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2024-11-11

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Three Million Years Ago, Our Ancestors Were Vegetarian (www.wits.ac.za)

submitted 1 day ago* (last edited 1 day ago) by HylicManoeuvre to c/[email protected]

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cross-posted from: https://lemmy.ml/post/24943429

Human ancestors like Australopithecus – which lived around 3.5 million years ago in southern Africa – ate very little to no meat, according to new research published in the scientific journal Science. This conclusion comes from an analysis of nitrogen isotope isotopes in the fossilized tooth enamel of seven Australopithecus individuals. The data revealed that these early hominins primarily relied on plant-based diets, with little to no evidence of meat consumption.

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[–] [email protected] 2 points 4 hours ago* (last edited 3 hours ago)

claim that “science against meat is inconclusive” is overselling it.

https://www.dietdoctor.com/low-carb/skeptical-doctors#cancer

In brief, the data linking fat to cancer risk are inconsistent, incomplete, and unreliable.

The most consistent (albeit weak) associations between cancer risk and fat have been found over the years in observational studies looking at red meat and the risk of colorectal cancer. However, two more recent, important papers published in Annals of Internal Medicine make the case that available evidence from randomized controlled trials and observational studies does not support recommendations to lower red meat intake for prevention of cancer or heart disease.

Strong Evidence - Effect of Lower Versus Higher Red Meat Intake on Cardiometabolic and Cancer Outcomes: A Systematic Review of Randomized Trials

Weak Observational - Patterns of Red and Processed Meat Consumption and Risk for Cardiometabolic and Cancer Outcomes: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis of Cohort Studies

https://www.dietdoctor.com/low-carb/red-meat#cancer

While the epidemiological studies reviewed by the committee suggest an association, other studies question the strength of the association.

large reviews and meta-analyses of observational studies, researchers have found inconsistent results. One very large meta-analysis found that the absolute effects of red meat on cancer risk are extremely low, with the certainty of evidence being low to very low.While some have shown no association of red meat and cancer risk, others have shown a positive association with gastric, esophageal, breast, and prostate cancer. Weak Protective 1 Weak Protective 2 Weak Positive 3 Weak Protective 4 Weak Protective 5

For those that did show an association, the hazard ratios were quite small, in the range of 1.06 to 1.4. In comparison, cigarette smoking has a hazard ratio greater than 20 for being associated with cancer. Therefore, although these observational studies can suggest an association between red meat and cancer, the very low hazard ratios weaken the assertion that red meat causes cancer.

I'm happy you have found a diet that works for you, I have not seen compelling non-observational evidence that ASF is dangerous, ESPECIALLY in the context of a low carbohydrate diet. I'm not trying to change your mind, but I wanted to illustrate that different reasonable people reading the literature can come to different conclusions.