#我来唠家常#
Humans are the only species on Earth that can cook food and use fire. We are accustomed to eating food after secondary processing by boiling, frying, roasting and frying at high temperatures, and rarely choose raw food. However, scientific research has found that human ancestors did not mind eating it raw, and even the concentration of stomach acid in humans is not inferior to that of many animals that can eat carrion.
This paper aims to explore the causes of this scientific problem from the perspectives of analyzing the differences between human gastric acid and scavengers, and the changes in the dietary habits of ancient and modern people, and at the same time calling on people to raise their awareness of dietary hygiene and care for their stomach health.
1. Human beings in modern civilized societies rarely eat raw
In today's civilized society, we rarely choose a raw diet. When it comes to raw food, most people's first thought is Japanese and Korean dishes such as sushi, sashimi, oysters, and kimchi. Even these raw foods are often made with carefully selected ingredients that are refrigerated and preserved.
On the Chinese table, more people will choose cooked food after various cooking techniques. This includes dishes seasoned with oil, salt, sauce and vinegar, as well as meats processed by various methods such as roasting, frying, stir-frying, stewing, stewing, marinating, marinating, and blanching. This is not only the embodiment of Chinese food culture, but also the common dietary choice of modern human beings.
2. Ethnic minorities such as the Nenets still retain the habit of eating raw meat
Yet deep in Russia's vast northern wilderness, there is still a group of isolated Nenets. They were known as "raw meat eaters" and retained the way of life of ancient times.
The Nenets live a nomadic life, where they often have to graze, hunt, and fight against fierce cold winds and snowstorms. The harsh natural environment has honed their optimistic and open-minded character. Under the extreme conditions of food shortages, they learned to make the most of their livestock resources and eat directly the meat and offal of cattle and sheep. This is an important way for them to get protein, vitamins.
Despite the harsh living conditions, the Nenets were not savage. They select the freshest livestock meat to eat and are grateful and in awe of the food. This state of life is very similar to that of the hunter tribes in ancient times, full of love and respect for nature.
3. Has modern humans become fragile in the process of evolution?
In stark contrast to the Nenets, the vast majority of modern humans have found it difficult to accept raw food. We live in a materially rich and technologically advanced society, but we have also become extremely afraid of foodborne diseases, and we are constantly worried about the bacteria and toxins in our food.
Imagine our primeval ancestors sitting around a fire, feasting on roasted prey. Their lives will be closer to nature and instinct, and more indisputable. In contrast, our lives are occupied by all kinds of test-taking education, work pressure, and excessive entertainment. Perhaps the price of evolution is that we become more and more vulnerable, more and more distant from the bosom of nature.
So what is the reason why modern human beings cannot withstand the tempering of raw food? There are naturally changes in our lifestyles and thinking patterns, but more importantly, the physiological structure of the human body has undergone tremendous adjustments. This requires us to start with the differences between humans and other animals.
4. Scavengers have strong acidic gastric juice to break down food
Scientific research has found that what really affects gastric acid secretion is not the size of the stomach, but the eating habits of animals. Scavengers deserve attention because of their unique survival strategies.
Scavengers can live on nutrients from carcasses of other animals, and they have evolved high concentrations of stomach acid that can break down the proteins in carrion and kill most pathogenic bacteria, thus adapting to a variety of extreme environments. Fungi, bacteria pose little threat to their digestive system.
If we turn our attention to humans, we are surprised to find that human acid concentrations are comparable to those of many scavengers. So why don't we dare to eat carrion raw? The reason is that humans don't have the same strong immune system as scavengers. We are more susceptible to pathogenic bacteria, so we need to use external forces such as fire to kill microorganisms in food.
Fifth, in the process of human evolution, it has gradually adapted to cooked food
Archaeological finds have shown that Homo erectus, who inhabited eastern Africa, began to use fire as early as more than 200,000 years ago. They may use fire to barbecue the meat of the beasts they hunt. Further evidence suggests that by 40,000 years ago at the latest, our ancestors had a widespread skill in using fire.
The greatest value of using fire is that we can cook food. Meat and vegetables that have been processed at high temperatures can be stored longer and are easier to chew and absorb. In addition, cooking can kill bacteria and viruses in food, greatly reducing the probability of getting sick.
Because of this, human beings have gradually abandoned the habit of eating raw food for a long time. We no longer need the acidic gastric juices of scavengers to digest food and defend against pathogens. The acidity of human gastric juice is also optimized and adjusted in this process.
6. Modern humans eating raw food are more likely to cause health problems
Although sashimi and raw shrimp appear on the table from time to time, this does not mean that modern humans have fully adapted to raw food. Foodborne illness warnings reported by various countries prove that our bodies are still very afraid of microbes in food.
The most common of these include salmonella, Staphylococcus aureus poisoning, giardiasis, etc., and the consequences can be severe and life-threatening. In addition, our lack of necessary immunity also increases the risk of contracting diseases. Modern humans have a harder time coping with the challenges of eating raw food than our ancestors.
Caring for your health starts with making your stomach happy. We can eat some probiotics and other foods that help regulate the flora of the gastrointestinal tract, and pay attention to maintaining a good diet and rest habits. Stay away from raw food, take care of your stomach, and start today.
7. Discussion among netizens
Some netizens said: "In fact, modern people have not completely rejected raw food, sushi like sashimi and oysters are still very popular." ”
Some netizens also said: "I think that unless the raw food is fresh and hygienic, there is still a great health risk, and I basically don't dare to try it easily." ”
Another netizen said: "This topic reminds me of the Japanese movie "Survival Family", which describes the story of a family that eats carrion for a living, and it feels very scary, it is really difficult for modern people to survive in such an environment." ”
To sum up, human beings have gradually adapted to cooked food after high temperature treatment through civilizational advancements such as fire-making and cooking technology. This not only enriches our recipes, but also reduces the risk of foodborne illness. In contemporary society, there is a trend towards raw food, but most people still cannot fully bear the health risks involved.
Therefore, while pursuing a gastronomic experience, we also need to raise awareness of hygiene, stay away from possible microbial attacks, and allow the stomach to work healthy and happy. Only a healthy stomach can support us to have a full and enjoyable life.
What do you think about this, please leave a comment below!