By examining the teeth of early humans, anthropologists can determine the type of food they consumed, whether it was hard or soft, and whether it was plant-based or animal-based. Likewise, by studying the bones of early humans, archaeologists can determine what animals they hunted and consumed.
Biologists and nutritionists have studied the nutritional composition of meat and other foods, specifically the protein and nutrient content of different types of meat. They also investigate how cooking affects the nutrient content and digestibility of foods. Cooking meat breaks down the proteins and makes them more digestible, which allowed our ancestors to extract more energy and nutrients from the food. This increased access to energy-rich nutrients, such as amino acids, iron, and zinc, would have supported the growth and maintenance of larger brains.
Also, biologists and nutritionists have studied the effects of nutrients on brain development and function. For instance, animal protein is a rich source of amino acids which are important for the synthesis of neurotransmitters, and fatty acids such as omega-3 are essential for the development and function of the brain.
By combining the findings from these scientific disciplines, it is strongly evidenced that the consumption of cooked meat, particularly animal protein, played a significant role in the evolution of the human brain and intelligence.
The human brain has evolved over millions of years, starting with our earliest ancestors who had very small brains. Through a process of natural selection, the human brain gradually became larger and more complex, allowing for advanced cognitive abilities such as language, abstract thinking, and problem solving.
One theory about the evolution of human intelligence suggests that the discovery of fire and the ability to cook food played a crucial role. Cooking food made it easier to digest, which allowed our ancestors to obtain more energy from their food. This energy could then be used to fuel the development of larger brains and more sophisticated cognitive abilities. Additionally, cooking food may have reduced the risk of disease and infection, which would have increased the lifespan of our ancestors and allowed for more opportunities to learn and innovate.
The fact that no other species of animal has the same level of intelligence as humans, and that no other species is known to cook food before eating it, suggests that there was something unique about the evolutionary path that led to the development of human intelligence. It is likely that a combination of factors, including the discovery of fire, the ability to cook our food was crucial to the evolution of human intelligence.
Here are specific findings related to the role of meat in the evolution of the human brain and intelligence:
1. Wrangham, R. W. (2009). Catching Fire: How Cooking Made Us Human. Basic Books.
In this book, Wrangham argues that the consumption of cooked meat played a crucial role in the evolution of the human brain and intelligence. He suggests that cooking meat allowed early humans to extract more energy and nutrients from their food, which in turn fueled the development of larger brains and more sophisticated cognitive abilities.
2. Carmody, R. N., & Wrangham, R. W. (2009). The energetic significance of cooking. Journal of Human Evolution, 57(4), 379-391.
In this study, Carmody and Wrangham explore the energetic consequences of cooking on the human diet. They argue that cooking meat increases the net energy gain from food by making it easier to digest and by increasing the availability of nutrients such as amino acids and fatty acids. They suggest that this increase in energy availability could have fueled the evolution of larger brains in early humans.
3. Organ, C. L., Nunn, C. L., Machanda, Z., & Wrangham, R. W. (2011). Phylogenetic rate shifts in feeding time during the evolution of Homo. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 108(35), 14555-14559.
In this study, Organ and colleagues investigate the relationship between feeding time and brain size in primates, including humans. They find that the introduction of cooked foods into the human diet allowed for a reduction in feeding time, which would have freed up time for other activities such as socializing, tool-making, and language development. The consumption of meat, particularly cooked meat, is thought to have played a key role in this development.
4. Aiello, L. C., & Wheeler, P. (1995). The expensive-tissue hypothesis: the brain and the digestive system in human and primate evolution. Current anthropology, 36(2), 199-221.
In this paper, Aiello and Wheeler propose the "expensive-tissue hypothesis," which suggests that the evolution of larger brains in primates was made possible by a decrease in the size of the gut, which was in turn made possible by the introduction of energy-rich foods, such as cooked meat, into the human diet.
5. Milton, K. (1999). Nutritional characteristics of wild primate foods: do the diets of our closest living relatives have lessons for us? Nutrition, 15(6), 488-498.
In this paper, Milton examines the nutritional composition of the diets of wild primates, including humans. She finds that animal foods, such as insects, small mammals, and eggs, tend to be high in fat, protein, and other nutrients that are important for brain development and function. The consumption of animal foods, particularly meat, is thought to have played a key role in the evolution of the human brain and intelligence.
6. Leonard, W. R., & Robertson, M. L. (1997). Evolutionary perspectives on human nutrition: the influence of brain and body size on diet and metabolism. American Journal of Human Biology, 9(5), 631-641.
In this paper, Leonard and Robertson explore the relationship between brain size and diet in primates, including humans. They suggest that the incorporation of energy-dense foods, such as animal protein and fat, into the diet made it possible to support the energy demands of a larger brain. The consumption of animal protein, particularly meat, is thought to have played a key role in this development.
Anyone can believe whatever they want, but the fact they can even think about things like animal cruelty, environmental destruction, health concerns or even speciesism with advanced cognitive abilities such as language, abstract thinking, and problem solving is because their ancestors ate cooked meat.
Eat meat and animal prooducts. It's good for us. We evolved that way.
