Were Our Ancestors Vegetarian?

with Sally Fallon Morell

Veganism and vegetarianism have become the hip and “clean” way to eat, for many—particularly for young people. But what is this diet doing to our health? Throughout history, has any traditional culture deliberately chosen to forego meat in favor of a 100% plant-based diet?

In this week’s episode, Sally Fallon Morell, president of the Weston A. Price Foundation and author of “Nourishing Traditions,” discusses the importance animal products have held in diets around the globe. Sally touches on the work of Dr. Price (who found no completely plant-based diet among indigenous people) and the ethics of eating animal foods. She covers what happens to our bodies when we don’t include animal products (issues with tooth decay, weight gain or loss, and more) and stresses the dangers of vitamin B12 deficiencies. Finally, she reviews how to source and prepare animal foods to get the most out of them. This episode is a review of principle #2 of the Wise Traditions lifestyle: that all traditional cultures included animal products in their diet.

Notes:

Highlights from the conversation include:

Traditional cultures not only ate meat, but would go to great lengths to get it
All traditional cultures had sacred foods for during pre-conception, pregnancy, and lactating—all of which were animal foods
Why animal products are critical for women’s reproductive health
How parents have more control over what children eat than they might think
What we should be looking for when choosing our meats, and best options for supermarket shoppers
The most important nutrients for pregnant or lactating mothers and babies, and where to find them
The ethics of consuming animal products
The role of animals in nature’s cycle of life
The consequences of having no animal products in the diet: tooth decay, issues with weight, mental illness
Dangers of B12 deficiencies
Where to find good food resources for purchasing quality animal products
How to prepare meats properly for optimal and simple digestion