Biologically are we meant to be vegetarian, vegans or meat eaters?

If the answer is vegan, then why is vitamin b12 only significantly found in animal products, and a deficiency a real health problem.

Biologically we are omnivores, but we have no problem thriving on a plant-based diet. B12 is not produced by animals, it's produced by bacteria. It used to be abundant in plant-based diets because the soil we grew our vegetables in supported a healthy bacterial ecosystem. We can no longer rely on B12 from soil, though, because commercial pesticides and fertilizers have rendered most soil incapable of supporting sufficient bacterial populations (not to mention the fact that we're cleaner creatures than we used to be, washing veggies carefully and often peeling them before we eat them.) The B12 that we supplement as vegans is not synthetic, it's made by the same bacteria that a meat eater gets theirs from. The difference is whether that bacteria is cultured in a cow's gut or in a sterile, vegetarian-friendly medium in a lab.

There are many theories about what is the best diet for humans. We will never know what is the most natural for humans but it can be said that all omnivores, vegetarians, and vegans can thrive on their own specific lifestyles.

You brought up the fact of vitamin B12 only being significantly found in animal products and how we need that vitamin. But actually, that's false. B12 can be found in some natural plant products, including kelp, seaweeds, certain bacterias, etc.

And when you really think about it, who has ever been deficient in B12 and who has died from such a deficiency?

You would be hard-pressed to find such a case.

yeah that's interesting. i was deficient for a while. after doing a bit of research it said the deficiency can cause weakness, dizziness, loss of balance and even depression which i found in myself.
even if the deficiency won't kill someone (as the other answerer pointed out) it's still a health condition and it's not pleasant.

i think we'd be ok as vegans if we were conscious of everything we ate, but for those lazy people who just eat whatever then vegetarian is probably more suited for optimum health.

This chart says it all
http://files.meetup.com/430338/Biologica...

Whatever we are hungry for. The vegan zealots that try to push their agenda onto the world will make up any lie so everyone can live as miserably as they are. Oh they claim they are happy yet they are the ones screaming at everyone else how their way is the only way.

If you study comparative anatomy, we are more like herbivores in many ways. We have long intestines and no biological weapons for taking down prey. Our stomach ph is the same as herbivores, too. Our jaws are like herbivores, as well. We got B12 from bacteria before modern food production methods made it unsafe to do so.

We are Omnivores. kthnxbai. =P

Since gorillas and chimpanzees eat mostly plants and sometimes eat meat; I think it's reasonable to assume our ancestors did the same thing.

Humans are biologically omnivores (not carnivores or herbivores).

I don't know how we could be boilogically meant to eat meat or animal products.

If we are than why are so many people lactose && tolerant?

There has to be a reason that all other mamals do not drink milk after they are weaned.

Meat eaters/omnivores.

Because of man's evolution as dictated by necessity, humans are capable of eating both plants and animals.

Because the soils are depleted and we're incredibly paranoid about making sure our food is sparkling clean.

I have lived off just meat for extended periods of time and always been extremely healthy my whole life, protein is where it's at.

Occasionally threw in some grains, but in general I don't like eating plants.

We are meant to be Omnivours. You can find this proof everywhere in the human body. Our teach show that we are meant to use our molars for grinding, and our incisors for tearing. If we were meant to eat only veggies, our apendix and tonsils would still have a purpose. They were designed for aiding in digesting grasses. Dont feel guilty eating meat. If we were never meant to eat meat, our bodies wouldnt require Fat and iron as much as it does. What other source in nature will provide the amount of fat, iron, and calcium we need.