleolithic Prescription: A Program of Diet & Exercise and a
Design
for Living”, MDs Eaton and Konner and researcher Shostak used
the
Paleolithic diet which consisted of a wide variety of
vegetables,
fruit, and wild game (which is very lean meat) to recommend a
modern
diet similar to the American Dietary Guidelines.
Eaton et al. also claimed that, while adult vegans “can be
basically
healthy… there is some evidence that children raised exclusively
on
such diets have slowed growth and development. To propose humans
as
basically vegetarian in nature, however, is clearly unjustifed.
Meat
is, and has always been, a major constituent of the human
diet.”
Humans have evolved for the past two million years as
omnivorous
hunters/gatherers and have as much right to eat meat as any
other
predator on this planet. However, unlike other modern predators,
many
of whom often begin eating their prey while it is still alive
and
conscious, we treat our prey far more humanely.
Instead of trying to rewrite or deny our evolutionary and
dietary
heritage, it would make more sense to adopt an animal welfare
approach
that advocates the humane use of our animal food sources rather
than
an animal “rights” position which ultimately seeks no use of and
no
contact with animals (including pets).