The peculiarities of the human diet derive from our history and evolution, in which we acquired eating habits, and the structure of the teeth and digestive apparatus gradually changed. The dental formula is differentiated, and the digestive departments have specific functions. All signs indicate that the maxillofacial apparatus belongs to an omnivorous creature. Eating animal foods is acceptable, but caution must be exercised when milk is consumed.
As humans evolved, societies shifted from gathering to hunting, making food more varied. It allowed humans to obtain more energy and nutrients (Beresford, n.d. b). The enrichment of food with protein (first insects in primates, then meat in humans) allowed humans to live longer (Beresford, n.d. c). The ability to cook food on fire completely altered taste and digestive receptors (Townsend, 2010). Genes began to be produced to digest the new food, so communities gradually consolidated habits (and then food culture) at the atomic level (Beresford, n.d. a). At the gene level, the ability to digest milk with the help of lactase was cemented.
The acceptability of milk consumption in terms of vegetarianism is debatable. From a physiological and anthropological perspective, milk does not always have positive effects on humans because lactase may stop being produced as we age (Wiley, n.d. b). Drinking milk is critical for children because it contains calcium and beneficial nutrients necessary for their development (Wiley, n.d. a). However, there remains little data on the actual benefits of milk for adults, despite the need for calcium fortification. Individuals should rely on their physiological characteristics when consuming milk first (Pelto et al., 2000). The inability to digest milk leads the way in choosing to consume dairy products, but psychosocial habits should shape dietary cultures since human digestive physiology indicates omnivorousness.
Consequently, evolutionary traits and individual characteristics should be relied upon when discussing dairy consumption. Anthropology indicates that in the process of evolution, the body was prepared for the consumption of meat and milk, and milk became especially important for children due to the nutrients in its composition. Evolution has led to genes encoding enzymes that help or not to digest milk. Based on this, a person should choose whether or not to drink milk and then rely on the principles of the vegetarian philosophy.
References
Beresford, M. (n.d. a). Biological approaches to food & culture. ANTH 107. [Lecture].
Beresford, M. (n.d. b). Human ecology & food. ANTH 107. [Lecture].
Beresford, M. (n.d. c). Primate diets. ANTH 107. [Lecture].
Pelto, G. P., Goodnab, A. H., & Dufour, D. L. (2000). The biocultural perspective in nutritional anthropology. In Nutritional anthropology: Biocultural perspectives on food and nutrition. Mayfield (pp. 1-10).
Townsend, E. (2010). The cooking age: An interview with Richard Wrangham.
Wiley, A. (n.d. a). Introduction.
Wiley, A. (n.d. b). Milk consumption, calcium and child growth.