MD Debunks Myth that Humans Evolved to Eat Meat

In a recent feature on Huffington Post, Shivam Joshi, MD stipulated that homosapiens did not evolve to eat meat. Joshi points out that early humans ate opportunistically, and only recently discovered that our meat-heavy diets are contributing factors to diseases such as cancer, diabetes, and obesity. Further, Joshi revealed that human digestive tracts and dental composition resemble those of herbivores due to our common evolutionary processes. “Humans descended from a long line—roughly 40 million years—of herbivorous ancestors that is shared with living primates,” Joshi said, “which is why we are so closely related to chimpanzees.” The doctor compares humans eating meat to dogs consuming chocolate in that neither evolved to do so, evidenced by the negative side-effects experienced in both scenarios. “If we look at the totality of human evolution,” Joshi concluded, “we find that our lineage has not only survived, but thrived on a plant-based fare.” A number of studies have linked meat consumption with increased risk of disease. Conversely, research has shown that eating plants promotes optimal health.