It may seem paradoxical that pandas eat almost nothing but bamboo, while cows live on grass.
Yet humans are told that they must eat a varied diet to stay healthy. Research suggests that the explanation lies in fundamental biological differences.
Animals’ special advantages
What appears to be a one-sided diet is rarely that simple.
Associate Professor Jakob Sehested from Aarhus University explains to Videnskab.dk that cows do not live on grass alone.
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Their stomachs contain bacteria that break down grass and convert it into protein and fat, which the cow can absorb.
Predators such as lions and tigers also do not obtain nourishment solely from meat.
They eat the entire prey, including fat and organs, where many vitamins and minerals are found. In this way, they meet their nutritional needs without changing their diet.
The biological limits of humans
Humans do not have the same built-in solutions.
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According to nutrition physiologist Susanne Gjedsted Bügel from the University of Copenhagen, the human body requires several different foods to obtain all essential nutrients.
Associate Professor Mette Hansen from Aarhus University also points out that humans, among other things, cannot produce vitamin C on their own.
This means that the vitamin must come from the diet, typically through fruit and vegetables.
Variation is necessary
Videnskab.dk describes how sailors in the past developed scurvy because they lived for long periods without fresh fruit and vegetables.
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Although they consumed enough calories, they lacked essential vitamins.
Many animals can live on a one-sided diet because their bodies compensate. Humans cannot, because we are unable to produce certain vital nutrients ourselves.
Therefore, a varied diet is not merely a health recommendation but a biological requirement.
Sources: Videnskab.dk.
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